TCNJ WRESTLING TEAM TAKES THIRD AT ITHACA INVITATIONAL:  VINCIGUERRA LEADS THE WAY AS THE LIONS’ LONE CHAMPION

Ithaca, NY… The College of New Jersey’s wrestling team opened the 2004-2005 season on this weekend competing at the Ithaca College Invitational. The defending team champions, the Lions were unable to defend their crown and settled for third place in the two-day event at Ithaca’s Ben Light Gymnasium in the 17-team field.  TCNJ had been in fifth place after the first day on competition. Winning the title was Springfield College with 143 points, while Ithaca College took second with 141 points and TCNJ picked up third place with 139.5 points.

Link to complete brackets and results

http://www.ithaca.edu/bombers/wrest/2004-05/invitational/ithacainvitational04.htm

The Lions had one champion, four runner-up and a total of eight place finishers for the tournament. Leading the way was senior co-captain Nick Vinciguerra (Cream Ridge, NJ/Jackson), who won the title at 197 pounds to open his senior season. Seeded first in the weight class, Vinciguerra is ranked No. 6 nationally in the pre-season poll and posted a 4-0 effort for the weekend to win his weight class. A National Junior College Champion for Gloucester County College two years ago, he went 28-4 last year with the Lions and was one point away from earning All-America honors last season.

Ranked No. 6 nationally at 184 pounds junior Paul Vaccaro (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Absegami) finished as the runner-up at his weight after dropping the title bout 3-1 to US Coast Guard Academy’s Josh Boyle. Seeded first in the bracket, Vaccaro went 3-1 for the tournament and is now 76-19 on his career after taking eighth place a year ago at the 2004 NCAA Division III Championships to collect his second All-America citation.

TCNJ’s junior heavy weight contender, Keith Bjorhus (Wayne, PA/Conestoga) picked up a runner-up finish in his weight class after dropping a 7-4  decision in the finals to top seeded Scott Fay of Springfield College. Seeded second in the tournament, Bjorhus went 4-1 with    a pin in just 0:36 seconds in his first match over Western New England’s Nick Brait. Bjorhus is now 52-17 on his career with 18 career pins.

Another runner-up was the Lions’ junior Brian Dempsey (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) who finished in second place at 125 pounds. Dempsey dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to top seeded Jason Peck of Cortland, who is ranked No. 2 nationally at the weight. Dempsey, is also nationally ranked seventh in the same poll, and went 3-1 for the weekend. An All-American a year ago, taking eighth at the 2004 NCAA's, Dempsey went 25-16 in 2003-2004 and is now 46-23 on his Lion career.

Sophomore Joey Galante (Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) took second at 157 pounds after falling 3-2 to Steve Martell of Johnson & Wales in the finals. Seeded fifth, Galante went 5-1 for the tournament.

Taking third place at 165 pounds is TCNJ’s senior co-captain, Sean Flynn (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls).  Flynn finished in third place after beating fourth seeded Jon Capen of Norwich 11-3 in the third-fourth place bout. Seeded third at the weight, Flynn, who is ranked No. 7 nationally, went 5-1 for the weekend. A 2004 NCAA Qualifier and Metropolitan Champion, he went 33-10 a year ago and is now 86-31 on his collegiate career.

A fifth place finish was turned in by senior Pat Lavin (Farmingdale, NJ/Howell) at 184 pounds. After dropping an 8-1 decision to P.J. Rovinelli of Springfield College in the winner’s bracket, Lavin picked up revenge in the wrestle backs as he beat him 5-3 on overtime to take fifth place after a 3-2 performance at the tournament.

Sophomore Antonio Crespo (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) picked up sixth place after falling 3-2 in the fifth-sixth place match to Lycoming’s Drew Barder. Crespo went 4-3 for the weekend.

Nationally ranked third at 141 pounds, junior Pat Brady (Point Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro), competed at 149 pounds. Seeded first at the weight, Brady dropped a 7-5 decision to Springfield College’s Mark DeCiccio in his first match and did not wrestle back in the consolation round. A year ago, Brady took third place at the 2004 NCAA Division III Championships at 141 pounds.

The College of New Jersey wrestling team picked up a No. 6 ranking in the first poll of the 2004-2005 season. The Lions earned the No. 6 ranking in the BRUTE-ADIDAS National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Pre-season poll.