University of Maryland Athletics

Terps Open With Red & Black Wrestle-Offs

Wrestling Maryland Athletics

Terps Open With Red & Black Wrestle-Offs

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland wrestling team will begin its 2015-16 campaign with the annual Red & Black Wrestle-Offs on Sunday at the XFINITY Pavilion. Action is scheduled to being at noon.

The Wrestle-Offs will serve as the final litmus test for head coach Kerry McCoy's squad before next week's Terrapin Duals. The competition pits Terps against Terps with matches that will help determine Maryland's starting lineup.

Admission is free to the public. The event will be followed by the Terps' season kickoff banquet in Heritage Hall.

Full matchups are below.

125 Pounds

Michael Beck (Red) vs. Jhared Simmons (Black)

Beck notched five wins in open competitions last season after a high school career that saw him win a state championship at River Hill. He also competed in the Terps' dual with Penn State and is expected to take over the starting role for Josh Polacek. Simmons is an experienced competitor to challenge Beck.

133 Pounds

Nick Casella (Red) vs. Tyler Goodwin (Black)

Casella was a New York state placer three straight times to begin his high school career before finally winning a state title in his final season. He'll take on Goodwin who redshirted last season after a freshman campaign where he qualified for the NCAA Championships at this weight class. Both will provide depth behind longtime starter Geoffrey Alexander.

141 Pounds

Alfred Bannister (Red) vs. Billy Rappo (Black)

Bannister recorded one of the finest redshirt campaigns in recent memory in College Park, rolling to a team-high 37 wins with 10 of those victories coming back fall. A four-times Maryland state champion, Bannister won four open tournaments last season a wrestles a fan friendly style. His opponent is Rappo, who after starting his career at 125 pounds, has found a home at 141 to execute his unique brand of wrestling.

149 Pounds

Wade Hodges (Red) vs. Matt Pente (Black)

Hodges racked up 177 wins as a prep competitor and placed four times at the Ohio state tournament. He'll look to find time in the starting lineup right off the bat this season. Pente also put up a huge high school win total (179) and won a Maryland state title before winning ten times in open competition last season.

157 Pounds

Jakob Restrepo (Red) vs. Patrick Gerish (Black)

Restrepo broke through his senior high school season with a state title in New York after finishing as a runner up the season prior. He was also a three-time high school All-American. He'll face Gerish who won nine times in his redshirt season last year. Both will compete to challenge presumptive starter and NCAA qualifier Lou Mascola.

165 Pounds

Tyler Manion (Red) vs. Brendan Burnham (Black)

Manion is one of the Terps' most seasoned competitors as the longtime starter at this weight class. He'll be pushed by young talent like Burnham. The freshman was a Pennsylvania state placer.

174 Pounds

Brad Miccio (Red) vs. Sam Rowell (Black)

Miccio comes from Bloomsburg University where he competed at multiple weights. Rowell won a state title in 2015 after placing at the Maryland state tournament three times prior. Veteran Josh Snook looks to be the Terrapin starter in this weight class.

184 Pounds

Jaron Smith (Red) vs. Mark Colabucci (Black)

A transfer from West Virginia, Colabucci gives the Terps' some experience at this weight after the departure of long-tenured starter Tony Gardner. Smith is another local talent who won two Maryland state titles at Oakland Mills.

197 Pounds

Sean Twigg (Red) vs. Garrett Wesneski (Black)

Twigg makes the move to 197 pounds after starting his career at heavyweight. The former Maryland state champ was a factor in the lineup at that weight last season. Wesneski, a former Pennsylvania state placer, dominated open competition to the tune of 27 wins, the second most on the team. Both will aim to replace the departed Rob Fitzgerald at this weight.

285 Pounds

Dawson Peck (Red) vs. Youssif Hemida (Black)

A former NCAA qualifier at Chattanooga, Peck was forced to sit out last season as a transfer, but won 14 times in open competition and placed at the Midlands. Hemida put together a decorated prep career that saw him win a New York state title and finish runner up a the Super 32 and Flo Nationals.

Exhibition Bouts

125 Pounds

Peter Robinson (Red) vs. Joe Barber (Black)

141 Pounds

Adam Whitesell (Red) vs. Brandon Walker (Black)

141 Pounds

Ryan Diehl (Red) vs. RJ De George (Black)

157 Pounds

Danny Boychuck (Red) vs. Hunter Hulse/Garrett Griffith (Black) 

165 pounds

Josh Ugalde (Red) vs. Derrick Evanovich (Black)

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Players Mentioned

Geoffrey Alexander

Geoffrey Alexander

133 pounds
Sophomore
Derrick Evanovich

Derrick Evanovich

141 pounds
Freshman
Rob Fitzgerald

Rob Fitzgerald

184 pounds
Redshirt Sophomore
Tony Gardner

Tony Gardner

184 pounds
Junior
Tyler Manion

Tyler Manion

157 pounds
Freshman
Lou Mascola

Lou Mascola

149 pounds
Sophomore
Josh Polacek

Josh Polacek

125 pounds
Redshirt Freshman
Billy Rappo

Billy Rappo

125 pounds
Freshman
Josh Snook

Josh Snook

165 pounds
Redshirt Freshman
RJ De George

RJ De George

141 pounds
Redshirt Sophomore
Tyler Goodwin

Tyler Goodwin

125 pounds
Freshman
Sean Twigg

Sean Twigg

285 pounds
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Geoffrey Alexander

Geoffrey Alexander

Sophomore
133 pounds
Derrick Evanovich

Derrick Evanovich

Freshman
141 pounds
Rob Fitzgerald

Rob Fitzgerald

Redshirt Sophomore
184 pounds
Tony Gardner

Tony Gardner

Junior
184 pounds
Tyler Manion

Tyler Manion

Freshman
157 pounds
Lou Mascola

Lou Mascola

Sophomore
149 pounds
Josh Polacek

Josh Polacek

Redshirt Freshman
125 pounds
Billy Rappo

Billy Rappo

Freshman
125 pounds
Josh Snook

Josh Snook

Redshirt Freshman
165 pounds
RJ De George

RJ De George

Redshirt Sophomore
141 pounds
Tyler Goodwin

Tyler Goodwin

Freshman
125 pounds
Sean Twigg

Sean Twigg

Freshman
285 pounds