Drexel’s DeSanto primed for postseason
Austin DeSanto had a great regular season with the Drexel wrestling team. Now the true freshman will test the waters in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Tournament March 3-4 in Hempstead, N.Y.
DeSanto, from Reading (Exeter Township), is ranked fourth by the NCAA Coaches Panel. Wrestling at 133 pounds, he’s 23-4 overall with an 11-1 record in dual meets and a 7-0 mark in EIWA matches. He has two pins, three major decisions and nine technical falls.
“Austin’s done a really great job this year,” coach Matt Azevedo said. “He’s determined and focused and he has his sights set on winning a national championship. And, he’s been putting in the work to do that.”
DeSanto may have had his toughest match of the season in a 25-16 victory over American on Feb. 11 in Washington, D.C. when he had to battle in extra time to turn back the No. 9-ranked wrestler 12-10.
“Austin had to overcome a lot of adversity in that match but he met every challenge to win it,” Azevedo said. “I was very happy with how he handled that and I think he’ll be a better for it going forward.”
The top three in the EIWA meet will advance to the NCAA Division I Tournament March 15-17 in Cleveland, OH.
G RYAN (KUTZTOWN) » The senior helped the Michigan women’s swim team capture the Big Ten Conference women’s championship last weekend in Columbus,, OH. Ryan swam the anchor leg on the 800 free relay which finished first in 6:56.28. The time put the unit on the NCAA Division I A list. Ryan also picked up three B times and scored points when she finished third in the 500 freestyle (4:37.37), sixth in the 1,650 freestyle in 15:59.73 and eighth in the 200 freestyle in 1:46.44. AUSTIN CORY (KUTZTOWN) » The junior is hoping to pick up points for the Kutztown men’s indoor track team at the PSAC Championships Saturday and Sunday in Edinboro. Cory stands ninth on the league’s performance list in the 400 meter dash with an adjusted time of 50.05 which he recorded at the Fastrack National Invite on Feb. 9 in Staten Island, N.Y. He’s 11th in the 200 meter dash with an adjusted time of 22.36 and is a member of the 4x400 relay which is currently sixth with a time of 3:22.38. CHRIS KUMMERER (HAMBURG) » The Elizabethtown senior and his wrestling teammates will head to Ithaca, N.Y. Saturday and Sunday for the Division III NCAA Mideast Regionals, the top three in each weight division advancing to the NCAA Championship March 9-10 in Cleveland, OH. Kummerer, who wrestles at 165 pounds, is 17-11 overall and 10-2 in dual meets after a 9-1 major decision in a 24-21 loss to Johns Hopkins on Feb. 15 in Elizabethtown. He has four pins and seven major decisions.