Nine PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) teams and 90 athletes will travel to Millersville this weekend searching for PSAC "Gold" at the 60^th Annual Wrestling Championships.

Action gets underway at 5pm Friday, January 24^th at Millersville’s Pucillo Gymnasium. Session two featuring the semifinals and two rounds of consolations are set for Saturday at 11am, with the championship finals and place matches slated for 5pm Saturday night.

All session tickets are $18 for adults and $5 for students. Individual Session tickets are $7 for adults and $2 for students, except the finals where adult tickets will cost $8. Tickets will be available at the door.

A championship steeped in great tradition, the 60^th PSAC Championship will feature the return of 6 individual champions and five runners-up from the 2002 PSAC Championship. Clarion heavyweight John Testa (Sr. Newark, De.) will be trying to become only the 12^th wrestler in PSAC history and the first ever heavyweight to win four individual titles at this year’s tournament. Testa has won his three previous titles (2002, 01, 2000) at heavyweight.

Edinboro, Lock Haven, Clarion and Bloomsburg will be vying for the team title which doesn’t have a clear cut favorite entering the weekend.

Edinboro has won three of the last four PSAC titles including 2002, 2000, 1999 and 1998. Lock Haven won the team crown in 2001. In the 1990's Clarion, Edinboro and Lock Haven won three PSAC titles each, with Bloomsburg getting one. In the history of the PSAC’s Lock Haven leads with 19 team titles, Clarion and Bloomsburg have 13 each, Edinboro 6, East Stroudsburg and Millersville 2 each and Slippery Rock one. West Chester won 3 team crowns but no longer has wrestling.

Kutztown hosted the 2002 PSAC’s and Edinboro won the team title with 147 points, while LH was a close second with 141 and Clarion third at 101.5 Millersville was fourth at 78.5, Bloomsburg fifth with 66, East Stroudsburg sixth with 62.5, Slippery Rock seventh at 56.5, Kutztown eighth with 55.5 and Shippensburg ninth with 12 points.

In the 2001 PSAC’s hosted at Clarion’s Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium, Lock Haven took the team title scoring 153.5 points, Edinboro was second with 126, Bloomsburg third at 119 and Clarion fourth with 100.5 points. Rounding out the PSAC’s were fifth place East Stroudsburg at 57 points, Slippery Rock sixth with 52.5, Kutztown seventh with 34, Millersville eighth at 32.5 and Shippensburg ninth with 23 points. Last year’s "OW" was Edinboro’s Josh Koscheck.

Defending champion Edinboro has a dual meet record of 6-4 under sixth year head coach Tim Flynn. The Fighting Scots have impressive wins over North Carolina (23-17) , Brown (33-6) and Ohio U. (23-10), with losses to Illinois (32-9), Lehigh (24-9), Penn State (224-12) and Cleveland State (19-12). The Scots are ranked 24^th in Division I.

Lock Haven is led by first year head coach Rocky Bonomo. The Bald Eagles are ranked 25^th in Division I and sport a solid 10-6 dual meet record. This season the Eagles have defeated Iowa State (15-15 criteria), Rider (20-15), Army (21-16), Kent State (19-17) and Virginia Tech (29-15). Losses have come against Kent State (18-18 criteria decision at the Clarion duals), Arizona State (21-16), Minnesota 31-7 and Illinois 31-3.

the National Dual Meet Championships last weekend. LH lost to Ohio State (37-3) and Michigan State (25-10). Key wins this year have come against Virginia Tech (23-18 ) Virginia (29-12 ), Clarion (25-13 ) and Ohio U. (28-9).

Clarion, under sixth year head coach Ken Nellis, leads the Golden Eagles into the PSAC’s with an 8-2 dual meet record. The Eagles have defeated Drexel (24-15), Findlay (32-13), Eastern Illinois (28-9), Duke (34-11), Tennessee-Chattanooga (26-14), Buffalo (20-17), Bloomsburg (18-18 criteria) and Rider (21-15). Losses have come against Kent State (22-12) and Indiana (26-12).

Bloomsburg is led by first year head coach Dan Wirnsbeger. The Huskies enter the PSAC’s with a 5-3 overall record and feature wins over Millersville (20-12), Princeton (39-3), Findlay (33-7), Pitt (20-13) and Virginia Tech (25-14). Losses have come to Clarion (18-18 criteria), West Virginia (34-0) and Army (22-16).

Also looking to have quality PSAC Tournaments will be host Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Shippensburg and Slippery Rock.

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles will be four ranked wrestlers including 8^th rated John Testa (Sr. Newark, De.) at heavyweight, 7^th rated Eric Mausser (Sr. Sharon, Pa.) at 197, 10^th rated Rad Martinez (Sr. West Jordan, Utah) at 133 and 20^th rated Frank Edgar (So. Toms River, N.J.) at 141.

Testa, who has a season record of 27-2 and a career mark of 118-26, has won the heavyweight title at PSAC’s the last three seasons. Last year he defeated Edinboro’s Josh Pearce 10-4 in the finals. He also defeated Pearce in 2001 by a 3-1 margin, and in 2000 by a 5-1 score for his titles. Only 11 PSAC wrestlers have won four individual titles in their careers and Testa can become #12. Other Clarion greats who have won four titles include Wade Schalles, Bill Simpson, Don Rohn and Jim Beichner.

Mausser, who enters the PSAC’s with a 23-3 record and a career mark of 111-39, will try and defend the title he won last year over Edinboro’s David Shunaman (4-3). He was a PSAC runner-up in 1999 and placed fourth in 2001.

Martinez enters the PSAC’s with a 27-4 overall record and a career mark of 84-21. He has placed second at 133-pounds the last two seasons, including last year’s 6-5 finals loss to Corey Ace (Edinboro).

Edgar returns to the PSAC’s with a 20-7 record after sitting out the 2002 season. In 2001 he placed 4^th at 141-pounds. He has a career record of 38-26.

Clarion’s PSAC lineup will likely have Peter Derstine (18-8, Jr. Coral Springs, Fla.) at 125, Martinez at 133, Edgar at 141, Jim Perry (13-13, Sr. DuBois) at 149, Jeremy Reitz (20-10; Jr. Brookville) at 157, Chris Horning (14-11, Fr. Syracuse, N.Y.) at 165, Dave Gardner (12-15, Fr. N. Huntingdon, Pa.) at 174, Eric Spence (2-11, Fr. Columbus, Oh) or Charlie Cilinski (0-13, Fr. Gainesville, Va.)at 184, Eric Mausser at 197 and John Testa at heavyweight.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion won 3 PSAC titles in the 1990's (1991, 92 & 94), placed 2^nd three times (1990, 95, 96), finished third three times (1997, 98, 99) and fourth in 1993, 2000 and 2001... Clarion posted 31 individual champions in the 1990's, more than any other PSAC team... Of Clarion’s 13 team titles the first came in 1965 under coach Frank Lignelli, then 11 under coach Bob Bubb in 1972, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 81, 83, 86, 91 &92, and one under Jack Davis (1994)... Clarion’s 3-time PSAC champions include Chuck Coryea, Randy Miller, Ken Nellis, Mike Cole, Kurt Angle, Dan Payne, Sheldon Thomas and Mark Angle... Mark won his third in 2000 and was the PSAC’s "OW" at the 2000 tournament... Clarion wrestlers have won 101 individual PSAC crowns... The previous 11 wrestlers to win four PSAC titles include LH’s Steve DeAugustino (1947-50), LH Ralph Clark (1957-60), LH Gray Simons (1959-62), LH Fred Powell (1961-64), LH Bill Blacksmith (1963-66), Clarion Wade Schalles (1971-74), Clarion Bill Simpson (1971-74), Clarion Don Rohn (1973-76), Clarion Jim Beichner (1983-86), LH Mike Rogers (1994-97), ED Josh Koscheck (1999-2002).

Here’s a weight by weight look at the PSAC’s (Ranked wrestlers with highest ranking according to either AWN or Intermat - records in parenthesis):

125: The title at 125 seems wide open and should be contested between Edinboro’s Jacob Gray (23-11), Bloomsburg’s Brock Hite (7-4), Clarion’s Peter Derstine (18-8), SR’s Adam Renner, Shipp’s Robbie Getz (8-3) and E. Stroudsburg’s Mark Koszyk (11-8). Derstine was third last year and 5^th in 2001, Hite was 4^th in 2001 and 6^th in 2000, while Renner was 4^th last year and 6^th in 2001. Getz placed 6^th in 2002.

133: Defending champ Corey Ace (Edinboro) has moved to 141, which likely leaves the battle for 133-pounds between Clarion’s #10 ranked Rad Martinez (27-4) and Edinboro’s Shawn Bunch (18-12). Martinez has been the runner-up here the last two years. He lost 6-5 to Ace in the finals in 2002. Bunch was the runner-up at 125 last year losing to Trap McCormack 10-7 in the finals. Also looking to place high are Bloomsburg’s Justin Haupt (8-10) who was 6^th at 141 in 2001, Lock Haven’s Justin Owens (11-7), Millersville’s Dave Roberts (7-2) and Kutztown’s Mark Rusak (8-4).

141: Lock Haven’s #7 ranked Mike Maney (19-2) is the two-time defending champion here. Edinboro’s #19 ranked Corey Ace (26-4) moves up to 141 after winning at 133 last year. Two years ago Maney defeated Ace 4-3 in the finals at 141. Clarion’s #18 ranked Frank Edgar (20-7) has a win over Ace this season and finished fourth at 141 in 2001. East Stroudsburg’s Mark Smith (15-5) will battle to place along with Millersville’s Derek Sola (12-4) and Dominic Sabia (11-5) of Kutztown. Sola was fifth here last year.

149: LH’s James LaValle (8-9) is the returning champion at 149. He defeated returning runner-up SR’s Brad Cieleski (16-7) 7-3 in the finals last year. Also back are E. Stroudsburg’s Keith Kleckner (13-5) who was 4^th last year and Millersville’s Shawn Blanchard who was 5^th last year. Clarion’s Jim Perry (13-13) was 5^th at 157 in 2001, while Edinboro’s Ron Doppelheuer (15-7) could also challenge.

157: Bloomsburg’s #13 George Carter (18-4) will be the favorite at 157. He sat out last year, placed third at 149 in 2001 and won the title at 149 in 2000. Looking to challenge will be Edinboro’s Eric Ring (9-3), Clarion’s Jeremy Reitz (20-10), Millersville’s Craig Pequignot (11-4), LH’s Charlie Brenneman (10-11) and Shipp’s Andy Martin (7-2). Reitz was third here last year and Pequignot was 5^th at 165. Also back are ESU’s Matt Dudeck (4^th last two years) and SR’s Jason Cardillo (6^th last year).

165: Edinboro’s #19 ranked Matt R. King (26-5) will be the heavy favorite at 165 to repeat his title from 2002. East Stroudsburg’s Brandon Mihalko (13-6) was second last year and lost 10-4 to King in the finals. Millersville’s Jesse Reed (7-2), Lock Haven’s Jason Gilligan (12-6) and Kutztown’s Tony Corpora (14-3) will all battle to try and reach the finals. Gilligan was 3^rd at 157 in 2001. Clarion’s Chris Horning (14-11) makes his first trip to PSAC’s looking to score valuable points.

174: With Edinboro’s 4-time champ Josh Koscheck graduated, the race at 174 is open for a number of candidates. Bloomsburg’s #18 Hunter Guenot (20-3) is the favorite, but Lock Haven’s Chris Haines (6-9), Edinboro’s Nate Yetzer (13-7), E. Stroudsburg’s John Carr (15-5), Millersville’s Curtis Yeager (12-12), Kutztown’s Nick Brumbaugh (12-6) and Clarion freshman Dave Gardner (12-15) are all looking to place. Haines was third at 165 last year, Brumbaugh fifth and Yeager sixth a year ago.

184: A wide open weight class is expected with Edinboro’s Alex Clemsen (16-11), Bloomsburg’s Chd Hoare (15-6), E. Stroudsburg’s Shawn Smith (12-4), Kutztown’s Bret Wade (10-6), Millersville’s Mark Knock and Shipp’s Corey Jacoby (9-2) could all place. Don’t forget SR’s John Opfar who was 5^th last year. Clarion will have either Charlie Cilinski (0-13) or Eric Spence (2-11).

197: Clarion has returning champion #6 Eric Mausser (23-3) and last year’s runner-up David Shunaman of Edinboro (27-3) ready to lock horns again. Shunaman is ranked 4^th in the nation and has defeated #1 ranked Jon Trenge of Lehigh. Mausser defeated Shunaman 4-3 in the PSAC finals last year, 6-3 in the EWL finals and 5-3 at the NCAA Tournament. Mausser was 2^nd in 1999 and fourth in 2001, while Shunaman was also second in 2001. East Stroudsburg’s Stanley Foster (14-4), LH’s Morgan Horner (10-5), Millersville’s Adam Schaaf (14-10) and Bloom’s Andy Ludlow can all place. Ludlow was 5^th last year and Schaaf was third at 184 in 2002.

HWT: Clarion heavyweight #6 rated John Testa (27-2) is looking for his fourth PSAC title to become the PSAC’s 12^th wrestler to accomplish this amazing mark. If he wins he would be the first heavyweight to win four titles in PSAC history. Lock Haven’s Steve Itterly (12-9), Kutztown’s Octavius Newman (10-3), Edinboro’s Joe Hennis (14-7), Slippery Rock’s Bob McKillop, Bloom’s Tony Millone (4-6) and Millersville’s Jeremy Wampler (9-6) will try and reach the finals. Millone was third last year, McKillop fourth and Newman sixth.