ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy wrestling team begins the postseason this Friday and Saturday with the 120th annual Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championship, the nation's oldest collegiate wrestling tournament. 

The two-day championship will take place at Sojka Pavilion located within the Kenneth Langone Athletics & Recreation Center on the campus of Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa.

Along with the team title, 10 EIWA individual crowns and 53 automatic berths to the NCAA Championship will be on the line.

Championship Schedule
Friday, March 8
10:30 a.m. - Round of 32, Round of 16 & Consolation First Round
4:30 p.m. - Quarterfinals, Consolation Second Round and Consolation Third Round

Saturday, March 9
10:30 a.m. - Semifinals, Consolation Quarterfinals, Consolation Semifinals, 7th Place matches, EIWA Hall of Fame Ceremony and Army/Navy service assignments 
4:30 p.m. - EIWA Hall of Fame Presentations
4:45 p.m. - Finals, 3rd & 5th Place Matches
7:15 p.m. - Team & Special Awards

Media Links
Watch the EIWA Championship on FloWrestling (subscription) HERE
View free live results on FloArena HERE
Purchase Tickets HERE
View the EIWA Championship Page HERE
View the campus parking map HERE

Navy's EIWA Championship Lineup (2023-24 / Career Record)
• 125: Dayton DelViscio (7-11 / 18-27)
• 133: Brendan Ferretti (10-9 / 32-20)
• 141: No. 13 Josh Koderhandt (18-6 / 72-27)
• 149: Kaemen Smith (20-9 / 29-26)
• 157 Jonathan Ley (8-9 / 8-9)
• 165: No. 16 Andrew Cerniglia (19-4 / 63-22)
• 174: No. 28 Danny Wask (20-9 / 20-9)
• 184: David Key (13-11 / 60-35)
• 197: Cael Crebs (7-8 / 22-23)
• 285: No. 18 Grady Griess (21-8 / 72-21)

Mids In The Rankings (InterMat / FloWrestling / Amateur Wrestling News / Coaches - Feb. 29 / RPI - Feb. 29)
• 133: Brendan Ferretti - NR / NR / NR / 33 / 30
• 141: Josh Koderhandt - 13 / 15 / 15 / 13 / 8
• 165: Andrew Cerniglia - 16 / 20 / 20 / 17 / 25
• 174: Danny Wask - 28 / 29 / NR / 26 / 10
• 285: Grady Griess - 18 / 17 / 17 / 15 / 9

Participating Teams
American, Army West Point, Binghamton, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, Cornell, Drexel, Franklin and Marshall, Harvard, Hofstra, Lehigh, Long Island, Navy, Penn, Princeton and Sacred Heart.

Navy Team Notes
• The Mids posted an 8-6 record and won two of their five duals against EIWA opponents this season
• Navy opened the 2023-24 campaign with six-straight victories, which was its best start to a season since 2016-17
• The win streak included a pair of ranked wins against then No. 23 Illinois (23-18) and then No. 16 Pitt (21-12)
• After a five-match losing skid, the Mids regrouped to earn a pair of commanding wins over Lock Haven (33-9) and Bucknell (34-7)
• Navy concluded the regular season with an 18-17 loss to Army in the Star Match, which is part of the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA
• The Mids outscored their 14 opponents, 345-197
• Navy scored 30 or more points in five duals this season, which is the most since 2006-07
• Along with their 14 duals, the Mids wrestled in the Navy Classic, Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and Franklin & Marshall Open over the course of the season
• Navy was ranked as high as 16th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) rankings this season
• The Mids are making their 84th appearance in the EIWA Championship
• Navy has won the team title 13 times (1943, '44, '45, '46, '68, '69, '70, '72, '74, '82, '84, '86 and '90) and has placed 473 wrestlers in past EIWA competitions, including 109 champions and 98 runners-up
• The 13 team titles won by the Mids are the fourth most in league history
• Navy's 473 place winners and 109 individual champions both rank third in EIWA history
• Under head coach Cary Kolat, the Mids have placed second (2021), seventh (2022) and in a tie for fourth (2023) at the league tournament
• Cody Trybus (141, 2021) and Grady Griess (285, 2023) have been crowned individual champions during Kolat's tenure

Navy Individual Notes
• Griess heads into the weekend looking to defend his heavyweight title from a year ago
• He won the 109th individual EIWA Championship in team history after defeating Lehigh's Nathan Taylor in the finals by a 5-1 decision
• Griess leads the team in total victories (21) and is tied with Josh Koderhandt (141) for first on the team in ranked wins (six) this season
• Koderhandt is searching for his first EIWA title after placing second (2022) and third (2023) in his first two seasons
• He ended the regular season with a 12-1 dual record. The two-time NCAA qualifier is the first mid to win 12 dual matches in a season since Casey Caldwell and Bryce Saddoris, who won 14 and 12, respectively, during the 2008-09 campaign
• Koderhandt posted just a 6-5 record in tournaments during the season
• Along with Koderhandt, David Key (184) and Andrew Cerniglia (165) are both seeking their third trip to the NCAA Championship
• Key earned an automatic qualifying spot last season by placing third in his weight class. He also qualified in 2021 thanks to his second-place finish
• The Norcross, Ga., native recorded a career-high seven dual wins this season, three of which were by fall
• Key has won eight matches at the EIWA Championship, which is tied with Koderhandt for the most on the team
• Cerniglia missed out on nationals last season after qualifying the first two years of his career
• He will look to bounce back from a narrow 5-4 decision loss to then No. 23 Gunner Filipowicz in the Star Match. The senior had won a career-best 15-straight matches prior to the loss
• Cerniglia has lost just four matches and leads the team with an 82.6 win percentage during the 2023-24 campaign
• Kaemen Smith (149) earned his second trip to the EIWA Championship thanks to an impressive sophomore season. After winning just nine matches during his freshman campaign, Smith has recorded 20 victories this season
• His win total was in a tie for the second most on the team with Danny Wask (174) and Jamier Ferere (285)
• The Erie, Pa., native defeated then No. 31 Matt Williams by a 17-8 major decision in the Star Match to claim his first win over a ranked wrestler
• Also making their second appearance in the EIWA Championship are Dayton DelViscio (125), Brendan Ferretti (133) and Cael Crebs (197)
• Ferretti was one of only 17 true freshmen to qualify for nationals last season thanks to his fourth-place finish in the EIWA Championship
• Wask and Jonathan Ley (157) are competing in the league tournament for the first time in their careers

EIWA Preseeds
• The EIWA announced preseeds for the tournament on Tuesday and four mids were ranked in the top five in their respective weight class
• Koderhandt earned the No. 1 seed in the 141-pound weight class. He has received the top rank in his weight class twice in his career. He was previously ranked No. 1 during his freshman season at 133
• Cerniglia and Griess were both seeded third and Wask claimed the fifth seed
• Smith (seventh), Ferretti (seventh), Key (eighth) and Ley (eighth) also garnered a top-10 seed
• Crebs and DelViscio were seeded 12th and 15th, respectively

Hear From Grady Griess
Team captain Grady Griess talked with Pete Medhurst this week on the Navy Sports Magazine to discuss his career and preview the EIWA Championship. Fans can watch the interview on the Navy Athletics YouTube page.

Navy Individual All-Time Performances At EIWA Championship
Andrew Cerniglia
2023: 1-2, Did Not Place at 157 Pounds
• Rd of 16: defeated (13) Rhise Royster, Long Island / Dec / 4-3
• Quarterfinals: lost to (5) Nathan Lukez, Army / Dec / 7-5
• Cons. of 8 #2: lost to (11) Nick Delp, Bucknell / Dec / 5-3

2022: 3-1, 2nd Place at 157 Pounds (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated (13) Jack Bokina, Brown / Tech Fall / 3:56
• Quarterfinals: defeated (5) No. 25 Markus Hartman, Army / Dec / 4-2
• Semifinals: defeated (1) No. 6 Josh Humphreys, Lehigh / Fall / 2:52
• Finals: lost to (2) No. 8 Quincy Monday, Princeton / Dec / 9-4

2021: 3-1, 3rd Place at 157 Pounds (NCAA Qualifier)
• Quarterfinals: lost to (5) Jaden Fisher, Bucknell / Dec / 9-4
• Consolation Quarterfinals: defeated (9) Matt Swanson, Binghamton / Fall / 4:51
• Consolation Semifinals: defeated (3) Parker Kropman, Drexel / Tech Fall / 15-0 (5:22)
• 3rd/4th Place: defeated (6) Luca Frinzi, Lehigh / Major / 10-1

Cael Crebs
2022: 1-2, Did Not Place at 174 Pounds
• Rd of 16: lost to (8) Jacob Nolan, Binghamton / Dec / 6-2
• Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Drew Clearie, Brown / Dec / 5-0
• Cons. of 8 #2: lost to (6) No. 23 Ben Pasiuk, Army / Dec / 9-4

Dayton DelViscio
2023: 0-2, Did Not Place
• Rd of 16: lost to (6) No. 31 Ethan Berginc, Army / Major / 8-0
• Cons. of 8 #1: lost to (14) Antonio Mininno, Drexel / Major / 12-4

Brendan Ferretti
2023: 3-2, 4th Place (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated (12) Jack Maida, American / Fall / 6:09
• Quarterfinals: defeated (4) No. 5 Connor Mcgonagle, Lehigh / Injury Default / 0:57
• Semifinals: lost to (1) No. 3 Vito Arujau, Cornell / Major / 13-5
• Cons. Semifinals: defeated (12) Jack Maida, American / Dec / 5-3
• 3rd place: lost to (6) Angelo Rini, Columbia / Major / 11-2

Grady Griess
2023: 4-0, Champion (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated (15) Santino Morina, Drexel / Major / 17-4
• Quarterfinals: defeated (7) No. 30 Travis Stefanik, Princeton / Major / 10-1
• Semifinals: defeated (3) No. 26 Cory Day, Binghamton / Dec / 4-1
• Finals: defeated (4) No. 27 Nathan Taylor, Lehigh / Dec / 5-1

David Key
2023: 5-1, 3rd Place (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated (11) James Conway, Franklin & Marshall / Dec / 4-2 SV
• Quarterfinals: lost to (3) No. 24 Brian Bonino, Drexel / Dec / 3-2
• Cons. of 8 #2: defeated (8) Sahm Abdulrazzaq, Army / Dec / 5-4
• Cons. of 4: defeated (7) Aaron Ayzerov, Columbia / Major / 13-3
• Cons. Semifinals: defeated (5) Nate Dugan, Princeton / Dec / 11-4
• 3rd place: defeated (3) No. 24 Brian Bonino, Drexel / Dec / 8-3

2022: 1-2, Did Not Place
• Rd of 16: defeated (13) James Araneo, Brown / Dec / 10-9
• Quarterfinals: lost to (5) No. 29 Neil Antrassian, Penn / Dec / 9-6
• Cons. of 8 #2: lost to (10) Bryan McLaughlin, Drexel / Dec / 12-10

2021: 2-1, 2nd Place (NCAA Qualifier)
• Quarterfinals: defeated (7) James Langan, Long Island / Dec / 4-3
• Semifinals: defeated (3) Taylor Brown, Army / Dec / 7-2
• Finals: lost to (1) No. 4 Lou DePrez, Binghamton / Dec / 8-3

Josh Koderhandt 
2023: 5-1, 3rd Place at 141 Pounds (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated (14) Aidan O`Shea, Franklin & Marshall / Tech Fall / 18-3 (6:08)
• Quarterfinals: lost to (6) Carmen Ferrante, Penn / Dec / 8-2
• Cons. of 8 #2: defeated (8) Jordan Soriano, Drexel / Dec / 6-3
• Cons. of 4: defeated (7) Julian Sanchez, Army / Dec / 3-2
• Cons. Semifinals: defeated (4) Matt Kazimir, Columbia / Fall / 2:28
• 3rd place: defeated (5) No. 26 Malyke Hines, Lehigh / Dec / 7-6

2022: 3-1, 2nd Place at 133 Pounds (NCAA Qualifier)
• Rd of 16: defeated Matt Templeton, Hofstra / Tech Fall / 19-4 (5:19)
• Quarterfinals: defeated (8) Jaxon Maroney, Drexel / Dec / 2-0
• Semifinals: defeated (4) Dom LaJoie, Cornell / Fall / 7:46 SV
• Finals: lost to (2) No. 14 Michael Colaiocco, Penn / Dec / 8-4

Kaemen Smith
2023: 1-2, Did Not Place
• Rd of 16: lost to (7) Luke Nichter, Drexel / Dec / 12-7
• Cons. of 8 #1: defeated (17) Michael Leandrou, Hofstra / Major / 15-3
• Cons. of 8 #2: lost to (4) No. 33 Trae McDaniel, Army / Fall / 6:31

Qualifying For the NCAA Championship
• The EIWA will have 53 automatic bids to the NCAA Championship
• Ten individual champions along with 43 pre-allocated spots - 5 at 125 / 5 at 133 / 4 at 141 / 4 at 149 / 3 at 157 / 5 at 165 / 6 at 174 / 7 at 184 / 6 at 197 and 8 at 285, will determine the automatic qualifiers from the EIWA
• Each qualifying tournament was awarded pre-allocations to the NCAA Championship based on regular-season performance by conference wrestlers through Feb. 26
• The pre-allocations were determined by using a sliding scale of the three standards (win percentage, coaches' rank and RPI ranking) while never going below the base of .700 winning percentage, top 30 coaches' ranking and top 30 RPI ranking until reaching the maximum of 29 wrestlers per weight class
• For each wrestler that reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his conference tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class
• Each conference is awarded a minimum of one automatic qualification per weight class, which will go to the tournament champion, even if they did not have any wrestlers reach at least two of the three thresholds
• NCAA championship spots for each qualifying event will be awarded at conference tournaments based solely on place-finish
• After all the conference tournaments have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in person to select the 47 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 12. 
• Brackets and seeding will be announced on NCAA.com at 8 p.m. on March 13 
• All weight classes for nationals will consist of 33 wrestlers
• The NCAA Championship will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas, City, Mo., from March 21-23