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)