Pitt wrestlers prepare for NCAA Championships

Five Pitt wrestlers will represent the wrestling program at the NCAA Championships, which… Five Pitt wrestlers will represent the wrestling program at the NCAA Championships, which begins today and runs through Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

“When you get here the goal is to stand on the podium and anybody can do it,” head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. “These guys are all ready and focused, but it won’t be easy. This [tournament] is the best of the best.”

Carl Fronhofer, Justin Giovinco, Justin Nestor, Jordan Sianni and Ronald Tarquinio all qualified for the tournament.

“Carl and Giovinco have been here before, so they have the experience.” Stottlemyer said.

Fronhofer, a redshirt senior and four-time NCAA Championships qualifier, will compete at the 174-pound weight class. He has posted a 19-6 overall record, 9-2 dual meet record and a 10-4 record in tournaments. Fronhofer has four major decisions, one pin and three technical falls this season.

“I really believe that Carl is prepared for this tournament,” Stottlemyer said.

At the Eastern Wrestling League Championships, Fronhofer placed second to West Virginia’s Greg Jones, the nation’s No. 1-ranked wrestler at that weight. He will wrestle Blake Kaplan of Ohio State in the pigtail round.

Giovinco will make his third trip to the NCAA Championships and will compete at 149 pounds. He is a senior and had an overall record of 24-7, which included three major decisions, five pins and one technical fall.

In dual meets, Giovinco was 10-2 and was 14-5 in tournament action. Giovinco also placed second in the EWLs, losing 1-3 in the finals to West Virginia’s Billy Smith, whom he had previously beaten. He will take on Illinois’ Tony Pedrosa in his first round match.

Nestor, a redshirt freshman, will compete in the 157-pound weight class hoping to earn a spot on the winners’ podium. He went 23-12 overall, 8-5 in dual meets and 15-7 in tournaments. He recorded four major decisions and seven pins.

Nestor battled back from a semifinal loss to pin Edinboro’s Eric Ring in the first period, which earned him third place in the EWLs and his first trip to the NCAA Championships. In his first round bout he will wrestle Rider’s Derek Jenkins.

Sianni received a wild card invite at 125 pounds for his first invite to the NCAA Championships, but earlier in the week, it was decided that he would not wrestle because of injury and other issues. The freshman had the best overall record at 27-7 and best dual meet record at 10-1. He also had eight pins, which was another team high.

At the EWLs, Sianni placed fifth as he suffered a tough 4-5 loss to Jacob Gray of Edinboro and was upset by No. 5 seed Peter Derstine of Clarion. Sianni rebounded to place fifth with a major decision over Lock Haven’s Jim Collins.

Another wild card invitation was given to Tarquinio at 141 pounds, who had an overall record of 20-11. Tarquinio was 9-4 in dual meet action and 11-7 in tournaments and contributed six major decisions and one pin this season.

Tarquinio, a redshirt freshman, wrestled for third place in the EWLs, but lost on a tiebreaker point to West Virginia’s Shane Cunan. This also will be Tarquinio’s first appearance in the NCAA Championships and he will wrestle Bob Seidel in the first round.

“They have done all of the things that they need to do. I think those guys are going to do well,” Stottlemyer said. “This is why you train each year – for this tournament.”