HAMPTON, Va. – The nationally ranked Kutztown University wrestling team concluded its trip to the Virginia Duals on Saturday, securing a victory over the Averett Cougars to finish off its first appearance of the year in the two-day event at the Hampton Coliseum.

The 11th-ranked Golden Bears (3-2, 1-0 PSAC) dropped its second day opener, 22-18, to the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons (2-4, 0-3 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference), a Division II program that received votes in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association polls last month.

KU fell behind by dropping three of its first five bouts, and while the Golden Bears were able to pull off three major decision victories thanks to its three top-ten ranked wrestlers – third ranked 165-pound Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg), third ranked 174-pound Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) and seventh ranked 184-pound Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg), the Dragons collected the final seven team points in the 197 and 285-pound weight classes to claim the dual win.

Kutztown was able to hold its own against Division III Averett (12-7, 3-0 Old Dominion Athletic Conference), winning six of its ten bouts to finish the weekend with a 23-18 victory.

133-pound Javien DeLeon (Allentown, Pa./Liberty), 141-pound Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) and 149-pound Logan Hrenenko (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) helped lift the Golden Bears to an 11-5 advantage in the first four matchups, and after a Cougar victory at 157, the trio of the Gimbor brothers and Casilio added on enough points to cement a win for the Maroon and Gold.

KU finished the weekend with a 2-2 dual record, opening Friday's competition with a win over Greensboro before falling to Findlay to set up its slate for today's competition. Four Golden Bear grapplers also competed in exhibition matchups, as rookie grapplers Tom Grimley (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) and Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) each turned in wins against their opponents from Muhlenberg.

The Golden Bears will roll out the mat inside Keystone Arena for a nationally ranked Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference dual meet against Pitt-Johnstown, where the team will host Alumni Night on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m.

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VIRGINIA DUALS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2026 | HAMPTON, VA | HAMPTON COLISEUM

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET PLACEMENT MATCH 1
MINNESOTA STATE MOORHEAD 22, NO. 11 KUTZTOWN 18
125: C. Mele (MSM) won by fall over Nic Allison (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) (KU) [T – 3:59]
133: Javien DeLeon (Allentown, Pa./Liberty) (KU) dec. over B. Toledo (MSM), 7-4
141: Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) (KU) dec. over P. Velazquez (MSM), 4-2
149: P. Benz (MSM) dec. over Logan Hrenenko (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) (KU), 6-2
157: J. Reinardy (MSM) won by fall over Ryan Schimpf (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) (KU) [T – 4:31]
165: No. 3 Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) major dec. over D. Ferguson (MSM), 16-7
174: No. 3 Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) major dec. over A. Sykora (MSM), 9-1
184: No. 7 Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg) (KU) major dec. over E. Davis (MSM), 10-1
197: W. Powell (MSM) major dec. over Alex Ward (Manassas, Va./Battlefield) (KU), 11-0
285: L. Babitt (MSM) dec. over Dustin Swanson (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) (KU), 3-0

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET PLACEMENT MATCH 2
NO. 11 KUTZTOWN 23, AVERETT 18
125: A. Samano (AU) tech. fall over Nic Allison (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) (KU), 19-3 [T – 5:00]
133: Javien DeLeon (Allentown, Pa./Liberty) (KU) dec. over A. Orlando (AU), 4-0
141: Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) (KU) tech. fall over M. Reyes (AU), 20-3 [T – 4:50]
149: Logan Hrenenko (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) (KU) dec. over L. Neal (AU), 7-1
157: C. Shupert (AU) major dec. over Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) (KU), 8-0
165: No. 3 Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) tech. fall over C. Carter (AU), 18-0 [T – 2:33]
174: No. 3 Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) dec. over M. Gabbard (AU), 7-2
184: No. 7 Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg) (KU) major dec. over K. Mitchell (AU), 11-1
197: J. Jimenez (AU) dec. over Alex Ward (Manassas, Va./Battlefield) (KU), 7-2
285: C. Erickson (AU) won by forfeit
 
EXHIBITION BOUTS
133: M. McAfee (Glenville St.) won by fall over Connor Kerney (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) (KU) [T – 0:33]
157: Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) (KU) won by fall over J. Nickell (Muhlenberg) [T – 0:30]
165: R. Onorato (Glenville St.) major dec. over Ty Pfizenmayer (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) (KU), 11-0
174: Tom Grimley (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) (KU) won by fall over N. Schlofer (Muhlenberg) [T – 2:10]