Alliance, Ohio – The No. 1 West Liberty University wrestling team sent 12 wrestlers to compete at Sunday's Mount Union Open as they combined for 25 wins on the day, including 13 bonus point victories. Highlighting the performances by Hilltoppers were a second place finish for Landon Hoffman (2-1), a fourth place finish for Anthony Gencarelli (3-2), and a fifth place finish for Chris Barthelemy (4-2) who notched the highest win total for WLU.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• At 133 pounds, Landon Hoffman wrestled his way to the finals with a pair of first period wins by fall over Hunter Newell of Mount Union (1:42) and Dustin Norris of Purdue (1:55). In the title bout he fell to Charlie Bunting who was an unattached wrestler for George Mason in an 11-5 decision to finish the tournament in second place.
• Anthony Gencarelli recorded a 3-2 mark on the day en route to a fourth place finish in Alliance, Ohio. He started with a pair of victories, first winning a 7-0 decision over Johnny Spinner of John Carroll and then winning by fall (3:29) over Brayden McFetridge of Mount Union. He lost in the semifinals to Devan Guldin who wrestled unattached for Glenville State in a 4-2 decision, but then rebounded in the consolation semifinals with a 12-7 win by decision over Tyler Shellenbarger who was unattached for Lake Erie. In the third place bout he fell in a 19-6 major decision to Coen Grimm who wrestled unattached.
• Chris Barthelemy ended the day with a 4-2 record and fifth place finish at the Mount Union Open. He began the day with a 6-4 win by decision over Blake Boyers who wrestled unattached for West Virginia before falling in a 12-1 major decision against Kaden Jett of Ohio. He then won back-to-back bouts by decision over Isaac Piatek who was unattached with Gannon (7-2) and his fellow teammate Bryson Neidigh (10-5). He lost by fall (2:58) to Conner Heckman who was unattached with Lock Haven before winning the fifth place match by medical forfeit against Anthony Ferraro of Edinboro who was unattached.
• Led by Breagan Pearson with a 3-2 record at 174 pounds, West Liberty saw six additional wrestlers pick up multiple wins in the tournament which included Bryson Neidigh (2-2) at 141 pounds, Armon Nettey (2-2) at 149 pounds, Jalen King (2-2) at 174 pounds, Luke Justice (2-2) at 197 pounds, and Jamie Kilmer (2-2) at 285 pounds.

HEAD COACH DANNY IRWIN INTERVIEW

              
UP NEXT
The No. 1 West Liberty University wrestling team will return to dual meet competition on Thursday, January 18, when they compete against No. 16 Grand Valley State and Notre Dame (Ohio) in a tri-dual. The action will get underway at 5 p.m. inside Murphy Gymnasium against the Lakers and then conclude at approximately 8 p.m. against the Falcons in South Euclid, Ohio.