Alliance, OH. – Before they head to the 2025 Mountain East Conference (MEC) in February, the Wheeling University Wrestling team (3-1) had one more tournament standing in their way at the Purple Raider Open. It was a strong showing for the Cardinals, with four of their eight wrestlers picking up at least one win on the day. The Cardinals also had their third top-five placer of the year, as they featured their fullest lineup in a tournament this year.
That top five finish came courtesy of Heavyweight wrestler Gavin Harper, who finished fourth in his weight class for the second time this season. He would face DI competition from the get-go, facing Mercyhurst's Gino Guerrisi, and made a statement picking up a pinfall in 2:45. He continued his success through the championship bracket, earning a 6-0 decision over unattached wrestler Luke Herendeen, and his second pinfall of the day against WNY, RTC'S Jack MacDonald in 6:15. He advanced to the semifinal round, where he fell to an unattached wrestler from Michigan State Joshua Terrill in a 3-1 Decision. He would earn a 5-1 decision over Cleveland State's Mason Cover to advance to the third place match. He would take on unattached wrestler John Meyers and fell in a 13-7 Decision to take fourth in his weight class.
The other wrestler who reached the four-win mark was Isaac Valdez, who wrestled at 157. He began his day with a back and forth battle to open things where he triumphed over unattached wrestler Jayden O'Farrill 19-14. He came back with his first pinfall of the day over Davenport's Jamason Jodway in 3:09, before dropping a 6-2 decision to VMI's Eric Doran to move to the consolation bracket. He would make it through two more rounds of the consolation bracket, with a 13-2 Major Decision over Ashland's Fernando Lopez and a 10-7 Decision over WVU's Nick Cicciarelli. He was one round away from the consolation semifinals, but would end up dropping his final match of the day to Patriot Elite Wrestling Club's Thomas Stofka in a 17-2 tech fall.
The other three Cardinal wins would come from two different wrestlers as Brent Bosley and Austin Hinzman each going 1-2. Bosley would take on the 125lb weight class and opened things up with an in-region win. He took down Salem's Devin Fowler with a pinfall in just 3:55, before falling in the second round. Like Bosley, Hinzman would also start his day with a win as he took on Gannon's Gaetano Savelli in his first 184lb match of the season. He would pick up a Major Decision (10-2) that moved him to the Quarterfinals of the bracket, where he fell in a 4-1 decision to West Liberty's Christian Chavez. Hunter Bittinger, Angelo DiPol, Brian Crevar, and Chris Johnson would each wrestle and finish 0-2 in their respective weight classes.
The Wheeling University Wrestling team returns to action on Saturday, February 1st, when they take on the 2025 MEC Wrestling Championships.
