Rider set to begin season; MAC tourney to take place in Trenton
LAWRENCEVILLE » Coming off a very successful 12-3 season in which it spent much of the year ranked in the nation’s top 25, the Rider University wrestling team will make its 2021 debut at Binghamton on Saturday night.
Rider recently released its full schedule and although it has only one home match and seven overall, local fans — presuming they are allowed in — will also get to see the Broncs in action when they host the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Trenton’s Cure Insurance Arena on Feb. 2728.
From there, Rider plans to compete at the NCAA Championships on March 18-20 in St. Louis.
Rider has returned two wrestlers who qualified for nationals last year in Jesse Dellavecchia and Ethan Laird. Delavecchia is back at 157 pounds and Laird is moving up from 197 pounds to heavyweight.
Taking over Laird’s spot at 197 pounds is Matt Correnti. An NJSIAA state champion at Holy Cross, Correnti is a transfer from Rutgers, where he compiled a 4035 record in three years. Rider was one of the schools that originally recruited Correnti out of high school.
Ranked as high as 24th in the country in one poll, Rider enters the season with four nationally ranked wrestlers. Leading the way are Dellavecchia and Laird, who are ranked third and ninth, respectively.
Dellavecchia was seeded fourth at nationals last year before they were canceled by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, he compiled a 30-2 record last year and was named Rider’s Male Athlete of the Year.
Laird, meanwhile, received AllAmerica Honorable Mention honors last season. He was second at MAC Championships and compiled a record of 24-7 with three wins over wrestlers ranked in the top 25.
In addition, former Bound Brook High great George Walton is ranked 24th in one publication at 184 pounds and Jonathan Tropea is ranked 25th at 125. Walton was 24-10 a year ago and Tropea was 24-10.
Rider’s lone home dual is on Feb. 11 against Drexel. The Broncs will also take on Lehigh University in February.
Other projected starters for the Broncos include sophomore
Richie Koehler (133), freshman McKenzie Bell (141), sophomore Wyatt McCarthy or junior Travis Layton at 149, sophomore transfer Jake Silverstein (165), and freshmen Angel Garcia or Howell High School product Shane Reitsma at 174.
There are three Mercer County wrestlers listed on this year’s roster. These include Nottingham’s Jerry Andaluz (184 pounds), Princeton’s Alec Bobchin (141) and Trenton’s Herb Edwards (133).
Former Burlington County wrestlers on the roster are Delran’s Bryan Miraglia (133) and Holy Cross’ Chase Mullarkey (125).