2022 EIWA Championship

118th EIWA Championship Preview + Predictions

118th EIWA Championship Preview + Predictions

The thorough breakdown of what to expect at the 2022 EIWA Championships in Ithaca, NY.

Mar 3, 2022 by Andrew Spey
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The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, America's oldest wrestling conference, is holding its 118th championship in Ithaca, New York this weekend. Here's what you need to know!

How to watch: Click that link right above you! The one that says "Watch Live"!

View preseeds: Click here!

View brackets: Click here to go to FloArena!

Purchase tickets: Click here if you plan on attending the championships in person!

View the schedule: Click here!

Learn EIWA history: Click here for a list of topics covered by the excellent historians of the EIWA!

See the number of automatic qualifying bids to the NCAA Championships available in each weight class at the EIWA Championships: Look at the table directly below!

WeightAQs
1254
1332
1414
1494
1575
1657
1744
1843
1975
2854
Total42


Additionally, there will also be 4 or 5 at-large bids per weight available to everyone in the NCAA, to be distributed after all the conference tournaments have been completed. 

Team Race

Lehigh is currently on a four-peat, looking for a five-peat, however, Cornell will be the favorite to win their first team title since 2017, a year they wrapped up an unprecedented eleven-peat.

The Big Red started that dynasty in 2007, ending another five-peat from Lehigh. All of which goes to point out the obvious, which is that Lehigh and Cornell have been the two most dominant teams in the EIWAs over the last two decades. 

Harvard won in 2001, the last team other than Cornell or Lehigh to hoist the team trophy. Penn had a four-peat from 1996 to 1999, bracketed by two more team titles from Lehigh. The last non-Ivy, non-Lehigh team to win a title was Syracuse in 1994. The last non-Ivy, non-Lehigh team title by a program still in the EIWA was Navy in 1990. 

But what about this year?

The previously linked to preseeds shed some light on the impending team race. 

Cornell is the favorite on paper, while Penn is projected to finish as runner-up, ahead of Lehigh, who projects at third-place. 

Cornell earned three #1 seeds and four #2 seeds, the most in either category, so expect to see a lot of red singlets in the finals. 

Additionally, Penn was the only team to have a wrestler earn a top-eight pressed in all ten weight classes. 

125 Pounds - 4 AQs

Contenders

#3 Pat Glory, Princeton

#3 Vito Arujau, Cornell

The lead-off weight class features the marquee matchup of the entire tournament. These two rivals have been battling collegiately since 2019 when they split matches (Vito won the dual, Glory won in the EIWA finals). At NCAAs that year, Vito placed fourth while Glory finished sixth.

Glory followed up that season by going 24-0 and winning another EIWA title, though he didn't get a shot at improving on his NCAA finish as the 2020 NCAAs were canceled. Vito did not wrestle as was taking an Olympic redshirt. The following season, the Ivy League did not allow any of their schools' programs to participate in athletics.

This season it was Glory who won their anticipated dual meet rematch in a wild 11-9 shoot-out.

They'll be the favorites to renew the rivalry one more time (at least) in the finals of the 2022 EIWAs. 

Glory discussed his rivalry with Vito:
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Threats

#22 Ryan Miller, Penn

#23 Jaret Lane, Lehigh

HM Joe Manchio, Columbia

Lane started out hot, beating #12 Brandon Kaylor in week 1, and Miller in week 2, but has cooled off as the season progressed. Miller has been trending in the opposite direction, avenging his loss to Lane in week 14 and defeating Manchio 2 weeks before that.  

Landmines

Jacob Allen, Navy

Pretty much every competitor from either military academy is going to be a tough out for even the most heavily favored wrestlers at the tournament. Allen, a 2021 national qualifier, is no exception.

Predictions

1) Arujau; 2) Glory; 3) Miller; 4) Manchio


133 Pounds - 2AQs

Contenders

#12 Michael Colaiocco, Penn

#15 Malyke Hines, Lehigh

#16 Josh Koderhandt, Navy

A 2020 national qualifier, Colaiocco has had a very consistent season, dropping just two matches on the season, both at the Illinois Matmen Open. He also defeated Malyke Hines in a dual meet. 

Hines had one of the most improbable pinfalls of the season, getting the defensive pin over #11 Mickey Phillippi in an early-season dual meet against Pitt. 

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Koderhandt is one of the most promising young talents on Coach Kolat's roster. He dropped his match against Hines but due to the EIWA seeding formula, secured the top seed, with Colaiocco getting the #2. 

With just two AQs on the line, the competition in the semifinals will be ratcheted up, as they are both 'go-to' matches to earn NCAA bids. 

Threats

HM Dom LaJoie, Cornell

Angelo Rini, Columbia

These two Ivy Leaguers should not be counted out of the equation, especially since Rini has an 11-8 win over Koderhandt and LaJoie has a win over Rini. 

Landmines

Kurt Phipps, Bucknell

Jack Maida, American

Phipps has a win over Colaiocco and Maida, while Maida has a win over #20 Joey Olivieri of Rutgers. 

Predictions

1) Colaiocco; 2) Hines; 3) Koderhandt; 4) LaJoie


141 Pounds - 4 AQs

Contenders

#20 CJ Composto, Penn

#21 Matt Kazimir, Columbia

#22 Connor McGonagle, Lehigh

All three of our contenders have had uneven seasons, all with similar odds to bring home a title. 

McGonagle only managed to earn the #5 seed and so has the toughest path to the finals, however, he did notch the best win of anyone in the bracket with a week 7 victory over #7 Dresden Simon of Central Michigan.

Composto has the next best win of the bunch with a victory over #12 Cole Matthews of Pitt. Additionally, both Kazimir and Composto bested McGonagle this season. 

McGonagle will get a chance for revenge if he and Kazimir make the semis as Kazimir has the #1 seed. Revenge against Composto will either be in the finals or the consolation rounds as Composto is on the opposite side of the bracket with the #2 seed.

Threats

Darren Miller, Bucknell

Ryan Anderson, Binghamton

Anderson had one of the most thrilling victories of the season with a come from behind 6-4 win over Kazimir in a dual meet. What he lacks in consistency he makes up for in attitude. 

2021 national qualifier Miller has been rock solid for the Bison, going 12-3 in D1 competition

Landmines

Wil Gil, F&M

Gil is the standard-bearer for the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats, a DIII program that was grandfathered into D1 competition way back when. 

Predictions

1) Composto; 2) Kazimir; 3) Anderson; 4) McGonagle


149 Pounds - 4 AQs

Contenders

#1 Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell

No disrespect to the field but the two-time NCAA champ, two-time UWW Cadet gold medalist, and 2021 Senior world team member is as big a favorite to win a conference title as anyone in the NCAA this year.

Yianni is 19-0 on the season but didn't take the mat in 2021 due to Ivy League rules. He sat out the 2020 college season while taking an Olympic redshirt (like his teammate Vito). Before those two seasons he was undefeated in 2019 and dropped a single match in the 2018 season (to Jaydin Eierman), on the last day of the year in 2017, the only loss of his collegiate career. 

The fun thing to think about is how Yianni's career is still on an upward trajectory. 

Yianni speaks after winning another CKLV title:

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Threats

#19 PJ Ogunsanya

HM Anthony Artalona

Tough to call it a snub when seeds were done by formula but Ogunsanya only received the #4 seed. As a four-time starter for the Black Knights and a round of 16 finisher in the 2021 season, Ogunsanya will still be favored to make the semis where he should see Diakomihalis. 

Artalona secured the #2 seed and is favored to make the finals for a bout with Yianni. 

Landmines

Max Brignola, Lehigh

Dan Fongaro, Columbia

Looking to derail those plans is #3 seed Brignola, who could stop Artalona in the semis, and #5 seed Fongaro, who will likely see Ogunsanya in the quarters. 

All five of the aforementioned wrestlers combine for a total of 20 syllables in their last names, in case anyone was wondering. 

Predictions

1) Diakomihalis; 2) Artalona; 3) Ogunsanya; 4) Fongaro


157 Pounds - 5 AQs

Contenders

#5 Quincy Monday, Princeton

#7 Josh Humphreys, Lehigh

After Vito vs Glory Part IV, this is the most highly anticipated matchup of the tournament. Humphreys leads the all-time collegiate series 3-2, having beaten Monday most recently at the 2020 EIWA finals. 

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Neither competitor was on the mat last season, however. Monday was out due to Ivy League rules and Humphreys sat out due to injuries. 

Humphreys has been nearly perfect this season, having beaten 10 (TEN!) ranked and honorably mentioned wrestlers this season. He dropped an early bout to Zapf (later avenged) and the last bout of the season to #3 Jacori Teemer. 

Monday has beaten #8 Young (as has Humphreys, the best win for either wrestler) and has the next best win with a victory over #9 Peyton Robb. Additionally, his worst loss is to a wrestler (#10 Ed Scott) ranked higher than Humphreys' worst loss (#21 Zapf). 

But throw all your stats and records in the trash because all a brand new season now that it's tournament time!

Threats

#21 Doug Zapf, Penn

#23 Hunter Richard, Cornell

HM Andrew Cerniglia, Navy

HM Markus Hartman, Army

As mentioned, Zapf has already shown has what it takes to beat Humphreys (although also as mentioned, Humphreys got the dub last time they met). 

Richard took over the Cornell starting 157-pound job after the Southern Scuffle after Colton Yapoujian went down with an injury and finished the season strong with a win over #24 Garrett Model. 

Army's Hartman beat Richard in January but then lost to Cerniglia in the big Army-Navy dual. 

Landmines

Parker Kropman, Drexel

Nick Delp, Bucknell

This is one of the deeper weights in the conference, as evidenced by the fact that Delp --who has a win over All-American Wyatt Sheets in February-- and two-time national qualifier Kropman, only managed the #7 and #8 seed, respectively. 

Predictions

1) Humphreys; 2) Monday; 3) Cerniglia; 4) Zapf; 5) Hartman


165 Pounds - 7 AQs

Contenders

#7 Julian Ramirez, Cornell

#10 Philip Conigliaro, Harvard

#13 Zach Hartman, Bucknell

This is the deepest weight at this tournament, and its easy to see why that would be the case. 

Hartman is a three-time NCAA qualifier and finished on the podium last season with a 6th-place trophy. 

Conigliaro has been rock solid this season, only dropping matches to Cam Amine, Carson Karchla, and DJ Hamiti. 

And Ramirez has at times looked like the best of them all, notching a win over 2021 NCAA champion Shane Griffith at November dual meet. 

Ramirez appeared to have slowed his pace a bit as the season wore on, but if he's at 100% he'll be tough to dislodge from his #1 seed. 

Threats

#19 Josh Ogunsanya, Columbia

#21 Brian Meyer, Lehigh

#24 Lucas Revano, Penn

HM Evan Barczak, Drexel

With seven bids up for grabs (the most of any division at this year's tournament) the battle in the consolation rounds will be of particular interest. 

To go with the top 3 seeds are four more wrestled that made it on the national rankings. Brian Meyer and Josh Ogunsanya both beat last year's NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel this season. Ogunsanya also beat Meyer but Meyer later beat #8 Anthony Valencia in Lehigh's final dual of the season. 

Revano is 1-1 on the season with Meyer and has been extremely consistent all season long. That goes ditto for 2021 NCAA qualifier Evan Barczak. 

Landmines

Brevin Casella, Binghamton

Jack Marsh, Princeton

There will be fierce competition from the very tough Casella and Marsh in the wrestlebacks with the top 7 spots all earning trips to Detroit. Either wrestler could surprise most people by making the finals, which would also punch a ticket to the big dance. 

Predictions

1) Conigliaro; 2) Meyer; 3) Ramirez; 4) Hartman; 5) Ogunsanya; 6) Revano; 7) Barczak


174 Pounds - 4 AQs

Contenders

#9 Chris Foca, Cornell

#16 Michael O'Malley, Drexel

Coach Grey is reloading the Cornell roster this season with six underclassmen in the starting lineup, including two freshmen, one of whom being Foca (the other is Ramirez at 165). Foca has a good amount of experience, however, as he is in his third year out of high school, having deferred enrollment the previous two seasons. 

He and another native New Jerseyan, Mickey O'Malley, will have the top two seeds of this bracket and will be favorites to make the finals. Despite the higher ranking, Foca received the #2 seed as per the EIWA formula. 

O'Malley would also be worth watching no matter his seed, as his 10 D1 pins on the season attest to his crowd-pleasing style. 

What does O'Malley mean by 'testing everyone's ganster'? Watch and find out!

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Threats

HM Nick Incontrera, Penn

HM Ben Pasiuk, Army

Nick Fine, Columbia

Jake Logan, Lehigh

Despite showing flashes of brilliance in early-season tournaments, and in taking Mekhi Lewis to tiebreakers, Chris Foca was still beaten by Jake Logan in a January dual, showing how wide open this bracket will be. Nick Incontrera also wrestled Foca tough in the last dual of the year. 

Logan was defeated by Pasiuk and Fine, however, and Incontrera beat Fine and Fine beat Pasiuk (a round of 16 finisher last year), again demonstrating the parity at 174 in the EIWA.

Landmines

Josh Kim, Harvard

Jacob Nolan, Binghamton

As if our six contenders and threats didn't have enough competition for the four available NCAA bids, throw Kim and Nolan into the mix and things get even dicier for an already deep weight class. 

Predictions

1) O'Malley; 2) Foca; 3) Incontrera; 4) Fine


184 Pounds - 3 AQs

Contenders

#13 Jonathan Loew, Cornell

HM Travis Stefanik, Princeton

While Loew is the highest-ranked wrestler in the conference and the number one seed at 184, he's also not quite a prohibitive favorite either. Still, Loew earned those lofty accolades by dint of wins over #11 Bolen and #14 Samuelson. he also took a loss to unranked AJ Burkhart and #17 Cochran of Maryland during his mercurial season.   

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Stefanik is having the second best season of any 184-pounder in the conference, but his #2 seed was cemented when Loew defeated him 5-2 in a February dual. 

Threats

HM Nail Antrassian, Penn

HM Brian Bonino, Columbia

Charles Small, Hofstra

David Key, Navy

There's heaps of parity at 184 all over the country, and the EIWA is no exception, which makes it so excruciating that the conference only amassed a paltry three automatic qualifiers. 

All four of these threats have been ranked, either in the top 24 or in the honorable mentions, at some point this season. Small and Key are not in the HMs at the moment, but they did secure the #3 and #4 seed respectively, giving them a leg up on Antrassian (#5 seed) and Bonino (#8 seed).

Landmines

AJ Burkhart, Lehigh

Brad Laughlin, Army

Burkhart and Laughlin have also spent time in the HM section of the rankings. With just three spots available, the consolation rounds are going to break a lot of hearts as everyone but the third-place winner is likely going to miss out on the NCAA tournament. 

Predictions

1) Loew; 2) Stefanik; 3) Antrassian; 4) Key


197 Pounds - 5 AQs

Contenders

#13 Lou DePrez, Binghamton

#17 Luke Stout, Princeton

#19 Jacob Cardenas, Cornell

This bracket is fairly straightforward (a rarity for 197-pounds this season), as the conference got five AQs and has five entrants in the rankings. The top three seeds are also the three highest-ranked wrestlers in the conference. It's nice when people and computers can agree!

DePrez is the only All-American in the bracket, having finished eighth last season. The year before that he was the fourth seed at the canceled 2020 season, and as a freshman in 2019 he made it to the round of 12. 

Though he'll be the favorite, he'll be challenged by either Stout or Cardenas, assuming either make the finals. Stout is in his second year out of high school, Cardenas in this third, but they both deferred eligibility for one year, making them a freshman and a sophomore respectively. 

Cardenas beat Stout in sudden victory in the hotly contested Cornell vs Princeton dual meet. Stout may have his chance at revenge in the semis this weekend. 

Threats

HM Jake Koser, Navy

HM JT Brown, Army

As per the usual, Navy and Army are providing major firepower to an endeavor. Both Koser and Brown are veterans (in the sense that they have been wrestling in college for over two years) with experience at the NCAA tournament. 

Koser defeated Brown 2-1 in their dual at the end of the regular season. They will likely meet in the quarterfinals as the #4 and #5 seed for a rematch. 

Landmines

Trey Rogers, Hofstra

Never underestimate the Pride of Long Island!

Predictions

1) DePrez; 2) Cardenas; 3) Stout; 4) Koser; 5) Brown


285 Pounds - 4 AQs

Contenders

#6 Jordan Wood, Lehigh

Not sure if this has been made widely known yet but Wood is attempting to be the first five-time EIWA champion in the tournament's 118-year history. Kyle Dake could only manage a measly three titles! 

Imagine being able to say you have 66% more EIWA titles than Kyle Dake! 

Of course, Wood hasn't won the unprecedented number five just yet. The 2019 NCAA All-American will be the heavy favorite, but it's no sure thing!

What is 'dirty bulking'? Jordan Wood will tell you!

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Threats

#18 Lewis Fernandes, Cornell

#19 Joe Doyle, Binghamton

HM Zachary Knighton-Ward, Hofstra

Wood has beaten Fernandes and Doyle this season, though Doyle held Wood to a 3-2 decision. Fernandes will have the added pressure of starting his journey to become Cornell's first ever heavyweight All-American. 

Doyle is attempting to become the first Binghamton heavy AA since the great Nick Gwiazdowski's freshman season in 2012. And Knighton-Ward is hoping to become Hofstra's first 285-pound top-eight placer since Mike Hughes in 2018. 

The EIWA has done pretty alright for themselves at heavyweight. 

Landmines

Ben Goldin, Penn

Ryan Catka, Navy

As the #4 seed, Goldin is not going to be satisfied with merely causing other contenders problems, he's going to want to leave Ithaca with a bid to Detroit. 

Catka does not have a ranked win on the season, yet, but does have 17 D1 victories under his belt. 

Predictions

1) Wood; 2) Fernandes; 3) Knighton-Ward; 4) Doyle

That's all ten weights. Now we get to enjoy the wrestling and see how things play out in real life. See you in Ithaca!