Penn College Announces Addition of Wrestling

Published 11.04.2010

News
Athletics

The Pennsylvania College of Technology Athletics Department has announced the return of collegiate wrestling to campus for the 2010-11 season. This will be the first time wrestling has been available at Penn College; it was offered at Williamsport Area Community College from 1968-83.

For this inaugural season, the Wildcats will compete in a condensed schedule under the auspices of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. Next season, thecollege anticipates membership in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, which includes branchcampuses of The Pennsylvania State University.



Schuyler Frey has been named head coach of the program. Frey is a 1979 graduate of Warrior Run Area High School, where he placed third in the sectional tournament. Frey is well-known throughout the region for his service to coaching and wrestling administration. He is the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Area 10 Chairman, the Pennsylvania State Championship Tournament Director, former president of the Susquehanna Valley Wrestling League and worked with former wrestler Ken Chertow.

Frey has assembled a talented and experienced staff to aid him and the program. David Livermore, first-year assistant coach, graduated from Williamsport Area High School in 1979, where he wrestled. He went on to wrestle at Penn State Altoona, where he helped the Cougars win a Commonwealth Campus Athletic Conference championship in 1980. Helater wrestled at the University Park campus as a walk-on.

Former Williamsport Millionaires standout Brian Nasdeo will work with the team as a volunteer. Nasdeo graduated from WAHS in 1994 as a four-year starter and a three-time state tournament qualifier. From there, he wrestled at Drexel University in the 142-pound weight class and was named Freshman of the Year. Nasdeo previously served as the ninth-grade wrestling team coach at WAHS and is the varsity wrestling assistant coach for the Millionaires.

Also volunteering with the Wildcats is Colin Branton, a wrestling alumnus from Penn Argyl High School. He continued competition at Juniata College, where he was a four-year starter in the 125-pound weight class. During the past several years, Branton has been involved in coaching the elementary wrestling program in the South Williamsport Area School District and in helping to coach the South Williamsport Area Jr./Sr. High School wrestling team.

Steve Saratowski, the program's strength and conditioning coach, is a 1980 graduate of Cortland (N.Y.) State University with a degree in physical education. He is certified by the National Federation of Professional Trainers, the National Gym Association and The Cooper Clinic for Fitness Research in Dallas, and as a speed and explosives coach by Speed to Win in Roswell, Ga. Saratowski works locally with several football and baseball teams, and has trained five state wrestling championship tournament qualifiers and a national junior wrestling champion among his numerous clients.

The Wildcats will have a solid schedule of competitions for 2010-11 that includes preliminary matches with Bucknell University (Jan. 23), Lycoming College (Jan. 27), Lock Haven University (Feb. 9) and Bloomsburg University (Feb. 18). The squad also will compete at the USCAA Dual and Individual Tournament on Feb. 4-5 at Penn State DuBois.

Plans also have been made for entry into the National Collegiate Wrestling Association's state tournament at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades. Wrestlers who qualify there will be eligible for the NCWA Mid-East Conference Championships on Feb. 26 at Lafayette College and could continue on to the NCWA National Championships March 10-12 at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Additional competitions through attendance at various open tournaments are anticipated.

In addition, Frey has plans to promote wrestling to the community.

"We're planning a number of events this season to promote the return of the program," the coach said, "Eventually, we'll be organizing a wrestling club and some tournaments to reach out into the community to promote and grow wrestling in the area. The District IV area has a long and glowing tradition of wrestling and we hope to tap into that success for our program. As our plans are finalized, we'll be announcing to the public our schedule of events and we hope the community, as well as the student body, will support our program. Our first event will be as host to the Bucknell University coaching staff, who will be holding a Bison Wrestling Clinic for school-aged wrestlers on Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Bardo Gymnasium."

Parents interested in information on the camp can click on the Clinics, Camps & Tournaments link on the Penn College Athletics website or contact Tom Carr for detailed information. Registration the day of the clinic also is an option.

With Frey and his staff at the helm and a campus that has eagerly awaited this day, Penn College wrestling is ready to go and sure to make a strong showing this year.Catch up on all the latest news and updates online .