Last season, freshmen wrestlers Matt Kocher and Drew Headlee helped lead a relatively young… Last season, freshmen wrestlers Matt Kocher and Drew Headlee helped lead a relatively young Panther team to a third place finish in the Eastern Wrestling League in both the regular season and league meet.

As the dynamic duo of Kocher and Headlee move on to the status of sophomores this year, head coach Rande Stottlemyer believes he can safely pass on the torch to the group of seven newcomers that he announced earlier this summer.

“This is an outstanding recruiting class,” Stottlemyer said. “They are a very talented and committed group of young men who will contribute significantly to the future of Pittsburgh wrestling.”

Joe Ciampoli — a two-time place winner at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships — will look to make a name for himself in the 133/141-pound weight class for the Panthers this season.

Kyle Deliere and Nick Padezan are the two Western Pennsylvania natives who will join the team this year. Between them, they bring two Powerade Championships and three PIAA place finishes to the table, while both project at either 174 or 184 pounds for Pitt.

As a member of Pennsylvania’s National Freestyle Team, Dave Morgan is currently ranked among the top 12 nationally in his weight class, and earned a second-place finish at the PIAA tournament last year.

Stottlemyer’s only signing of the fall period was Sean Richmond, a two-time place winner at the PIAA tournament from Easton High School. Richmond is currently ranked in the top 20 nationally in his weight class.

Zachary Sheaffer will fight for a spot in the 285-pound weight class after a third-place finish at the state finals in each of the last two years. At the moment, Sheaffer is ranked eighth in the nation at his respective weight class.

Lou Thomas — the only member of the recruiting class not from Pennsylvania — was a three-time state champion in West Virginia and was voted the best high school wrestler in the state last season. In addition to that, Thomas also has a Powerade Championship; second place finishes in the Beast of the East and Iron Man competitions; and a national ranking as the No. 2 wrestler at 215 pounds.

“These individuals have displayed excellent character throughout their scholastic careers, and we are excited that they have chosen to attend the University of Pittsburgh,” Stottlemyer noted.

With the new recruiting class in place, Pitt will hold its “wrestle offs” at the Fitzgerald Field House later this fall, in preparation for another run at the EWL team title, as well as personal titles in each weight class.