NASSAU CC WRESTLING

The Nassau wrestling team is in its forty sixth year of existence and every year there is a new crop of student athletes. Nassau CC has been very successful over the years, in 2002 and 2003 Nassau won back to back National Championships. Nassau has also won five consecutive Mid Atlantic Championships. This past season Nassau had their second NCAA Div 1 All American (Chris Weidman, Hofstra). In 2005, Artie Weidler, a former lion won the NCAA III National Championship for Coach Don Murray at Brockport.

This year’s team looks very talented on paper; we have quite a few of our wrestlers returning from last year’s team. All American Alptekin Ozilikic (125lbs) is returning, along with regional champion Mauricio Benetiz (133lbs). Nassau also has two other National Qualifiers returning, Frank Meringelo (149lbs), and James Gurien (285lbs). Nassau will fill in the additional weight classes, with some quality wrestlers, Chris Booth (Hofstra) 141lbs, John Kizics (UNCG) 149lbs, and a former NYS Champion Chris Wade (Binghamton) at 165lbs. Nassau also has a couple of Div 3 transfers Martino Sottile (CW Post) at 184lbs and Mike Morales (Cortland) at 197lbs. We also picked up a couple of transfers from the junior college ranks, Jeremy Perlot (Morrisville) 285lbs, Jeremy wrestled in the NJCAA National Tournament last year and Jacy Lacy a 157lbs transfer from Hampton CC in Pennsylvania. The freshman crop is very talented, led by Chris Notte (133lbs) a very successful wrestler from Holy Cross High School in NJ and Steve Perez 133lbs from Queens NY who should have a good year. At 141lbs it looks like we found another gem from NJ, Jaron Benson but that spot won’t come easy, with Leif Nielson and Mark Taylor both highly touted NYS wrestlers vying for the spot. At 165lbs and 174lbs we have two sets of twins, Ben and Tom Delesia have one year of College wrestling under their belt but they will be pushed by another sett of twins from Chicago, Joshua and John Hillard. Nassau also has Rich Brown back from last year; Rich had a very good year last year but was edged out in a wrestle off for the starting spot. Freshman Dan Dadinno a four time section 8 runner-up will also challenge at 174lbs. At 184lbs we have Joe Holland a former Maryland State runner-up and Rob Ward a NY State Qualifer competing for that Weight

Nassau is looking to get back on top again and compete for a NJCAA National Title. We added two outstanding coaches to the staff. Coach Schmidt’s old partner Chris Edmond is back. Chris a former NCAA Div 1 National Champion, who was very instrumental in the past success at Nassau. Nassau also is very pleased to announce that Jon Masa a 3x Division 1 All American at Hofstra has joined the staff. Both of these fine coaches will be joining a staff that has already former World Champion (Vougar Orounjov), a 2x NCAA Div1 All American (Paul Guillespie)and a NJCAA All American (Sam Thomas) on it.