SEASON PREVIEW: Wrestling doesn't need improvement for success

With three Eastern titles in three years, Penn's program has become the regional wrestling superpower. The 1997-98 Penn wrestling team has a tough act to follow. Coming off its third Ivy League championship in four years, the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) championship, and an appearance in the NCAA championships by eight of their 10 starters, the 14th-ranked Quakers are poised to make a splash on the national scene. "Some aspects of last season may be difficult to top, but we still aim to do that," said Penn coach Roger Reina, who graduated from Penn in 1984. "We had only one All-American (senior captain Brandon Slay), and [this year] we hope to come away with multiple All-Americans." The Quakers also hope they can improve on their final rank of 15th in the nation and their 23rd-place finish at the NCAA Championships. The first obstacle Penn has to overcome is the loss of five of last year's eight EIWA finalists to graduation. "This year we've got a good deal of intensity with a younger team, whereas we had a veteran crew last year," Reina said. "We're trading off experience but gaining enthusiasm. For a lot of individuals, it's their chance to step up." One individual Penn was counting on to step into the forefront, junior Brett Matter, is injured and may be out the entire season. The Quakers will miss Matter, who is rated No. 4 in the nation at 142 lbs. and finished in the round of 12 at last year's NCAA tournament. Reina declined to specify Matter's injury, fearing opponents will exploit it in the future. Reina relies on his three captains, Slay, senior Mark Piotrowsky and junior Andrei Rodzianko, to lead the team through the setbacks. "Their most important role as captains is to lead by example in training and competition," said Reina. "They need to help lead the younger group to understand what it takes to be successful at this level." All-American Slay comes off a spectacular 1996-97 season. Slay was named Ivy League Wrestler of the Year after winning the EIWA title and placing second at the NCAA Championships. "[As a captain], Slay brings a fiercely competitive nature and the success he's had at the national level for many years," Reina said. "He takes pride in establishing Penn wrestling nationally." Piotrowsky, who sat out last year with an injury, was an NCAA qualifier and an EIWA finalist two years ago. Piotrowsky enters the 1997-98 campaign ranked 15th in the nation at 134 lbs. "He's a quiet leader," Reina said. "He's intense in training and sets an excellent example." At 190 lbs., the eighth-ranked Rodzianko brings both intense physical and mental toughness to the mats. After sitting out eight weeks last year with an injury, he came back to win the EIWA title. The Quakers are also counting on senior Steve Walker at 126 lbs. Walker narrowly missed the NCAAs, placing third in the EIWAs. On paper, Penn's recruiting class is its best ever, ranked 11th nationally. Two freshmen, Yoshi Nakamura and Rick Springman, have won starting jobs already at 150 and 158, respectively. "Both have successful prep backgrounds and are determined to make their names quickly," Reina said. With the new recruits and the veteran performers, Penn is in a prime position to establish itself as a national power. The Quakers get that chance against plenty of tough competition in their fall and winter tournaments. "It is important for the group to capitalize on the tournament experience quickly, because the competition steps up to three very high peaks in December," said Reina, referring to the Midlands Open at Northwestern, regarded as the top collegiate tournament in the country, the Reno Tournament of Champions and the National Dual Meet Championships at Iowa. At these three tournaments, Penn will encounter nearly half of all 1997 Division I All-Americans. The coming weeks are critical for the Quakers, who continue their rigorous, five-days-a-week training program. They must establish team chemistry and gain quick experience in their first few tournaments. "The chemistry of this year's team has yet to take shape, given the high turnover, but it will be built out of competitive experience and, more importantly, out of the group's reaction in their training," Reina said.

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