Dec. 18, 2009

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Looking to build off of last year's fifth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions, the Navy wrestling team returns to Reno on Sunday to take part in the 15th Annual Reno Tournament of Champions held at the Reno Downtown Convention Center. Featuring some of the premier programs in the country, including six nationally-ranked teams, the single-day, 26-team tournament is on tap to begin at 9:00 am Pacific (local) / 12:00 pm Eastern with its pigtail round.

Not only does this year's Reno TOC field feature six ranked teams, Oklahoma State (4) and Boise State (9) are among the nation's top 10. Additionally, nearly 50 ranked wrestlers will be in action, including the nation's No. 1-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, Jarrod King of Edinboro. The featured weight class of the tournament looks to be the 125-pounders as it features eight ranked wrestlers. Arizona State's Anthony Robles will anchor the group with a No. 3 ranking, while Edinboro's Eric Morrill (7), Wyoming's Michael Martinez (8) and Penn State's Brad Pataky (10) are all among the top 10. There are six ranked wrestlers set to be on the mats at 165 and 184 pounds.

Navy is in the midst of final exams, and while the majority of the lineup will be able to break away for this weekend's competition, sophomore 174-pounder Luke Rebertus (Elkton, Md.) is one of a couple who will remain in Annapolis to take their finals. Rebertus, who owns a 6-2 record this season, is one of two nationally-ranked wrestlers on the Midshipman roster and one of two Navy wrestlers who won individual titles at last year's Reno TOC. Placing second at the Eastern Michigan Open and eighth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational earlier this year, Rebertus is ranked 13th in the country and would have been the highest-ranked wrestler in action at 174 pounds.

Replacing Rebertus in the lineup this weekend is veteran Matt DeMichiel (Whitesboro, N.Y.), who jumped from 165 pounds last year to 184 pounds this year. However, with the emergence of Navy rookie Andrew Buck (Carson, Wash.) at 184 pounds, DeMichiel will fill in nicely for Rebertus at 174 pounds. DeMichiel has produced an 8-6 record this season that includes a fourth-place finish at the Navy Classic and a sixth-place performance at the Nittany Lion Open.

Speaking of Buck, he will represent the Mids at 184 pounds after placing eighth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational two weeks ago. He has recorded an 11-6 record to date, participating in the Eastern Michigan Open, the Navy Classic (2nd) and the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He has been as consistent a wrestler as Navy has put on the mat this season.

Returning to his home state of Nevada for the second time this month is 2009 All-American Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.), who is ranked 14th at 157 pounds. Placing among the top six in all three tournaments in which he has competed this season, Saddoris owns a 9-5 record. He has faced some fierce competition this season as he continues to make the transition from 149 to 157 pounds. Six of the 14 opponents he has faced this season have been nationally ranked, including four of his six opponents at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational where he placed sixth. Saddoris took the 149-pound title at last year's Reno TOC, earning a 7-4 win over North Carolina's Nick Stabile.

Also representing Navy this weekend are: 125 - sophomore Aaron Kalil (Salem, N.H.), who took the Navy Classic crown this season; 133 - sophomore Pat McCaffrey (Chicago, Ill.), who opened the season as the runner-up at the Eastern Michigan Open; 141 - senior Matt Pagan (Carteret, N.J.) who placed in the top four at the Eastern Michigan Open and the Navy Classic; 149 - senior team captain Glenn Shober (Reading, Pa.), who earned just his second career tournament title by winning the Eastern Michigan Open title; 165 - junior Robby Neill (Brick, N.J.), who placed second at the Navy Classic after dropping a sudden victory (2) match to teammate Oscar Huntley (Emerald Isle, N.C.) who is out with an injury; 197 - senior Charles Carafano (Germantown, Md.), a veteran member of the team who placed third at the Navy Classic; HWT - freshman Dan Miller (Berlin, Md.), junior Mike Landis (Hershey, Pa.) or senior Joe Breaux (Bossier City, La.) - Miller suffered a minor injury at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and his status is questionable heading into the tournament, Landis would likely be the backup though he has battled the flu over the last week, while Breaux owns a 6-4 record this season and a fourth-place effort at the Navy Classic.


2009 Reno tournament of Champions
Date: Sunday, Dec. 20
Venue: Reno Downtown Convention Center (Reno, Nev.)
Participating teams: Adams State, #15 Arizona State, #9 Boise State, UC Davis, #16 Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Clakamas Community College, Eastern Michigan, #20 Edinboro, Great Falls, Liberty, Minnesota State-Mankato, Montana State Northern, Navy, Newberry College, North Carolina, Ohio, #4 Oklahoma State, #14 Penn State, Southern Oregon, Southwestern Oregon Community College, Stanford, Upper Iowa, West Virginia, Wyoming

Projected session times (local):
Sunday, Dec. 20
7:00 am Weigh-ins
9:00 am Pigtail Round
9:30 am Championship Round 1
11:00 am Consolation Pigtails
11:15 am Consolation Round I
12:15 pm Championship Round 2
1:15 pm Consolation Round 2
1:45 pm Championship Round 3
2:15 pm Consolation Round 3
2:45 pm Semifinals
2:45 pm Consolation Round 4
3:45 pm Consolation Semifinals
6:00 pm Opening Ceremonies
6:30 pm Championship Finals

Participating ranked wrestlers:
• 125 (8) - 3 Anthony Robles, Arizona State; 7 - Eric Morrill, Edinboro; 8 - Michael Martinez, Wyoming; 10 - Brad Pataky, Penn State; 12 - Chris Notte, Oklahoma State; 15 - Alam Bartelli, Boise State; 16 - Andrew Gonzalez, Cal State Fullerton; 20 - Chris Jenkins, Eastern Michigan
• 133 (4) - 3 - Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise State; 7 - Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State; 9 - Boris Novachkov, Cal Poly; 14 - Brandon Low, UC Davis
• 141 (4) - 3 - Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State; 8 - Filip Novachkov, Cal Poly; 9 - Levi Jones, Boise State; 10 - Chris Drouin, Arizona State
• 149 (5) - 6 - Frank Molinaro, Penn State; 7 - Jason Chamberlain, Boise State; 12 - Albert White, Oklahoma State; 18 - Barrett Abel, UC Davis; 20 - Nick Stabile, North Carolina
• 157 (5) - 3 - Cyler Sanderson, Penn State; 5 - Adam Hall, Boise State; 6 - Chase Pami, Cal Poly; 8 - Neil Erisman, Oklahoma State, 14 - Bryce Saddoris, Navy
• 165 (6) - 1 - Jarrod King, Edinboro; 8 - Alex Meade, Oklahoma State; 9 - Dan Vallimont, Penn State; 12 - Shane Onufer, Wyoming; 15 - Kurt Swartz, Boise State; 16 - Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford
• 174 (2) - 13 - Luke Rebertus, Navy; 15 - Nate Lee, Boise State
• 184 (6) - 4 - Kirk Smith, Boise State; 5 - Joe LeBlanc, Wyoming; 10 - Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State; 13 - Zack Giesen, Stanford; 14 - David Erwin, Penn State; 19 - Matt Ryan, West Virginia
• 197 (2) - 8 - Alan Gelogaev, Oklahoma State; 15 - Dennis Drury, North Carolina
• HWT (4) - Jared Rosholt, Oklahoma State; 10- Mitch Monteiro, Cal State Bakersfield; 13 - Cameron Wade, Penn State; 14 - Chris Birchler, Edinboro

Navy Lineup:
125 - Aaron Kalil - So., Salem, N.H. (7-3 / 24-20 career)
125 - Allan Stein - Jr., Portland, Maine (3-3 / 25-31 career)
133 - Pat McCaffrey - So., Chicago, Ill. (6-3 / 9-4 career)
141 - Matt Pagan - Sr., Carteret, N.J. (8-5 / 53-37 career)
149 - Glenn Shober - Sr., Reading, Pa., team captain (8-4 / 59-42 career)
157 - Bryce Saddoris - Jr., Spring Creek, Nev., 2009 All-American, ranked #14 (9-5 / 87-25 career)
157 - Bobby Barnhisel - Fr., River Forest, Ill. (8-2 / 8-2 career)
165 - Robby Neill - Jr., Brick, N.J. (9-5 / 17-15 career)
174 - Matt DeMichiel - Jr., Whitesboro, N.Y. (8-6 / 53-32 career)
184 - Andrew Buck - Fr., Carson, Wash. (11-6 / 11-6 career)
197 - Charles Carafano - Sr., Germantown, Md. (5-2 / 11-11 career)
HWT - Dan Miller - Fr., Berlin, Md. (6-5 / 6-5 career)
or Joe Breaux - Sr., Bossier City, La. (6-4 / 8-14 career)
or Mike Landis - Jr., Hershey, Pa. (7-4 / 19-18 career)

### Go Navy ###