2/7/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College wrestling will be one of six teams converging at the University of Scranton this weekend to take part in the U of S Duals on Saturday, February 8^th.
 
The first matches will get under way around 11:30am ET inside the John Long Center on the campus of the University of Scranton. Competing along with the Falcons and the hosts will be King's College from Wilkes-Barre, the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, Utica University from upstate New York, and Hunter College from Manhattan in New York. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the University of Scranton and Landmark Conference's FloCollege Channels, linked HERE. Live results will be available via the University of Scranton HERE.
 
Lackawanna is competing at the University of Scranton for the second time this season, having wrestled exhibition matches with a few teams during the Electric City Duals back in November. This will be the first time the Falcons are set to compete as a team at the University of Scranton.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (0-1) lost their first and only dual earlier this week, dropping a 30-21 decision on the road at Northampton CC this past Monday. Lackawanna had hoped to have all six eligible wrestlers competing, but had one scratch at 174 lbs. and was forced to compete with just five. The Falcons fought, with four of the five competing wrestlers picking up wins.
 
Sophomore John Koroma (Woodbridge, VA) was the scratch for the Falcons at 174 lbs., but did compete earlier this month at the Jamestown Jayhawks Open, going 4-2 and finishing fifth in the event. Koroma is the defending Gulf Atlantic District champion at 174 lbs. and was a national qualifier last season for the Falcons.
 
First-year wrestler Matt Gashi-Brito (Fairfax, VA) is a combined 8-6 this year, winning five matches at 149 lbs. and three more at 141 lbs. Gashi-Brito has five wins by fall, including winning an exhibition match against Scranton at the Electric City Duals in November. Gashi-Brito went 2-2 at 141 lbs. at the Jamestown Jayhawks Open, and he then won at 141 lbs. against Northampton CC's Diego Dominguez on Monday night by major decision.
 
First-year grappler Adan Salazar (Scranton, PA) is 7-10 overall this season, getting all seven of his wins at 197 lbs., where he normally competes. Salazar has won two matches by fall and another two matches by decision. He went 2-0 in exhibition matches at the Electric City Duals earlier this season. Salazar finished fifth at the Jamestown Jayhawks Open at 197 lbs., and won by forfeit during the dual against Northampton CC on Monday.
 
First-year wrestler Connor Ondek (Scranton, PA) is 2-2 on the season, getting both his wins by fall. Ondek picked up a win in his first match of the year, opening up in the 157 lbs. competition at the Jamestown Jayhawks Open. He won his dual match-up against Northampton by fall at 1:52, competing at 165 lbs. for the Falcons.
 
The head coach for the Falcons is John Fox, in his first year back with the program after spending three years away. Coach Fox was the original first wrestling coach in program history, helping start the Lackawanna program in 2017. Through his first four seasons, Fox built the Falcons into an immediate contender in Region XIX, coaching 20 national qualifiers, including eight in just his second season in 2018. Fox came to Lackawanna after coaching for years locally at the high school level. He coached at Scranton Prep in the late 90's before joining his alma mater, West Scranton, as the junior high coach. He changed the junior high Invaders into a local power, capturing four league titles in six years, and eventually became an assistant with the varsity program, before becoming head coach for West Scranton in 2006. He helped West win 83 duals and send 28 student-athletes become regional qualifiers in his time. As a wrestler, Fox won 105 matches in his high school career, becoming a four-time Lackawanna League all-star and winning two District championships. He went to Wilkes and wrestled for two years before an injury ended his career. He finished his Education degree at Wilkes, then got a master's in Classroom Technology.
 
About the Opponents
The first opponent for the Falcons on Saturday is King's College, which enters the weekend holding an 8-7 overall mark in dual meets this season. The Monarchs started the season hot, winning six of their first eight duals, including a sweep at home in a quad match with Keystone, New Jersey City University, and Sussex County CC. The Monarchs were 8-3 entering the MAC Championships in mid-January, but have dropped four straight duals and finished fifth (of 7) and seventh (of 8) in their two tournaments. Shane Kibler (15-6) and MJ Turi (15-9) lead the team in wins, individually, and both are listed at 149 lbs. Frankie Theroux (14-4) wrestles at 184 lbs., while Jacob Hatchman (13-4) wrestles at 197 lbs. The head coach for the Monarchs is Christian Mazzocchi, now in his second season as the program's leader.
 
Lackawanna will then take on Utica University in the second round of action. The Pioneers are 0-8 so far this season in dual meet action, their closest result coming in a 31-17 loss to Roger Williams University back on November 16^th. The team most recently finished eighth (of 8) at the SUNYAC Championships at Cortland back on January 18^th. Trevor Cortright (20-1) has been a standout for the Pioneers, wrestling at 133 lbs. Hunter Morton (6-12) is second on the team in wins, wrestling at 157 lbs. Ryan Kirker (5-8) wrestles at 125 lbs. The head coach for the Pioneers is Adam Greene, now in his second season as the first-ever head coach for Utica.
 
In the third round, the Falcons will face Pitt Bradford, which enters the weekend with a 6-10 overall record in dual meets. The Panthers have gone 2-2 since the turn of the new year, knocking off PSU Altoona and Thiel College, with losses to Penn College and St. John Fisher mixed in. The Panthers most recently finished sixth at the Allstate Invitational in Williamsport last weekend. Nikolas Fegert (17-12) finished second at 149 lbs. at the event. DJ Slovick (25-8) earned four wins at the event at 174 lbs. Slovick defeated John Koroma from Lackawanna back in January at the Jamestown Jayhawks Open. Cameron Carter-Green (15-7) is third on the team in wins and competes at 285 lbs. Cade Stern (13-17) competes at 125 lbs. for the Panthers. The head coach is Zach Altman, now in his first season with the Panthers.
 
In the fourth round, the Falcons will take on the hosts, the University of Scranton. The Royals are 5-4 overall this season in dual action, going 4-1 in the Electric City Duals earlier this season, but having gone 1-2 in their last three duals, all individual meets with Wilkes, Bergen, and Elizabethtown. Their only win was a 51-6 victory at home against Bergen. The Royals finished fourth at the Allstate Invitational in Williamsport last Sunday, earning a first-place finish and two second place finishes. Kevin McCarvill won first place at 165 lbs., defeating his teammate Donell Young in the championship match, guaranteeing the Royals first and second place. Grad student Jacob Burgette finished second at 174 lbs. in the tournament. The head coach is longtime mentor Al Russomano, now in his 19^th season with the University.
 
The fifth and final opponent for the Falcons on Saturday will be Hunter College. The Hawks enter the weekend with a 3-14 overall record in dual meets, starting 1-9 on the year before earning a pair of wins in January. The Hawks have dropped three straight, losing to Johns Hopkins two weeks ago and then Trinity College and Vermont State Castleton in tri-match action last weekend. Jayden Medina (24-10) is the standout for the Hawks at 157 lbs. Botensky Bauzile (16-12) is second on the team in wins, competing at 149 lbs. Martin Palomeque (13-20) is third on the team in wins, competing at 174 lbs. Peter Jacobson is the head coach for Hunter College.
 
The U of S Duals Details
The first matches on Saturday morning will get under way around 11:30am ET inside the John Long Center on the campus of the University of Scranton. Competing along with the Falcons and the hosts will be King's College from Wilkes-Barre, the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, Utica University from upstate New York, and Hunter College from Manhattan in New York. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the University of Scranton and Landmark Conference's FloCollege Channels, linked HERE. Live results will be available via the University of Scranton HERE.
 
The Falcons are still scheduled to compete at SUNY Oneonta in potential exhibition matches next weekend on Saturday, February 15^th, before they return home to host the 2025 Gulf Atlantic District Championships at the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.