RESULTS

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. -- Defending NCAA Division II heavyweight champion Andrew Dunn Jr. (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) ran through his bracket to lead three place-winners for the 15th-ranked Kutztown University wrestling team in its first action of the 2019-20 season, Sunday, at the East Stroudsburg University Open.

Dunn Jr., ranked No. 1 in the NWCA Division II Preseason Individual Rankings at 285 lbs., opened his day with a pin of Navy's Riley Smith, before majoring William Baldwin of Old Dominion, 15-3, in the quarterfinals. The Bethlehem native's closest match of the tournament came in the semifinals, where an overtime takedown moved Dunn Jr. through to the finals with an 8-6 victory over Columbia's Daniel Conley.

Dunn Jr. took care of business in the final with a 6-1 decision over Michael Filieri of the Jersey City Wrestling Club. The redshirt junior improved to 30-2 as a member of the Golden Bears after going 26-2 during his national championship-winning 2018-19 season.

Sophomore Michael Cusick (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette), who appeared in 10 bouts as a rookie, was the only other Golden Bear to reach a weight class final, doing so at 149 lbs. Cusick doubled up Emmanuel's Reed Vincent with a 16-8 major decision in the second round, topped Sacred Heart's Antonio Vaquiz, 11-4, in the quarters and held off Emmanuel's Dalton Flint, 9-5, in the semis. The final against Dan Fongaro of the New York City Regional Training Center (RTC) was not contested.

Newcomer Collin Wickramaratna (Malton, N.J./Cherokee) made a strong impression in his KU debut, advancing to the semifinals at 133 before settling for a fourth-place finish. The sophomore, who transferred into the program from Ursinus, won his first two matches by decision and pinned his way into the semis against Jersey City Wrestling Club's Enrique Sanchez (4:52).

Though his run to a title ended with a 7-3 defeat against Rutgers' Devon Britton a match shy of the final, Wickramaratna recovered to pick up a major decision against Spencer Good of Columbia, 15-3, in the consolation semifinals.

Outside of the Golden Bears' place-winners, three of their representatives won multiple matches Sunday. At 125, junior Matt Wilde (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) picked up two victories in consolation matches, including a technical fall. Freshman AJ Bencivenga (Cranford, N.J./Cranford), a Cranford, New Jersey, native, also won a pair in consolations at 157 and recorded his first collegiate pin. Heavyweight Tommy Killoran (Perkiomenville, Pa./Boyertown) pinned East Stroudsburg's Isaac Cayo for his first career win and emerged with a 5-3 sudden victory over Old Dominion's Jacob Bullock to reach the semifinals. Killoran did not partake in the semis or a consolation semifinal match.

Joining Bencivenga and Killoran in winning their first college matches were Michael Torres (Allentown, Pa./Liberty) (133, tech fall), Michael Albergo (Longport, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep) (141, decision), Tyler Fisher (Lenhartsville, Pa./Kutztown) (165, major decision) and Robert Spezza (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) (197, decision).

Kutztown opens its dual schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at home against PSAC foe Millersville at 7:30 p.m. The Golden Bears went 14-1 in duals a season ago, including 6-1 in conference, to win the PSAC Division II Dual Championship.

Last year marked the first of a Division I/Division II split dual championship system instead of deciding the league title at an individual championship tournament. This year's PSAC Dual Championship will be decided among just Division II institutions after Division I wrestling programs Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro and Lock Haven left the conference to wrestle in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).