Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers make untraditional defense of regional crown

Feb. 26—The Pitt-Johnstown wrestling program will face competition for the first time during the 2020-21 season on Sunday, as the two-time defending champion Mountain Cats compete in the NCAA Division II Super I Regional.

"We're definitely grateful for the opportunity," said Mountain Cats coach Pat Pecora. "What can you say? It's been a very strange year to begin with. We're grateful for the opportunity to be able to compete at regionals and give guys an opportunity to compete for the national tournament."

The Super Region I Tournament will be held at Mercyhurst University.

UPJ has won 23 regional crowns in the distinguished program's history.

But the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out all fall sports in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and many programs opted out during the winter basketball and wrestling seasons.

Pitt-Johnstown didn't participate in winter sports this season as the PSAC canceled its mandated conference schedule in 2020-21. Gannon University and Mercyhurst University were the only PSAC schools to wrestle during the regular season.

The PSAC gave the six other wrestling schools in the conference a chance to opt in before the start of the postseason.

'Good practices'

"We started up in late January," Pecora said. "We've been able to get some good practices under our belt.

"We've been trying to wrestle as many matches as we can. We practice during the week. Then on Saturdays, we wrestle matches, put singlets on and try to simulate a match. On Wednesdays, we try to simulate a match."

Last season, Pitt-Johnstown rolled through regional competition, claiming four individual championships as well as the team title. With three returning national champions in the 2020 lineup, UPJ was considered one of the top contenders at the Division II national tournament. The team already was in South Dakota for the championship event when the pandemic forced a cancellation in March.

The Mountain Cats return six starters, including two-time All-American Brock Biddle at 174 pounds, and national qualifiers Jacob Ealy at 149 and Allan Beattie at 285. Other returnees are Matt Siszka at 125, Nate Smith at 157 and Alex Depp at 184.

Newcomers include freshman Mason Myers at 133, West Virginia University transfer Caleb Morris at 141, redshirt freshman Dillon Keane at 165 and freshman Dakoda Rodgers at 197.

"We're getting there," Pecora said. "It's odd. Usually it takes a whole season to get ready for a regional or national tournament. Not having a dual meet under your belt, it's going to be tough. You're going to have to adjust right away. Nothing can simulate a live match."

Traditionally, the top-three finishers in each of the 10 weight classes advance to the NCAA Division II national championship, which will be in St. Louis on March 12-13. This year, only the champion from each weight class will advance, with additional wild cards being awarded to each region based upon the number of teams competing.

Teams at the regional also will adapt to COVID-19 related precautions and guidelines. Only official traveling parties will be permitted into the arena. Fans will not be in attendance.

"We've been testing everybody three days a week," Pecora said. "That has gone well. Everybody has been negative on the whole team. We'll be tested again on Friday, tested Saturday and tested Sunday."

Pecora said his wrestlers have shown mettle throughout a trying year, both academically and athletically.

"I have to give these guys credit. This took a certain type of discipline that you never had to have before," Pecora said. "What these athletes had to go through this year was unbelievable. You had to work out in your yard. You had to do things by yourself, without your coaches or your teammates with you. We didn't have any real practices in the fall. We were doing preseason when it hit again. The PSAC shut down."

Life on the Richland Township campus during an academic year consisting of virtual/online classes also presented challenges.

"Once we came back (to the campus), the other part of the discipline is you have to live a different life," Pecora said. "They're basically going from their dorm room to the workout. Their classes are online. They're not allowed to have any visitors. You can't visit anybody. No girlfriends. You're not going home.

"They've had to give a different type of discipline that we've never asked for. We're trying to live in this bubble."