Despite the honors Eagle wrestlers earned this season, they will start over with a 0-0 record at the 2005 EIWA national qualifying tournament Friday and Saturday. This year's tournament is dubbed "The Battle by the Bay," courtesy of the upstart sponsor Real Pro Wrestling.
The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association is the nation's oldest conference and is considered the nation's third most difficult after the Big Ten and the Big 12. The top placers in this tournament will secure a spot at the national tournament in St. Louis.
Junior Tom Kniezewski will likely receive a good seed in the tournament after finishing a strong season at 149 pounds. Headlining this weight class will be Cornell's Dustin Manotti and Army's Philip Simpson, ranked No. 2 and 3 in the nation, respectively.
Kniezewski had disappointing early exits in his past two conference tournaments, but now he has a legitimate bid to place high enough to qualify for the national tournament.
AU's Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov, ranked No. 6 nationally, may receive the top seed in the 157-pound weight class. His toughest competition will come from Lehigh's No. 10-ranked Derek Zinck, whom he is expected to meet in the finals.
Abdurakhmanov recently won a tough match against Franklin & Marshall's Mike Parziale, another serious competitor in this weight, but may not meet him depending on the seeds. Either way, this tournament will be a stepping-stone for the upperclassman.
AU's Dwayne Hash-Barberis drew an unfortunate first-round pick in 2004 when he wrestled Lehigh's Troy Letters, who would go on to win the national title at 165 pounds two weeks later. This year the weight class scattered from the conference's most decorated wrestler, giving Hash-Barberis an opportunity to improve his team's chances of placing.
Eagle senior Daniel Waters has been a leader for his team ever since he arrived at AU last season. He recently gained national exposure by placing fourth at the prestigious Midlands tournament in December. Despite all that, three wrestlers are ranked in the top 10 in this weight class and may receive higher seeds this weekend. Waters, currently a top-20 wrestler himself, knows this tournament is a launching pad for establishing his goal of becoming AU's first ever All-American.
"I really think I can win it," said the confident Waters. "(Head coach Mark Cody) really knows how to get us ready. As long as I can avoid injuries, I'll be in it."
Freshman standout Josh Glenn has found little respect from the wrestling community in an otherwise remarkable season. Glenn is currently unranked despite beating various wrestlers in the top 20. Glenn has already defeated the nation's 13th-ranked wrestler and conference foe Luke Calvert from Army. These two will be discussed heavily at the coaches meeting over the second and third seeds. Inevitably, they will face each other on their way to the finals, where the seeding will not matter and where Glenn's tenacity will come out in full force.
At 197 pounds, AU will see freshman Tyler Flatt compete in his first conference tournament. Flatt was pulled out of a redshirt year before the Virgina duals this season and has already been a huge contributer in two Eagle dual-meet victories. The road to the finals will go through Lehigh's nationally third-ranked Jon Trenge. Trenge's volatile mental state has led to unpredictable match conclusions this year. Flatt's consistency will be a good match-up if he meets the two-time national finalist.
AU's Adam LoPiccolo had to overcome a number of injury setbacks this season. He will face another obstacle when he competes in the tournament's deepest weight class, featuring five wrestlers in the top 20. LoPiccolo faced similar tough competition in high school, where he was in the finals three out of four years in the nation's toughest state tournament (Pennsylvania). LoPiccolo is now in good health and is as capable as any in this field of a trip to the finals.
The Eagles are looking at their best finish ever in their third year in the EIWA, despite only seven wrestlers representing them out of a potential 10. Head coach Cody is sending out a team that defies statistical reasoning. This team that was doubted by many conference foes may soon find itself on top of the heap given a great performance this weekend.
