Gannon University’s men’s and women’s wrestling teams continue to move forward with their respective seasons, as the women are coming off a third-place finish at last weekend’s NCWWC Northeast Regional while the men prepare for Saturday’s NCAA Division II Super Regional at Johnstown.

Eight Gannon women earned the right to advance to the 2022 NCWWC National Championships, set for March 4-5 in Adrian, Mich., as a result of their performances at last weekend’s regional event, held at Gannon.

The Knight women placed third among 12 teams, paced by Julianne Moccia’s first-place performance at 109 pounds. Moccia was the lone champion for Gannon; she stopped Izabelle Frezzo of New Jersey City in 2 minutes, 22 seconds.

Four other Knight wrestlers reached the finals of their respective weight classes but came up short.

Kat Pendregrass lost by pin to Olivia Shore of Tiffin in 2:33, Nikoly Dos Santos lost by technical fall to Angela LoRusso at 116 pounds, Anya Knappenberger fell 8-4 to Solana Mottola of Tiffin at 130 pounds and Lana Perez lost by pin to Zoe Nowicki of Adrian at 1:37 in their 136-pound battle.

Also moving on to Nationals will be Stephanie Floor, who finished fourth at 143; Mikayla Dockweiler, who wound up fifth at 136; and Ekta Arora, who finished fourth at 101.

The men, meanwhile, will move on to the Super Regionals Saturday at Johnstown. The Knights were 8-3 overall in regular season dual meets and tied for the PSAC dual meet title with Pitt-Johnstown. The Mountain Cats prevailed in a head-to-head matchup with the Knights, 18-12, on Feb. 11 —  Gannon’s lone dual meet loss in PSAC action.

Senior Jacob Dunlop, who recently was named Gannon student-athlete of the week, will be a major force, as he enters the tournament at 18-3 overall on the year. Overall, Dunlop’s career record sits at 80-33.

Other seniors, including Joel Leise and Freddie Nixon, each earned decisions at the end of the previous matchup between Gannon and UPJ and they were joined in that achievement by freshman Joey Petrella.

The Knights all have their eyes on the NCAA Division II National Championships, which will be hosted at Maryville University of St. Louis in St. Louis March 11-12.

MICHAEL GUIDO

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