PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The SKWC witnessed Rutgers wrestling close out its dual season on a high note, as it delivered wins over Maryland and Bloomsburg during the final week of the regular season. The Scarlet Knights finished the dual campaign 12-5 – securing 10 or more dual wins for the 15th time under head coach Scott Goodale.

No. 14 wrestling pounds maryland, 27-12

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 14 Rutgers wrestling (11-5, 4-4) defeated Maryland (4-7, 2-6), 27-12, on Friday night in front of 3,895 fans at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Scarlet Knights worked a 7-3 match split with the Terrapins, including a fall from No. 19 Brian Soldano (184) and ranked wins from No. 9 Dylan Shawver (133), No. 21 Mitch Moore (141) and Al DeSantis (157).

RU never trailed against the visitors, winning its first three bouts of the night and four consecutive out of intermission. Soldano, DeSantis and No. 19 Dean Peterson (125) collected bonus to help Rutgers pick up its 11th win of the season, ninth consecutive over Maryland and the 220th dual win of head coach Scott Goodale‘s career.

During the match, Rutgers honored UFC Hall of Fame inductee and former assistant coach Frankie Edgar, as well as 2024 Olympic qualifier Sebastian Rivera. Edgar worked as an assistant at Rutgers from 2007-10. Rivera wrestled two seasons for the Scarlet Knights and earned an NCAA bronze medal in 2022.

“I’m fired up the way we bounced back,” said Goodale. “It had been a long four weeks. When you don’t win and you have some tough bouts, you can lose a team. But that never happened. I’m really excited for our guys. This was a match was important not just from an individual standpoint, but from a team standpoint.”

FINAL BOX
No. 14 Rutgers 27, Maryland 12
125: 19/18 Dean Peterson (RU) over Tommy Capul (UMD) by TF, 17-2 (3:25); RU leads, 5-0
133: 9/7 Dylan Shawver (RU) over 16/14 Braxton Brown (UMD) by dec., 9-5; RU leads, 8-0
141: 21/16 Mitch Moore (RU) over 28/21 Kal Miller (UMD) by dec., 2-0; RU leads, 11-0
149: 12/18 Ethen Miller (UMD) over 25/33 Michael Cetta (RU) by MD, 13-3; RU leads, 11-4
157: Al DeSantis (RU) over NR/32 Michael North (UMD) by MD, 13-5; RU leads, 15-4
165: Anthony White (RU) over AJ Rodrigues (UMD) by dec., 7-4; RU leads, 18-4
174: 14/19 Jackson Turley (RU) over Dom Solis (UMD) by dec., 1-0; RU leads, 21-4
184: 22/19 Brian Soldano (RU) over Chase Mielnik (UMD) by fall (5:42); RU leads, 27-4
197: 4/3 Jaxon Smith (UMD) over Hadyn Packer (RU) by TF, 23-5 (5:18); RU leads, 27-9
HWT: 26/32 Seth Nevills (UMD) over 10/10 Yaraslau Slavikouski (RU) by dec., 5-2; RU wins, 27-12

No. 14 wrestling downs bloomsburg on senior night

PISCATAWAY, N.J. –No. 14 Rutgers wrestling (12-5, 4-4) defeated Bloomsburg (4-16, 0-8), 37-8, on Wednesday night in front of 2,973 fans at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Prior to the dual, the Scarlet Knights recognized their seniors – Devon Britton, Jacob Butler, Niccolo Colucci, Al DeSantis, Kyle Epperly, Jackson Turley and Mitch Moore.

Wrestling nine bouts with a forfeit at 141 pounds, RU earned five bonus-point victories, including pins from No. 14 Jackson Turley (174) and No. 22 Brian Soldano (184) and tech falls from No. 25 Michael Cetta (149) and Devon Britton (133).

“It was great to see some of our seniors get to wrestle in front of our home crowd,” said head coach Scott Goodale. “Now it is time to get healthy and shift our focus to the postseason.”

After No. 20 Dean Peterson (125) opened the night with a win in sudden victory, Britton picked up three tilts in his opening period with Major Lewis. Britton continued to go after Lewis, securing the tech fall in the second period. A forfeit at 141 pounds followed, as RU owned a 14-0 lead through its first three matches.

Cetta continued Rutgers’ bonus streak with a 24-9 tech fall over Cade Balestrini, while Dylan Weaver (157) made his Jersey Mike’s Arena dual debut with a 13-6 decision over William Morrow.

After a loss at 165, the Scarlet Knights registered back-to-back pins from Turley and Soldano to put the dual out of reach. Niccolo Colucci (197) and Kyle Epperly (HWT) also made their 2023-24 JMA dual debuts, with Epperly muscling an 8-3 decision against Tyler McCatharn.

BOX SCORE
No. 14 Rutgers 37, Bloomsburg 8
125: 20/19 Dean Peterson (RU) over Bronson Garber (BU) by SV1, 8-5; RU leads, 3-0
133:Devon Britton (RU) over Major Lewis (BU) by TF, 15-0 (3:45); RU leads, 8-0
141:Max Hermes (RU) wins by forfeit; RU leads, 14-0
149: 25/32 Michael Cetta (RU) over Cade Balestrini (BU) by TF, 24-9 (6:55); RU leads, 19-0
157:Dylan Weaver (RU) over William Morrow (BU) by dec., 13-6; RU leads, 22-0
165: Caden Dobbins (BU) over Luke Gayer (RU) by TF, 16-0 (5:00); RU leads, 22-5
174: 14/16 Jackson Turley (RU) over Nolen Zeigler (BU) by fall (4:00); RU leads, 28-5
184: 22/19 Brian Soldano (RU) over Anthony DeRosa (BU) by fall (3:34); RU leads, 34-5
197: Kolby Flank (BU) over Niccolo Colucci (RU) by dec., 5-0; RU leads, 34-8
HWT: Kyle Epperly (RU) over Tyler McCatharn (BU) by dec., 8-3; RU wins, 37-8