VESTAL, N.Y. - The Binghamton wrestling team will open it's season this Sunday, November 12th with the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open, an event that not only honors a fallen veteran, but that has earned itself a premiere standing among Open tournaments across the country. A tournament that will host wrestlers from 18 different teams, the event showcases nationally-ranked wrestlers as well as marks the debut for talented freshmen making their way onto collegiate mats for the first time.

Named after the former Binghamton wrestler who entered the military following graduation but was killed in the line of duty, the all-day event will feature many of the predominant programs on the East Coast. Penn State, Cornell, Columbia, Army, Harvard, Princeton, Brown and Hofstra are among the standout programs who will be at the Events Center.

"It's always a thrill to feature one of our athletic departments showcase events every year in the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open," head coach Matt Dernlan said. "Number one, the name of the tournament bears a lot of significance to us. Jonathan was a big part of the program and naming him is purposeful not only to commemorate his time with the Binghamton wrestling program but his time serving our country. This event, which always falls around Veterans Day, allows us to honor all the men and women that serve and sacrifice themselves for our country every day on a larger scale."

Over the past four years, close to 25 NCAA champions and 50 All-Americans have come through the doors and competed in Binghamton's Events Center. Not only is it always good quality competition, but it serves as a chance to show off Binghamton University as a whole.

"We're really proud of what the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open has become to the wrestling world," Dernlan said. "The competition that comes through the Events Center doors every year is at the highest level and it's a great way to kick off the season. It allows us to show off Binghamton University and show off our world class facilities in the Events Center. Not only that, but we're able to give people insight on what Binghamton Athletics is but also insight to what we're doing as a wrestling program."

The all-day event will be run through Track Wrestling. Live, match by match statistics will be available as well as mat assignments and updated brackets after each match. The doors to the Events Center will open at 8 am and competition will begin at 9 am. The tournament will run all day with finals beginning around 5 pm. Below is a look from NYS Wrestling on what to expect at each weight class. 
 

125

Binghamton wrestlers, including two-time EIWA placer Steven Bulzomi, Audey Ashkar, Joe Nelson and Carlos Aucancela, will have a chance to battle it out here, while Cornell fans will get a first look at recruit Dominic LaJoie, who is at Finger Lakes this year as well as Michael Russo, who is making his Big Red debut.  Another wrestler to watch is Harvard's Nolan Hellickson, who placed at EIWAs as a freshman in 2016.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Audey Ashkar, Binghamton
Carlos Aucancela, Binghamton
Sean Badua, Army West Point
Steven Bulzomi, Binghamton
Jack DelDuca, Oswego
Spencer Good, Columbia
Hunter Howland, Oswego
Dominic LaJoie, FLWC
Joe Nelson, Binghamton
Michael Russo, Cornell

133

Vito Arujau's debut last weekend was dominant and New York fans will be eager to see what he can do against Division 1 competition.  The same is true for Cornell's Chaz Tucker, a highly regarded recruit who arrived two years ago but hasn't yet wrestled a match due to injuries.  Noah Baughman is signed up at this weight as well, while Binghamton's Jake Nicholson is looking for a big final season after redshirting last year. Ohio's Cameron Kelly, who took second at this event last season, will be a formidable opponent for anyone in the bracket. Other former NYS champs in the field include Buffalo's Derek Spann and Columbia's Hunter Dusold.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Vito Arujau, FLWC
Noah Baughman, Cornell
Justin DeLucia, Oswego
Hunter Dusold, Columbia
Anthony Ianno, Oswego
Jason Javier, Binghamton
Alec Kelly, Columbia
Kevin Kelly, Binghamton
Jacob Lehr, Cornell
Ian Lupole, Binghamton
Jacob Nicholson, Binghamton
Christopher Scorese, Columbia
Derek Spann, Buffalo
Chaz Tucker, Cornell

141

The highly anticipated start of the career of two-time Cadet World champion Yianni Diakomihalis will take place in Binghamton.  Nick Leeof Penn State was impressive at the Clarion Open and is someone to watch, while another highly recruited wrestler from the Class of 2017, Brian Courtney (Virginia), is registered. A trio of New York wrestlers who placed high at the state tournament last year all looked tough in their first college action last weekend, with Mike Venosa winning the Brockport Open and Dane Heberlein and Matt Swansonwinning matches at the Princeton Open.   Don't forget about tough wrestlers like Binghamton's Joe Russ and Harvard's AJ Jaffe.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
JP Ascolese, Columbia
Christian Briody, Columbia
Taylor Brown, Army West Point
Evan Corso, Oswego
Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell
Sean Fitzsimmons, Army West Point
Dane Heberlein, Binghamton
Griffin Higginbotham, Cornell
Ryan Juarez-Robertson, Buffalo
Chris Martorello, Franklin & Marshall (Fordham Prep HS)
Ian McNitt, Cornell
Max Pickett, Cornell
Theo Powers, Brown (Mexico HS)
Paddy Quinlan, Franklin & Marshall (Fayetteville-Manlius FS)
Joseph Russ, Binghamton
Matt Swanson, Binghamton
Michael Venosa, FLWC

149

A number of EIWA placers are in the field here - Hunter Ladnier of Harvard, Jonathan Furnas of Cornell, Parker Kropman of Binghamton, Jacob Macololooy (Columbia) and Dylan Realbuto (Cornell).  Joe Oliva of Penn was the sixth seed at the conference tournament last season, although he didn't make the podium.  Trence Gillem wrestled well in Brockport a week ago, while wrestlers like Frank Garcia(Binghamton) have been starters.  Three-time NYS champ Hunter Richard of Cornell will take the mat for the first time at the Division 1 level, while a few other freshman - NJ state champ Nick Palumbo (Buffalo) and Cadet World champ Jarod Verkleeren (Penn State) are ones to track.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Jonathan Furnas, Cornell
Frank Garcia, Binghamton
Steven Garza, FLWC
Trence Gillem, Cornell
Parker Kropman, Binghamton
William Kui, Columbia
Connor Lapresi, Cornell
Jacob Macololooy, Columbia
Patrick Mayolo, Army West Point
Anthony Palmiotto, FLWC
Nick Palumbo, Buffalo
Rami Pellumbi, Cornell
Dylan Realbuto, Cornell
Hunter Richard, Cornell
Matt Russo, Cornell
Rocco Russo, Oswego
Chris Schoenherr, Cornell
Dylan Wood, Binghamton

157

Two 2016 Bearcat Open winners, Justin Staudenmeyer of Brown (157) and Joey Galasso of Cornell (149), will look to repeat.  They'll see challenges from Binghamton's Tristan Rifanburg as well as a pair of Buffalo starters  -- Alex Smythe and Kobe Garrehy. Keep an eye out for FLWC's Fredy Stroker, Penn's Joe Velliquette, as well as returning Bearcat Open placer Kyle Simaz of Cornell and his teammate Adam Santoro, who won the Brockport Open last week.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Jakob Brindley, FLWC
Joey Bush, Oswego
Samuel Cokeley, FLWC
Tanner Cook, FLWC
Joseph Galasso, Cornell
Kobe Garrehy, Buffalo
Christian Gramuglia, Oswego
Tristan Rifanburg, Binghamton
Nigel Ruiz, Army West Point
Adam Santoro, Cornell
James Saylor, Army West Point
Kyle Simaz, Cornell
Alex Smythe, Buffalo
Fredy Stroker, FLWC
Tyler Zimmer, Columbia

165

Returning NCAA qualifier May Bethea of Penn is likely the favorite here, while Vincent DePrez of Binghamton was the runner up at the 2016 Bearcat Open at this weight. Greco USA World team member Mason Manville of Penn State will wrestle his first college matches. This could be a key tournament to determine Cornell's starting 165 pounder, as Andrew Garcia, Milik Dawkins and Jon Jay Chavez are registered here.  New York high school wrestling fans are familiar with state champs such as Alex Herringshaw of Oswego and Noah Grover of Buffalo. The MAC's top-ranked preseason wrestler, Austin Reese of Ohio, is someone to watch as well. Jonathan Viruetof Brown was third at this event last year at 174, while his teammate Christian LaBrie was fifth at 165.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Jonah Barley, Cornell
Jacob Bueno, Army West Point
Jaron Chavez, FLWC
Jonathon Chavez, Cornell
Milik Dawkins, Cornell
Vincent DePrez, Binghamton
Jake Einbinder, Binghamton
Grant Fetchet, Columbia
Andrew Garcia, Cornell
Tristan Goering, Hofstra
Noah Grover, Buffalo
Alex Herringshaw, Oswego
Derek Holcomb, Buffalo
Laurence Kosoy, Columbia
Derek Krajewski, Cornell
Andrew Meyers, Columbia
Aiden Monteverdi, Binghamton
David Russell, Army West Point
Matthew Russo, Cornell
John Stawinski, FLWC
Sam Williams, Army West Point

174

Cornell's Brandon Womack got his All-American campaign off to a strong start last year at this event as he won the 165 pound class. Now, he'll look to do the same at 174, with NCAA qualifiers Josef Johnson of Harvard and Tyrel White of Columbia key challengers.  Anthony Lombardo and Anthony DePrez of Binghamton could continue their battle, with Buffalo's Austin Weigel, Brockport Open champ Andrew Berreyesa of Finger Lakes and nationally-ranked D3 wrestler Troy Seymour of Oswego among the others to keep tabs on.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Andrew Berreyesa, FLWC
Jaried Buxton, Cornell
Cameron Caldarelli, Buffalo
Nunzio Crowley, Binghamton
Anthony DePrez, Binghamton
Luke Hodsden, Army West Point
Jake Kocsis, Binghamton
Jake Lanning, Buffalo
Anthony Lombardo, Binghamton
Alexander Melikian, Binghamton
Graham Ratermann, Army West Point
Troy Seymour, Oswego
Jed Smith, Army West Point
Austin Weigel, Buffalo
Tyrel White, Columbia
Brandon Womack, Cornell

184

Binghamton's Steven Schneider topped Cornell's Max Dean in the finals of this tournament in 2017 at this weight and both are back. Bearcat redshirt Lou DePrez is certainly one to watch after his runner up showing in his first college event, the Princeton Open, last week.  Keep an eye on Division 3 All-American Jordan Bushey of Oswego as well as EIWA medalists Joe Heyob of Penn and Kanon Deanof Harvard.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Brian Bonino, Columbia
Jordan Bushey, Oswego
Kyle Davis, Buffalo
Maxwell Dean, Cornell
Lou DePrez, Binghamton
Jeremiah Imonode, Army West Point
Jeff Lombardi, Oswego
Anthony Piscopo, Columbia
Andrew Psomas, Columbia
Steven Schneider, Binghamton
Cliffton Wang, Harvard (Edgemont HS)

197

Cornell's Ben Darmstadt captured the 197 pound title at the Bearcat Open a year ago while representing FLWC, defeating now-teammate Ben Honis. Both will look to make their way back to the finals, but will meet significant challenges along the way including Penn State's Matt McCutcheon and Shakur Rasheed, EIWA champion Frank Mattiace of Penn and Mark Tracy of Binghamton.

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Jack Argast, Franklin & Marshall (Poly Prep HS)
Michael Bulkin, Columbia
Ben Darmstadt, Cornell
Matt Doggett, Columbia
Joe Doyle, Binghamton
James Hoeg, Penn State (Mattituck HS)
Benjamin Honis, Cornell
Alex Hopkins, Army West Point
Gunnar Larson, Army West Point
Aidan Mathews, Buffalo
Shakur Rasheed, Penn State (Longwood HS)
Bryce Reed, Oswego
Sam Schuyler, Buffalo
Peter Strassfield, Army West Point
Mark Tracy, Binghamton

285

EIWA champ Garrett Ryan of Columbia is the likely favorite, while NCAA qualifier Antonio Pelusi of Franklin & Marshall and Connor Calkins of Binghamton will be among those in the mix. McZiggy Richards of Cornell got off to a good start with a Brockport Open title, while Zack Parker of Ohio and Patrick Garren of Penn are others to watch.  

New York Wrestlers Registered:
Kade Andrews, Oswego
Connor Calkins, Binghamton
Sean Dee, Binghamton
Brendan Furman, FLWC
Tyler Hall, Penn (East Aurora HS)
Omar Haddad, Hofstra
Daniel Herman, Columbia
Ian James, Buffalo
Seth Janney, FLWC
Nico Manzonelli, Army West Point
McZiggy Richards, Cornell
Garrett Ryan, Columbia
Tunde Sogo, Cornell
Andrew Tanner, Oswego
Kyle Wilkins, Army West Point
Harrison Young, Army West Point