Pat Popolizio’s Binghamton Bearcats in Top 25, Talks to Takedown Wrestling

TROY, N.Y.—Binghamton wresting (6-0) rolled to four wins at the Northeast Duals at Hudson Valley Community College on Saturday, tying the school record for consecutive wins to start a season. The Bearcats defeated Purdue (24-15), Army (20-13), Arizona State (28-15) and Eastern Michigan (22-12) to equal the start set by the 1979-80 squad.

Binghamton won six bouts against Big Ten member Purdue, which like BU is “receiving votes” in the latest NWCA/USA Today poll and returns an All-American and four NCAA qualifiers. The biggest win was recorded by junior 149-pound No. 10 Donnie Vinson, who dismantled the nation’s sixth-ranked wrestler, Ivan Lopouchanski, 18-2 in a technical fall. Vinson went 4-0 on the day with the tech fall and two major decisions. He improved to 9-1 overall, 6-0 in duals.

Senior 157-pound Justin Lister, No. 6 in the Intermat poll, also went 4-0. Lister pinned his Purdue opponent in 3:33 and added another pin – in 6:57 against Arizona State. He is 10-1 overall, 6-0 in duals. Sophomore 197-pound Cody Reed also went 4-0, earning a major decision against Purdue and three other decisions. He is 7-1 overall.

“It was a great day for our program,” sixth-year head coach Pat Popolizio said. “The Purdue win was the biggest dual win in my tenure here and one of the biggest in program history. Our guys showed a lot of fight and will … we won almost every close match and everyone really stepped up. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys and the direction we are headed. Donnie, Justin and Cody were excellent today and Joe Bonaldi showed lot of promise. He’s getting better every time he steps on the mat.”

The Bearcats next compete at Princeton on December 3 and at the Penn State Open on December 4.

Binghamton 24, Purdue 15
125 – Derek Steeley (BU) dec. Camden Eppert (Purdue), 13-11, ot
133 – Matt Fields (Purdue) maj. dec. Patrick Hunter (BU), 11-0
141 – Joe Bonaldi (BU) dec. Brandon Nelsen (Purdue), 6-4, ot
149 – No. 10 Donnie Vinson (BU) tech fall No. 6 Ivan Lopouchanski (Purdue), 18-2, 4:17
157 – No. 6 Justin Lister (BU) pinned Tommy Churchard (Purdue), 3:33
165 – Kyle Mosier (Purdue) dec. Matt Kaylor (BU), 11-7
174 – Drake Stein (Purdue) maj. dec. Caleb Wallace (BU), 14-6
184 – Braden Atwood (Purdue) maj. dec. No. 20 Nate Schiedel (BU), 15-3
197 – Cody Reed (BU) maj. dec. Justin Dinius (Purdue), 10-2
Hwt – Nick Gwiazdowski (BU) dec. Roger Vukobratovich (Purdue), 3-2

Binghamton 20, Army 13
125 – Scott Filbert (ARMY) dec. Derek Steeley (BU), 10-7
133 – Patrick Hunter (BU) dec. David White (ARMY), 6-1
141 – Connor Hanafee (ARMY) dec. Joe Bonaldi (BU), 3-1
149 – No. 10 Donnie Vinson (BU) dec. Daniel Young (ARMY), 17-10
157 – No. 6 Justin Lister (BU) dec. James Rafferty (ARMY), 8-2
165 – Matt Kaylor (BU) maj. dec. Coleman Gracey (ARMY), 20-9
174 – Ryan Tompkins (ARMY) dec. Joe Chamish (BU), 6-3
184 –No. 20 Nate Schiedel (BU) maj. dec. Michael Gorman (ARMY), 14-0
197 – Cody Reed (BU) dec. Daniel Mills (ARMY), 7-3
Hwt – Curtis Garner (ARMY) maj. dec. Tyler Deuel (BU), 20-7

Binghamton 28, Arizona State 15
125 – Dalton Miller (ASU) dec. Derek Steeley (BU), 6-3
133 – Patrick Hunter (BU) pinned Shane McGough (ASU), 5:40
141 – Nathan Hoffer (ASU) dec. Joe Bonaldi (BU), 10-4
149 – No. 10 Donnie Vinson (BU) maj. dec. Victor DeJesus (ASU), 10-0
157 – No. 6 Justin Lister (BU) pinned Kyle DeBerry (ASU), 6:57
165 – Matt Kaylor (BU) pinned Hans Rasmusson (ASU), 0:37
174 – Eric Starks (ASU) pinned Caleb Wallace (BU), 3:50
184 –No. 20 Nate Schiedel (BU) dec. Kevin Radford (ASU),4-3
197 – Cody Reed (BU) dec. Tommy Burriel (ASU), 9-7
Hwt – No. 11 Levi Cooper (ASU) dec. Nick Gwiazdowski (BU), 9-6

Binghamton 22, Eastern Michigan 12
125 – Jared Germaine (Eastern Michigan) dec. Derek Steeley (BU), 5-1
133 – Andrew Novak (Eastern Michigan) pinned Brian St. James (BU), 2:36
141 – Joe Bonaldi (BU) dec. Corey Phillips (Eastern Michigan), 10-8 ot
149 – No. 10 Donnie Vinson (BU) maj. dec. Jaylyn Bohl (Eastern Michigan), 10-0
157 – No. 6 Justin Lister (BU) dec. Aaron Sulzer (Eastern Michigan), 8-4
165 – Matt Kaylor (BU) dec. Lester France (Eastern Michigan), 9-5
174 – Phillip Joseph (Eastern Michigan) dec. Caleb Wallace (BU), 6-0
184 –No. 20 Nate Schiedel (BU) dec. Khodar Hoballah(Eastern Michigan), 4-0
197 – Cody Reed (BU) dec. Nick Whitenburg (Eastern Michigan), 3-1
Hwt – Nick Gwiazdowski (BU) dec. Wesley Schroeder (Eastern Michigan), 3-1 ot

Scott Casber
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USA Wrestling Weekly
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