Red Raider Wrestling Opens 2006-07 Dual Meet Schedule at No. 5 UPJ

Dec. 1, 2006

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Coming off of a third-place finish at last year’s NCAA
Division II Wrestling Championships, the highest in program history, the
Shippensburg wrestling team begins its 2006-07 dual meet schedule on Friday
loaded with a wealth of new talent as the Red Raiders travel to No. 5-ranked
Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

Despite the recent success and tradition built under sixth-year head coach
and 2006 NCWA Division II Coach of the Year, Shippensburg has never beaten
perennial power and regional-rival UPJ.

Armed with one of the top teams in program history, the seventh-ranked Red
Raiders lost a close match to the third-ranked Mountain Cats a year ago,
25-15 on Dec. 1, 2005.

Shippensburg battled with UPJ until an unfortunate forfeit at 197 pounds
when Corey Jacoby, the defending NCAA champion and No. 1-ranked wrestler in
the nation, was forced to take a medical forfeit against Mike Fowler,
effectively giving the Mountain Cats the match victory.

Another highlight of last year’s match should have come at 184 pounds
between Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Mike Corcetti and Shippensburg senior Mark
Murphy (Dillsburg/Northern York), the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked wrestlers in
the nation, respectively, but medical reasons kept Murphy from competing.

However, last season’s conditions still hold true for Friday night as the
two will meet for the fourth time in the last three seasons with Corcetti
ranked No. 1 at 184 and Murphy second. A year ago, Corcetti was the
runner-up at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships while Murphy came
in third at the national championships.

Corcetti has won two of the last three match-ups against Murphy with both
wins coming at the NCAA East Region Championships in 2005 and 2006.

Joining Murphy in the Red Raiders’ starting lineup is 2006 NCAA national
qualifier and red-shirt junior Dan Nauman (Middletown/Middletown) at 149
pounds. Last season, he posted a 19-15 record and recorded four falls and
four major decisions while advancing to his first NCAA championship.

Other key wrestlers for Shippensburg include freshman Steve Fittery
(Denver/Cocalico) and red-shirt sophomore Jason Groller (Easton/Easton).
Fittery finished third at 133 pounds at last Saturday’s East Stroudsburg
Open while Groller is slated to make his first appearance of the season at
heavyweight.

After earning victories of 15-1, 4-1 and 3-2 to advance into the semifinals,
Fittery fell to Kutztown’s Joe Kemmerer, 3-2. He later earned the
third-place crown by defeating Chris Notte of Nassau Community College 3-2
before following that up with a 6-2 win over Mike Grey of the Finger Lakes
Wrestling Club.

Fittery, who also finished fourth at the West Virginia Open on November 4,
boasts an 8-3 record with three falls and a major decision, but will face
arguably the toughest competition so far in his first collegiate season as
he is scheduled to wrestle 2006 All-American Brandon Reasy.

Meanwhile, Groller opens his 2006-07 wrestling season as the team’s primary
heavyweight after recently earning All-PSAC Western Division Second Team
honors in his first season as a full-time starter at defensive end on the
football team.

Groller went 4-1 on the mat a year ago with one fall. On Jan. 14, 2006, in a
match against Pittsburgh-Johnstown at the National Duals, he defeated Jon
Neese 7-3 in a 28-9 loss to the third-ranked Mountain Cats.

Pittsburgh-Johnstown enters the match with a 2-2 record after a solid
showing at the 2006 Pennsylvania State Duals on November 19 at Lock Haven.
UPJ defeated NCAA Division III #14 York, 39-3, but suffered a 29-6 loss to
Division I #8 Penn State and a 22-11 loss to Division I #21 Lehigh.

The probable match-ups for Friday night’s match are below. Action from the
Sports Center at UPJ begins at 7:00 p.m.

Shippensburg vs. Pittsburgh-Johnstown
125 - Andrew Jones (Ship) vs. Derreck Bosso or Scott Morgan (UPJ)
133 - Steve Fittery (Ship) vs. Brandon Reasy (UPJ)#
141 - Rob Cross or Bill Purvis (Ship) vs. Shane Valko (UPJ)
149 - Dan Nauman (Ship)* vs. Brian Cook or Mazen Kholi (UPJ)
157 - Jake Wilson or Chris Murray (Ship) vs. Joe Strittmatter (UPJ)*
165 - Derek Deutsch or Eric Kauffman (Ship) vs. Albert Miles (UPJ)#
174 - Rick Mascino or Kirby Fanus (Ship) vs. Eli Garshnick (UPJ)*
184 - Mark Murphy (Ship)# vs. Mike Corcetti (UPJ) #
197 - Peter Grodziak (Ship) vs. Mike Fowler (UPJ)*
Hwt - Jason Groller (Ship) vs. Chris Dempsey or Jon Neese (UPJ)

# 2006 All-American
* 2006 national qualifier

- Red Raider Wrestling -