The Match Stories
 
} After a strong showing at the prestigious Midlands Championships, Edinboro gets back to dual competition.  The Fighting Scots open up the 2013 portion of their schedule at the University at Buffalo.  Edinboro comes in with a 3-1 record, opening the year with a 22-12 win over Michigan State before dropping a 21-16 decision to then 11th-ranked Virginia Tech.  Edinboro swept its last duals on December 16, upsetting tenth-ranked Northwestern, 22-15, then defeating Clarion, 28-12, in its EWL opener.  The Fighting Scots are ranked 17th in InterMat's Tournament-Strength Rankings and are 18th in Amateur Wrestling News rankings, which reflect dual matches.
} The University at Buffalo has a deceiving 0-3 record.  The Bulls have faced two of the top teams in the country in Iowa and Central Michigan, and also faced Bloomsburg, a team which has been mentioned in the rankings.  UB?opened its dual campaign with a 28-7 loss to11th-ranked Central Michigan, then dropped a 39-3 decision to fourth-ranked Iowa.  On December 18 the Bulls were an 18-15 loser at Bloomsburg.  Buffalo has a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers, with Mark Lewandowski (19-6) ranked 17th at 165 lbs. and John-Martin Cannon (6-4) 17th at 174 lbs.  Cannon placed fourth at the Midlands Championships and Lewandowski was sixth.   
} Edinboro comes off an 11th place showing at the Midlands Championships, which featured 14 teams that finished in the top 25 at last year's NCAA?Division I National Championships.  A pair of Fighting Scots placed fifth, with A.J. Schopp picking up a fifth place finish for the second straight year at 133 lbs. and Mitchell port also picking up a fifth place.  Three other wrestlers fell a win show of earning medals -- Dave Habat and Michael DePalma at 149 lbs. and Ernest James at heavyweight. 
} Michael DePalma continues to bounce between 149 and 157 lbs.  The redshirt freshman had moved up to 157 lbs. in early December, with Casey Fuller then competing at 157 lbs. against Northwestern and Clarion.  DePalma competed at 149 lbs. and Fuller at 157 lbs. at the Midlands Championships, and both are expected to weigh in at 157 lbs. for the Buffalo match.
} Edinboro recently made it back-to-back Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships, plus six in the last seven years.  All ten Fighting Scots placed as Edinboro won its 15th overall PSAC?title.  The Fighting Scots finished with 160.5 points to outdistance Clarion, who came in second with 140 points.   Three wrestlers won their second straight individual titles -- A.J. Schopp (133 lbs.), Mitchell Port (141 lbs.), and Dave Habat (149 lbs.).    
}The Fighting Scots showcase an extremely young lineup, with one true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen starting, plus four sophomores.  Edinboro's lineup features five ranked wrestlers.  Leading the way are A.J. Schopp (133 lbs.) and Mitchell Port (141 lbs.).  Schopp is ranked fourth by InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News and has a 16-2 record with nine falls.  Port is 16-3 and ranked fourth by Amateur Wrestling News and sixth by InterMat.  Both reached the round of 12 at last year's NCAA?Division I?National Championships.  Dave Habat (15-5) is ranked 14th in the Amateur Wrestling News poll.  Ernest James (13-6) is ranked 17th by Amateur Wrestling News.  Finally, Johnny Greisheimer (11-6), who returns after redshirting a year ago, is ranked 18th by Amateur Wrestling News.
}Buffalo has a pair of familiar faces on its coaching staff.  Ricky Deubel, who wrestled for the Fighting Scots from 2004-09 and won 102 matches, is an assistant coach.  Former Cathedral Prep head coach Jeff Catrabone is a volunteer assistant.  The head coach is Jim Beichner, who wrestled at Clarion.
}Following the Buffalo dual Edinboro will compete in the Virginia Duals on January 11-12.  The field is very strong, with eight nationally-ranked teams, including Edinboro, competing.  The list is topped eighth-ranked Virginia Tech, plus 11th-ranked Central Michigan, 18th-ranked Boise State, 19th-ranked Virginia, 21st-ranked Kent State, 22nd-ranked North Dakota State and 23rd Binghamton.