ERIE, Pa. – The 18th-ranked Kutztown University wrestling team traveled to the northwest corner of Pennsylvania to face the third-ranked Golden Knights of Gannon University, losing 29-8 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference dual inside the Highmark Events Center.

After defeating its opponents last year, the Golden Bears (3-4, 1-2 PSAC) were ready to repeat with a cast of similar wrestlers and a goal of getting back in the win column as it headed into February. The Golden Knights (10-1, 4-0 PSAC) had different plans, backing up its ranking with a retooled roster and controlling the dual the entire way, winning its seventh straight contest of the season.

The dual opened up with a shocker at 125 pounds, as Kutztown's Nic Allison (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) secured a 20-5 technical fall over Gannon's Logan Sallot, the sixth-ranked grappler in the nation. After going down 3-0 with a takedown, the redshirt junior rattled off four straight near falls – including three worth a combined ten points in the second period - to boost him to the upset victory.

From there, however, the Golden Knights were able to take control. They rattled off five straight victories, four coming by decision, all with margins of three points or less.

Ninth-ranked Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) got the Golden Bears back on the board with a 4-1, sudden victory decision over his opponent at 174 pounds. However, a massive 184-pound ranked matchup between No. 7 Patrick Jackson and No. 8 Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg) went the way of Gannon, as the 4-0 decision put Kutztown's back against the wall heading into the final two bouts.

The momentum stayed on the Golden Knights' side, as Gannon pulled off an upset victory at 197 pounds and ruined the season debut for senior Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown), as Gannon's fifth-ranked Dorian Crosby sent Kutztown's 285-pound star dual-sport athlete down to the mat within two minutes to end the dual.

The Golden Bears continue PSAC competition with trips to Millersville (Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.) and Shippensburg (Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.) in the coming weeks.

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NO. 18 KUTZTOWN VS NO. 3 GANNON
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2026 | ERIE, PA. | HIGHMARK EVENTS CENTER
NO. 3 GANNON 29, NO. 18 KUTZTOWN 8

125: Nic Allison (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) (KU) tech. fall over No. 6 Logan Sallot (GU), 20-5 [T – 5:10]
133: No. 3 Jerry Echevarria (GU) dec. over Javien DeLeon (Allentown, Pa./Liberty) (KU), 2-1
141: No. 5 Jake Niffenegger (GU) tech. fall over Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) (KU), 22-6 [T – 5:43]
149: Kenny Kiser (GU) dec. over Aliazer Alicea (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) (KU), 5-2
157: Holden Huhn (GU) dec. over Hunter Horton (James Creek, Pa./Tussey Mountain) (KU), 10-7
165: No. 3 Grant Mackay (GU) dec. over No. 13 Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU), 6-4
174: No. 9 Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) dec. over Dillon Walker (GU), 4-1 [SV-1]
184: No. 7 Patrick Jackson (GU) dec. over No. 8 Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg) (KU), 4-0
197:  No. 10 Joe Lyons (GU) dec. over No. 7 Wayne McIntyre (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North) (KU), 5-1
285: No. 5 Dorian Crosby (GU) won by fall over Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) (KU), [T – 1:45]