Clarion's NCAA Division I Wrestling team is ready for its "second season" as the Golden Eagles prepare to compete in the 28^th annual EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) Championships, which also serves as the NCAA Division I Qualifying Tournament for league members.

The 2003 EWL's will be hosted by West Virginia University at The Coliseum. Session 1 is set for 7pm Saturday March 8 and will feature quarterfinal action. Session 2 starts at 10:30am Sunday March 9 and features semifinal matches and round 1 of consolations. Session 3 starts Sunday at 2:30pm and will have the consolation semi's and consolation finals, while Session 4will feature the championship final matches starting at 6pm. A total of 38 wrestlers will qualify for the NCAA Tournament from the EWL's including the top three finishers at each weight class and eight wild card selections.

Tickets will be available at the door. All-Session passes will be $30 at the door, while individual session prices are $8 for the first three sessions and $18 for the championship finals. Tickets will be available at the door.

"We’re really looking forward to the challenges the EWL tournament brings," said Clarion sixth year head coach Ken Nellis. "I believe we’re ready mentally and physically to have a quality tournament. The competition will be very strong, but if we wrestle to our capabilities, we can send a large contingent to nationals, and that’s our goal entering the tournament."

Clarion enters the EWL’s with a 9-8 dual meet record and a 2-5 slate in the Eastern Wrestling League in 2003. The Golden Eagles posted EWL wins against Virginia Tech (32-10) and Bloomsburg 18-18 (criteria), with losses coming against West Virginia (22-14), Edinboro (32-3), Pitt (23-16), Cleveland State (21-12) and Lock Haven (24-16). Other Clarion wins came against Drexel (24-15), Findlay (32-13), Eastern Illinois (28-9), Duke (34-11), Tennesee-Chattanooga (26-14), Buffalo (20-17) and Rider (21-15). Other key losses came against Central Michigan (23-14), Indiana (26-12) and Kent State (22-12).

The 2002 EWL Tournament was won by West Virginia with 114.5 points, Edinboro second with 104.5, Lock Haven third with 104, Pitt fourth with 87.5, Cleveland State fifth with 67, Clarion sixth at 66, Virginia Tech seventh with 48.5 and Bloomsburg eighth with 41 points. The 2002 EWL’s were hosted by Lock Haven.

The 2001 EWL tournament was won by Edinboro with 123.5 points, with Lock Haven finishing second at 95, Pitt third with 94.5 and Clarion fourth with 87 points. Rounding out the eight team field were fifth place Virginia Tech at 85, Bloomsburg sixth with 78, Cleveland State seventh with 41.5 and West Virginia eighth scoring 37.5 points.

Prior to WVU’s team win last year, Edinboro won four straight EWL team titles from 1998-2001. Lock Haven won the team title in 1997, West Virginia in 1996 and Clarion won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 95.

This year’s favorite to win the team title? West Virginia will enter the tournament as the favorite with Edinboro figuring to challenge. Placings three through eight could be wide open with Cleveland State, Pitt, Clarion, Lock Haven and Bloomsburg all hoping to get enough depth scoring to place high. West Virginia is ranked 5^th by Intermat in their final dual meet poll, while Edinboro is 23^rd and Cleveland State 25^th. Clarion, Lock Haven and Pitt are just outside the top 25 and among others receiving votes.

West Virginia, who won the regular season title with a 7-0 league record, posted a 9-3 dual meet record under coach Craig Turnbull. It was the second straight EWL League title for the Mountaineers.

Cleveland State and coach Jack Effner finished second in the EWL with a 5-2 league mark and an overall record of 12-6.

Edinboro and coach Tim Flynn have also had a quality season posting a 4-2 EWL league record and an overall slate of 10-6. The Scots were snowed out of their match against Virginia Tech.

Pitt, led by veteran coach Rande Stottlemyer, were 4-3 in the EWL and 8-5 overall, while Lock Haven and first year coach Rocky Bonomo notched a 3-4 EWL record and a 12-11 dual meet mark.

Clarion’s lineup will feature three ranked wrestlers in #9 John Testa (Sr. Newark, De.) at heavyweight, #13 rated Rad Martinez (Sr. West Jordan, Utah) at 133 and # 14 Eric Mausser (Sr. Sharon) at 197. All three are looking for return trips to the NCAA’s.

Testa finished the 2003 regular season with an outstanding 37-2 overall record including winning his fourth PSAC heavyweight title. He became only the 12^th wrestler in PSAC history to win four titles and the fifth for Clarion. A three-time NCAA Qualifier and a two-time EWL champ (2001, 2002), Testa is third on Clarion’s all-time win list with a career mark of 128-26. He is only behind Wade Schalles (153-5-1) and Mike Cole (150-31-2).

Martinez, a senior 133-pounder, enters the EWL’s with a record of 34-7. Last year he placed 2nd at EWL’s and was fourth at EWL’s in 2001. His three-year Clarion record is 91-24. Rad won the PSAC title earlier this season with a 4-1 win over Edinboro’s Shawn Bunch.

Mausser, also already a three-time NCAA Qualifier, enters the EWL’s with a season record of 31-6 and a career mark of 119-42. Mausser is the defending EWL champion having defeated Edinboro’s Dave Shunamon 6-3 in the finals. Eric was also third at EWL’s in 2001 and second in 1999.

Also ready to try and place high at EWL’s and qualify for the NCAA’s will be 125-pounder Peter Derstine (So. Coral Springs, Fla.), 141-pounder Frank Edgar (So. Toms River, N.J.), 149-pounder Jim Perry (Sr. DuBois), 157-pounder Jeremy Reitz (Jr. Brookville), 165-pounder Chris Horning (Fr. Syracuse, N.Y.), 174 pounder David Gardner (Fr. N. Huntingdon - Norwin), 184-pounder and Eric Spence (Columbus, Ohio).

Derstine enters the EWL’s with a 21-9 overall record and is looking for his first trip to the NCAA’s. He was 21-15 last year but did not place at EWL’s. Edgar, who enters the EWL’s with a 24-14 record, was an NCAA Qualifier in 2001 when he finished fourth at EWL’s and was selected as a wild card to nationals. He sat out last season and was 18-19 overall in 2001. Perry, a senior, has a 13-23 overall record this season.

Reitz, also an NCAA Qualifier last year, finished his season strong with a 26-14 overall record. He placed second at PSAC’s in 2003. Last year Reitz was third at PSAC’s and fourth at EWL’s. Jeremy posted a 19-14 season record in 2002.

Horning, a true freshman, has a 16-17 overall record heading to the EWL’s. Horning finished third at PSAC’s earlier this season. Gardner was 10-23 in his first season at 174, while Spence was 1-18 at 184.

WEIGHT CLASS PREVIEW: Ranking in parenthesis is the highest rating by either Amateur Wrestling News or by Intermat.

125: The first eight class is expected to be hotly contested between Cleveland State’s Rocco Mansueto (#16), West Virginia’s Seth Lisa (#15) and Pitt’s Jordan Sianni (#17). Mansueto was third last year and second in 2001. Clarion’s Peter Derstine, Edinboro’s Jacob Gray and Lock Haven’s Jim Collins all hope to pull upsets in this very close weight class. Gray finished third at 125 in 2001.

133: Defending champion Phil Mansueto (#10) of Cleveland State will get the top seed here. Clarion’s Rad Martinez (#13) was second a year ago and lost to Mansueto 1-1 tie breaker in the finals. Martinez was fourth in 2001. Also expecting to battle here will be Edinboro’s Shawn Bunch (#12), who won at EWL’s at 125 a year ago and West Virginia’s Brandon Lauer (#14). Also looking to place will be Lock Haven’s Justin Owens who owns a win over Martinez and Bloomsburg’s Justin Haupt. This is a certain wild card weight class.

141: The top four seeds seem already in place with Lock Haven’s Mike Maney (#5) expected to be the top seed. Maney was runner-up two years ago and finished sixth last year but earned a wild card. Edinboro’s Cory Ace (#13) was third at 133 last year and third at 141 in 2001. West Virginia’s Shane Cunanan (#14) was runner-up here last year and expects to challenge along with Clarion’s Frank Edgar, who was fourth in 2001 and red-shirted last year. Pitt’s Ron Tarquinnio will also look to score points. This weight class also appears to be one getting a wild card selection.

149: The top seed will likely go to either Pitt’s Justin Giovinco (#15) or West Virginia’s Billy Smith (#9). Giovinco was third at 149 last year and second in 2000, while Smith was second last year to JaMarr Billman of Lock Haven and third in 2000. Cleveland State’s Anthony Coleman could also vie for a spot in the finals. He was sixth the last two years at 149. Edinboro’s Ron Doppelheuer, Clarion’s Jim Perry, Virgina Tech’s Reed Carpenter, LH’s James LaValle and Bloomsburg’s Brad Forbes all have a chance to place.

157: Blomsburg’s George Carter (#14) will be the number one seed. Carter was second in 2001 and sat out last year. He was an EWL champion at 149 in 2000. Clarion’s Jeremy Reitz and WVU’s Matt Lebe should be the next two seeds. Reitz was fourth last year and finished second to Carter at the PSAC’s in January. Virginia Tech’s Chris Stith, Pitt’s Jason Nestor and Edinboro’s Eric Ring are all capable of placing high in this very close weight class. This is likely a wild card weight and could get two if the coaches see quality here over the weekend.

165: West Virginia’s Tom McMath (#15) is the defending champion here, but lost in the dual to last year’s runner-up Matt King 7-1 in their dual matchup. McMath defeated King in last year’s finals 6-4. Pitt freshman Francis Iorfido will likely get the #3 seed, with Cleveland State’s Jason Effner, Lock Haven’s Jason Gilligan and Clarion’s Chris Horning all vying for a high place. Effner was fifth here last year, while Gilligan was fifth at 157 in 2001 and 2002.

174: West Virginia’s Greg Jones is the #1 ranked wrestler in the nation and the defending national champion. He defeated Edinboro’s Josh Koscheck in the finals last year 4-3. Pitt’s Carl Fronhofer (#13) and Bloomsburg’s Hunter Guenot (#18) will battle to get to the finals. Fronhofer was third at 165 last year and was the champion at 165 in 2001. Guenot was fourth in 2001 at 165. Also looking to place will be Edinboro’s Nate Yestzer, Lock Haven’s Chris Haines, Clarion’s Dave Gardner and VT’s Steve Borja.

184: Cleveland State’s Gerald Harris (#4), Virginia Tech’s Scott Justus (#11), WVU’s Ryan Wilman (#15) and Edinboro’s Alex Clemsen are all quality wrestlers. Justus is the defending champion at 184 but lost to Harris in the dual. Justus was also second in 2001. Harris was fourth at EWL’s at 174 last year. Newcomers Wilman and Clemsen are close. Wilman defeated Clemsen 1-1 tie breaker in the dual meet. Bloomsburg’s Chad Hoare, Lock Haven’s Mike Greenberg and Clarion’s Eric Spence will also battle.

197: This may be the most interesting weight class. Defending champion Eric Mausser (#14) lost his dual meet matchup last month to last year’s runner-up Dave Shunamon (#5) of Edinboro 6-2. Mausser defeated Shunamon at PSAC’s, EWL’s and in the NCAA’s a year ago. Last year’s EWL title match went to Mausser by a 603 margin. Cleveland State’s Stipe Miocic (18) defeated Shunamon earlier this year, and Lock Haven’s Morgan Horner (#16) has already defeated Mausser twice and took Shunamon to overtime before losing. This also will be a wild card weight. Mausser was second here in 1999 and third in 2001. Shunamon was second in 2001 and 2002. West Virginia’s Adrian Thompson, Bloom’s Andy Ludlow and Virginia Tech’s Shaun Guttridge will look to place.

HWT: Clarion’s John Testa (#9) is the two-time defending champion and top seed with a 7-0 dual meet record in the league. His main challengers will be WVU’s Brent Miller (#14) and Cleveland State’s Russ Davie (#13). Davie was second at EWL’s in 2000, while Miller was third at EWL’s at 197 a year ago. Edinboro’s Joe Hennis, Lock Haven’s Steve Itterly and either Pat Spirelli or Tony Milone of Bloomsburg will look to score. Itterly was fourth last year, while Itterly was 6^th. Spirelli was sixth in 2001.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion has crowned 47 EWL champions since the league started in 1976... The Golden Eagles have crowned at least one individual champion in every year except 1983, 1989 and 2000 ... Clarion has three team titles including 1980, 94 and 95 ... John Testa can join elite company if he gains his third EWL title... Kurt Angle won 4 titles (1988. 1990-92) and Charlie Heller (1980-82) and Sheldon Thomas (1994, 96, 97) are the only other Clarion wrestlers to win three EWL individual titles since the league began in 1976... The NCAA=s are in Kansas City, Missouri from March 20-22 at the Kemper Arena.