UPenn's Keystone Classic To Feature Pennsylvania's Best
PHILADELPHIA – One of the more premier early season tournaments will take place here in Pennsylvania with the 2017 Keystone Classic on the campus of UPenn. In total there will be 32 Pennsylvania natives competing inside the historic Palestra. Five of the ten top seeded wrestlers all hail from Pennsylvania and half of the 32 participants are all seeded in the top eight.
Competing Teams:
Penn
Appalachian State
Drexel
Eastern Michigan
Franklin & Marshall
Harvard
Northwestern
Penn State
Rider
Sacred Heart
VMI
Duke
Leading the group are three number one ranked wrestlers and returning National Champions from Penn State – Zain Retherford (Benton Area), Jason Nolf (Kittanning), and Vincenzo Joseph (Central Catholic). All three are favorites to repeat as Keystone Classic Champions in 2017. Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph introduced himself to the NCAA Wrestling world last season at the Keystone Classic knocking off NCAA All-American Chad Welsch (Rider) en route to the Championship title. Welsch, seeded second in 2017, will be looking to knock off the sophomore from PA on Sunday.
Penn State senior and top seed Matt McCutcheon has been in a battle for the starting spot at 197 lbs. but will be looking to repeat as the Keystone Classic Champion. True freshman Austin DeSanto (Drexel/Exeter Township) is a darkhorse at 133 lbs. as the fifth seed. He could spoil 2-time PIAA State Champion and Penn State senior Corey Keener’s Keystone Classic debut. Keener, undefeated on the season, is the top seed at 133 lbs.
Former PA State Finalist and NCAA Qualifier Tyson Dippery (Central Dauphin) is spending his final season at Rider and earned the top seed at 141 lbs. Drexel’s Tanner Shoap (Chambersburg) and Stephen Loiseau (Lancaster Catholic) are seeded third at 125 lbs. and 197 lbs. respectively.
Wrestling begins at 10 am on Sunday. View all 32 Pennsylvania wrestlers competing and live action will be on FloWrestling.
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