Link to Flowrestling.com's expanded coverage of the two milestones
Ewing, NJ... The College of New Jersey wrestling team started their season off with a 53-0 win over visiting Norwich University on Saturday, but its impact of the victory was felt by every former Lion to don a singlet as the program reached a pair of prestigious milestones.
The win was the 600th dual meet win in program history making TCNJ the 28th collegiate program to reach that mark at any level. The win was doubly important as veteran head coach David Icenhower became only the fourth coach in NCAA history to garner 500 career wins.
Many of the former Lions returned to Packer Hall for the dual meet supporting and cheering the program in which they help build as well as their former coach.
Since the Lion program began back in 1966, the program has compiled an impressive record of 600-121-5. Among the schools with that many victories and competing under NCAA classification, the Lions rank second in winning percentage at .830, trailing only NCAA Division I powerhouse Oklahoma State University (.892). To recognize the feat, the program unveiled a banner that will hang permanently in Packer Hall with Icenhower and former Mike Curry taking center mat for the ceremony. Curry guided the Lions through their first 100 wins from 1966 through 1976, before Icenhower took over the program. Don Williams, who founded the program when it competed at the club level, also participated in the ceremony.
To add to the celebration, Icenhower reached the 500-win plateau raising his career mark to 500-74-4 making him only the only the third coach at the Division III level to reach the milestone and fourth overall. Those who previously reached that milestone are Dale Thomas from Oklahoma State University (616), Jare Klein from Olivet College (569), and John Reese of Wilkes University (514).
On the mat, the current Lions set the one early against the Cadets as Danny Franke (Jackson, NJ/Freehold Boro) won by forfeit at 125, while sophomore Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) collected a 15-3 major decision at 133 staking TCNJ out to a 10-0 advantage.
At 141, John Barnett (Oak Ridge, NJ/Jefferson Twp.) scored a 3-1 win over Norwich’s Nick Monaco (Nassau, NY) followed by a pin from Tyler Branham (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny). Branham’s win by fall came in 5:20 and pushed TCNJ’s lead to 19-0.
The wins continued for the Lions at 157 as Dan DiColo (Budd Lake, NJ/Mount Olive) posted a 15-6 major decision and junior Justin Bonitatis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) followed with a pin in 4:13 at 165.
Freshman Brian Broderick (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) picked up his first collegiate win at 174 pounds scoring a pin in 2:46. That pin stretched TCNJ’s lead to 35-0.
At 184, Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) won by injury default and Adam Koziol (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) won by pin in 5:56 at 197.
Sophomore heavyweight Ed Broderick (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) capped off the with one final pin as TCNJ
The Lions return to the mat next weekend participating in the annual Fall Brawl hosted by Ursinus College on Saturday, November 14.
Weight by weight summary
#12 TCNJ 53, Norwich University 0
125: Dan Franke (TCNJ) by forfeit
133: Dan Herr (TCNJ) major dec. Scott MacLean (NU), 15-3
141: John Barnett (TCNJ) dec. Nick Monaco (NU), 3-1
149: Tyler Branham (TCNJ) pinned Ryan Crosby (NU), 5:20
157: Dan DiColo (TCNJ) major dec. Adam Edgerton (NU), 15-6
165: Justin Bonitatis (TCNJ) pinned Zach Wetzel (NU), 4:13
174: Brian Broderick (TCNJ) pinned Matt Valnoski (NU), 2:46
184: Mike Denver (TCNJ) by injury default over Ray Gauthier (NU)
197: Adam Koziol(TCNJ) pinned Michael Monica (NU), 5:56
285: Ed Broderick (TCNJ) pinned Raistlin Delisle (NU), 1:56