VESTAL, N.Y. - The Binghamton wrestling team is just three days away from officially beginning its 2024-25 season. Coming off one of its strongest seasons in recent memory, the Bearcats look to carry that momentum into the new year.
 
Binghamton's roster features 27 wrestlers, consisting of 20 returners, six freshmen and one transfer. Brevin Cassella, Cory Day, Nate Lucier and Micah Roes finished in the top eight at the 2024 EIWA Championships, with the first two also qualifying for the NCAA Wrestling Championships.
 
Overall, Binghamton won nine duals in 2023-24, including seven against EIWA opponents. Both totals are their highest since 2017-18. Among those victories was an 18-17 win against No. 18 Navy, the program's first against a top 20 opponent since it began competing in Division I in 2001. The Bearcats also picked up a 21-15 win at Northwestern, their first against a Big Ten program since 2017. Throughout the season, Binghamton had a wrestler named Wrestler of the Week by the EIWA four times, including three weeks in a row from Feb. 13-26.
 
Here is who will be competing in each weight class for Binghamton in 2024-25:
 
125
Sophomore Carson Wagner will look to improve upon a noticeable freshman season. The Nazareth, Pa., native started all 13 of Binghamton's duals at 125 lbs., in 2023-24. Wagner won 18 matches overall during his first season in the Southern Tier. He also took first place at the Wilkes Open, while finishing second at Lock Haven's Mat-Town Open I.
 
Jay McDonnell also competed as a freshman for the Bearcats the prior season. He wrestled in four matches in tournament competition that year.
 
133
Micah Roes enters his fifth season with the Bearcats looking to reach nationals for the second time in his career. Roes won 21 matches in 2023-24, including nine in duals as the team's regular starter at 133 lbs. The Lowville, N.Y., native also won the Wilkes Open while finishing sixth at the Black Knight Invite and seventh at the EIWA Championships. Roes also made the cut in the RPI rankings, being placed as high as 23rd.
 
Our first freshman is Dillon Arrick. The Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native was a two-time New York Section 1 champion at Arlington High School (2022, 24) while winning 230 matches throughout his career, the fifth most in the section's history.
 
Another freshman who will be featured in this weight class is Jack Kazalas. Kazalas was a two-time Pennsylvania State Medalist (2022, 24) who won 151 matches at Quaker Valley High School, the most in program history.
 
141
Nate Lucier reached the podium at the EIWA Championships for the first time in his career in 2024, finishing eighth. Lucier went 16-14 for the Bearcats that season, including a 6-4 mark as the team's starter 141 lbs. He also finished third at the Mat-Town Open I and fourth at Lehigh's Sheridan Tournament.
 
In limited action last season, Ryan Hartung won six matches in tournament action with two pins. He went on to finish fourth at both the Mat-Town Open I and the Wilkes Open.
 
The third freshman joining the Bearcats is Victor Petkov. The 2024 Connecticut state champion won 126 matches at Ridgefield High School, including a program-record 55 in his final season.
 
149
Ivan Garcia will move up a weight class after competing at 141 lbs., in 2023-24. Garcia won 11 matches that season, while tying for second on the team in technical falls with four. The Port Chester, N.Y., native also finished second at the Wilkes Open and fourth at the Mat-Town Open I.
 
Joining Garcia in the weight class is Caleb Sweet. In his first season at Binghamton, Sweet was victorious in five matches. After picking up his first career dual win against No. 23 Lehigh, Sweet followed that up with a victory against No. 33 Kaleb Burgess of Buffalo.
 
157
Fin Nadeau returns to the weight class after winning 10 matches against Division I opponents in 2023-24. While competing unattached, Nadeau won the Bob Quade Cyclone Open. He also placed in a tie for fifth at the Franklin & Marshall Open.
 
Jordan Brown will move up to this weight class from 149 lbs. Among his four wins in 2023-24 was his first dual victory, which came against Harvard.
 
Marco Albanese won three matches in his first season in Binghamton. In each of those victories, he recorded either a pin, a technical fall or a major decision.
 
The fourth freshman to be mentioned is Timur Beksultan. In 2024, Beksultan won the New York City championship while finishing sixth at the New York State Championship.
 
165
Carter Baer jumps up a weight class after competing at 157 lbs., in 2023-24. Baer put up 14 wins in his second season with the team. He added four major decisions, three technical falls and one pin to his career totals. Baer went on to win the Mat-Town Open I that season. In the offseason, Baer finished eighth at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships U20 Freestyle competition to qualify for the World Team Trials.
 
Tyler Reed will compete at 165 lbs., for the first time this season. At 157 lbs., in 2023-24, Reed won three matches while recording a pin and a major decision.
 
Roberto Padilla joins the Bearcats after transferring from Tompkins Cortland Community College. While competing at St. Joseph Regional High School in New Jersey in 2022, Padilla finished fourth at the NHSCA High School Nationals and sixth at the New Jersey State Wrestling Championships.
 
174
Brevin Cassella is one of two national qualifiers from 2024 returning to the Bearcats. That season, he led the team in overall wins (30) and dual wins (12). He recorded his best finish at the EIWA Championships by placing third, reaching the podium for the fourth season in a row. After reaching nationals for the third time in his career, he won two matches at the tournament. He enters this upcoming season ranked No. 16 in both the InterMat and FloWrestling polls.
 
Deakon Bailey arrives on campus from nearby Nichols, N.Y. A two-time New York state medalist (2023-24), Bailey helped Tioga Central High School win four straight New York state individual team championships and three straight dual team championships.
 
184
Will Ebert split time between 174 and 184 lbs., in 2023-24. He ultimately won eight matches, including a dual victory at No. 23 Lehigh. Ebert also recorded two technical falls and one pin.
 
John Baker is the other wrestler that will start the season at this weight class. He wrestled in four matches the prior season. At the Bob Quade Cyclone Open, Baker finished fourth while competing unattached.
 
197
Cayden Bevis enters his third season competing in his weight class. He won a career-high 12 matches in 2023-24 while compiling two major decisions, two technical falls and one pin. He would also finish in the top six in three different tournaments.
 
Quinn Funk joins the Bearcats after a decorated high school career in Colorado.  A two-time state champion at Legacy High School (2023-24), Funk won 131 matches. His high school career culminated with him going 45-0 his senior season, while being named Wrestler of the Year by both the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Colorado Chapter 5A and the Daily Camera in 2024.
 
Andrew Bailey wrestled in five matches in his first season with the team in 2023-24, including his first dual against No. 2 NC State.
 
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The other national qualifier from last season to return for the Bearcats is Cory Day. The heavyweight was among the national leaders in pins against Division I opponents that year with 11, finishing with an overall total of 12. Day was second on the team in overall wins with 29 while tying for second in dual victories with 10. After finishing fifth at the EIWA Championships, Day won two matches at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. He is ranked No. 13 FloWrestling poll and No. 17 in the InterMat poll entering this season.
 
Charlie Tibbitts took home six victories in 2023-24, with two pins and two technical falls. He finished third at the Mat-Town Open I and sixth at the Mat-Town Open II, competing unattached in the latter.
 
Trent Sibble won four matches in his first season with the program in 2023-24. Among his most notable performances was at the Wilkes Open, where he recorded two technical falls.

Up Next
Binghamton officially begins its season on Saturday at Journeymen Wrestling's Wranglemania. The Bearcats will take on No. 17 Illinois at noon at Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pa. The next day, Binghamton will compete in its first tournament of the season at Journeymen's Collegiate Classic. That will also take place in Bethlehem, with Freedom High School hosting the event.