5 Days to Pittsburgh Nationals: All-Time NCAA All-Americans from Western Pennsylvania
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All eyes are on Pittsburgh this week as the 2019 NCAA National Tournament takes over PPG Paints Arena. This is an area enriched with wrestling tradition and success on various levels. So what makes wrestling so good in Western Pennsylvania? Well, take a look at it from a historical perspective.
Since 1946 there have been 162 All-Americans in NCAA Division I Wrestling who come from Pennsylvania’s District 7, commonly referred to as the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League). Keep in mind, Pennsylvania is split into 12 different Districts, and the WPIAL is just 1 of those 12.
Of those 162 NCAA All-Americans from the WPIAL, 35 of them were National Champions.
Last year the WPIAL saw seven former wrestlers place in the top eight at the NCAA National Tournament – three of them Champions.
The last time seven wrestlers from the WPIAL were on the medal stand was in back-to-back seasons during 1998 and 1999.
Think back to all the names on the list – Cary Kolat, Greg Jones, Kurt Angle, Ed Peery, Teague Moore, and Tony Gizoni. It goes on and on. Add in the fresh faces of Jason Nolf, Vincenzo Joseph, and Spencer Lee.
2019 is on pace to match those numbers – an even break the record.
So which programs in Western Pennsylvania have the largest number of All-Americans? For a WPIAL fan the answer may seem easy – Canon-McMillan. The Big Macs have seen 18 total All-Americans in wrestling since 1946. The North Allegheny Tigers are second with 15 total All-Americans, third on the list is Waynesburg with 12, and fourth are the Hillers of Trinity with 11. Shaler, thanks in large part to Ed Peery and Troy Letters have 9 All-Americans. The sixth school on the list is Franklin Regional who, in just the last seven years, have earned eight All-Americans. Four of which come from 2016 NCAA Champion Nico Megaludis.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that in 72 years, between 1946 and 2018, there were only twelve years where a WPIAL wrestler did not earn NCAA All-American honors. Put another way, 50 out of the 72 years, the WPIAL had at least one All-American.
Take a look at the list below! Send any corrections to jeff.upson@papowerwrestling.com
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| Year | Name | Weight | Place | College | High School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | George Lewis | 125.5 | Champion | Waynesburg | Farrell |
| 1949 | Elias George | 145 | Fourth Place | Oklahoma State | Canonsburg |
| 1950 | Tony Gizoni | 121 | Champion | Waynesburg | Washington |
| 1951 | Tony Gizoni | 123 | Champion | Waynesburg | Washington |
| 1952 | Ed Maltoney | HWT | Third Place | Waynesburg | Burgettstown |
| 1953 | Charles Uram | 147 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Carnegie |
| 1954 | Joe Solomon | 167 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Canonsburg |
| 1954 | Bill Kozy | 130 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Carnegie |
| 1955 | Lewis Guidi | 123 | Runner-up | West Virginia | Jefferson |
| 1955 | Ed Peery | 123 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Shaler |
| 1955 | Ed DeWitt | 157 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Washington |
| 1956 | Bill Hulings | 115 | Runner-up | Pittsburgh | Canonsburg |
| 1956 | Vic DeFelice | 130 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Canonsburg |
| 1956 | Ron Schirf | 191 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Latrobe |
| 1956 | Ed Peery | 123 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Shaler |
| 1956 | Ed DeWitt | 167 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Washington |
| 1957 | Bill Hulings | 115 | Runner-up | Pittsburgh | Canonsburg |
| 1957 | Vic DeFelice | 130 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Canonsburg |
| 1957 | Ron Schirf | 191 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Latrobe |
| 1957 | Ed Peery | 123 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Shaler |
| 1957 | Tom Alberts | 167 | Champion | Pittsburgh | Waynesburg |
| 1958 | Nick Petronka | 147 | Fourth Place | Indiana | Washington |
| 1959 | Dick Wilson | 115 | Runner-up | Toledo | Trinity |
| 1959 | Tom Alberts | 167 | Runner-up | Pittsburgh | Waynesburg |
| 1960 | Bob Marshall | 157 | Third Place | Purdue | Burgettstown |
| 1960 | Paul Eckley | 191 | Third Place | Waynesburg | Munhall |
| 1960 | Dick Wilson | 115 | Runner-up | Toledo | Trinity |
| 1961 | Bob Marshall | 157 | Third Place | Purdue | Burgettstown |
| 1961 | Richard Martin | 123 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Latrobe |
| 1961 | Dick Wilson | 115 | Runner-up | Toledo | Trinity |
| 1962 | Richard Martin | 123 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Latrobe |
| 1962 | Darryl Kelvington | 147 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Trinity |
| 1963 | Arthur “Bucky” Maughan | 115 | Champion | Minn. State Moorhead | Canon-McMillan |
| 1963 | Veryl Long | 147 | Third Place | Iowa State | Trinity |
| 1964 | Bob Kopnisky | 157 | Fifth Place | Maryland | Shaler |
| 1964 | Veryl Long | 147 | Fourth Place | Iowa State | Trinity |
| 1965 | Jay Windfelder | 115 | Fifth Place | Penn State | Mount Lebanon |
| 1965 | Rick Kelvington | 123 | Fifth Place | Minn. State Moorhead | Trinity |
| 1965 | Veryl Long | 147 | Champion | Iowa State | Trinity |
| 1969 | Ralph Cindrich | HWT | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Avella |
| 1970 | Bob Kuhn | 158 | Sixth Place | Pittsburgh | Baldwin |
| 1970 | Ron Junko | 134 | Sixth Place | Toledo | Trinity |
| 1970 | Emil Deliere | 190 | Sixth Place | Princeton | Canon-McMillan |
| 1972 | Emil Deliere | 190 | Runner-up | Princeton | Canon-McMillan |
| 1974 | George Bryant | 118 | Fifth Place | Pittsburgh | Washington |
| 1975 | Alan Housner | 142 | Sixth Place | Purdue | Mount Lebanon |
| 1976 | Neil Brendel | 190 | Fourth Place | Yale | McKeesport |
| 1977 | Tim Mousetis | 142 | Sixth Place | Kentucky | Washington |
| 1978 | Mike DeAugustino | 118 | Sixth Place | Penn State | North Allegheny |
| 1979 | Bill DePaoli | 118 | Fourth Place | Cal State PA | Chartiers-Houston |
| 1984 | Jeff Kelic | 167 | Fifth Place | Pittsburgh | Mount Lebanon |
| 1985 | Dave Crisanti | 118 | Eighth Place | Princeton | Churchill |
| 1985 | Ken Haselrig | 150 | Sixth Place | Clarion | Penn Hills |
| 1986 | Kyle Nellis | 134 | Eighth Place | Pittsburgh | Shaler |
| 1987 | Steve Peperak | 177 | Seventh Place | Maryland | Connellsville |
| 1987 | Ken Hackman | 190 | Eighth Place | Cal State PA | Derry |
| 1987 | Ken Haselrig | 158 | Runner-up | Clarion | Penn Hills |
| 1989 | Gary Horner | 190 | Sixth Place | Clarion | Chartiers Valley |
| 1989 | Doug Wyland | 118 | Runner-up | North Carolina | North Allegheny |
| 1990 | Kurt Angle | HWT | Champion | Clarion | Mount Lebanon |
| 1990 | Doug Wyland | 118 | Fourth Place | North Carolina | North Allegheny |
| 1991 | Sylvester Terkay | HWT | Third Place | N.C. State | Canon-McMillan |
| 1991 | Perry Miller | HWT | Eighth Place | Pittsburgh | Greensburg Salem |
| 1991 | Kurt Angle | HWT | Runner-up | Clarion | Mount Lebanon |
| 1991 | Matt White | 177 | Eighth Place | Penn State | North Allegheny |
| 1991 | Bob Truby | 126 | Fifth Place | Penn State | Trinity |
| 1992 | Sylvester Terkay | HWT | Runner-up | N.C. State | Canon-McMillan |
| 1992 | Kurt Angle | HWT | Champion | Clarion | Mount Lebanon |
| 1992 | Matt White | 177 | Eighth Place | Penn State | North Allegheny |
| 1992 | Bob Truby | 134 | Fourth Place | Penn State | Trinity |
| 1993 | Sylvester Terkay | HWT | Champion | N.C. State | Canon-McMillan |
| 1993 | Cary Kolat | 134 | Runner-up | Penn State | Jefferson-Morgan |
| 1993 | Ray Brinzer | 177 | Third Place | Iowa | North Allegheny |
| 1993 | Steve Cassidy | 150 | Seventh Place | Lehigh | Plum |
| 1994 | Cary Kolat | 134 | Third Place | Penn State | Jefferson-Morgan |
| 1994 | Rich Catalano | 167 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | North Allegheny |
| 1995 | John Withrow | 158 | Seventh Place | Pittsburgh | Elizabeth-Forward |
| 1995 | Jason Robison | 190 | Seventh Place | Edinboro | Hampton |
| 1995 | Ray Brinzer | 177 | Third Place | Iowa | North Allegheny |
| 1995 | Steve Cassidy | 150 | Sixth Place | Lehigh | Plum |
| 1996 | Cary Kolat | 134 | Champion | Lock Haven | Jefferson-Morgan |
| 1997 | John Withrow | 167 | Eighth Place | Pittsburgh | Elizabeth-Forward |
| 1997 | Jason Robison | 190 | Sixth Place | Edinboro | Hampton |
| 1997 | Cary Kolat | 134 | Champion | Lock Haven | Jefferson-Morgan |
| 1997 | Teague Moore | 118 | Fourth Place | Oklahoma State | North Allegheny |
| 1997 | Bill Closson | 285 | Eighth Place | Lehigh | Plum |
| 1997 | Jim Straight | 177 | Seventh Place | Edinboro | Waynesburg |
| 1998 | Mark Angle | 134 | Fourth Place | Clarion | Canon-McMillan |
| 1998 | John Withrow | 177 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Elizabeth-Forward |
| 1998 | Vertus Jones | 177 | Runner-up | West Virginia | Greensburg Salem |
| 1998 | Jason Robison | 190 | Runner-up | Edinboro | Hampton |
| 1998 | Jeremy Hunter | 118 | Fifth Place | Penn State | McGuffey |
| 1998 | Teague Moore | 118 | Champion | Oklahoma State | North Allegheny |
| 1998 | Bill Closson | 285 | Fourth Place | Lehigh | Plum |
| 1999 | Jeremy Hunter | 118 | Runner-up | Penn State | McGuffey |
| 1999 | Teague Moore | 118 | Third Place | Oklahoma State | North Allegheny |
| 1999 | Mark Angle | 141 | Third Place | Clarion | Canon-McMillan |
| 1999 | Vertus Jones | 184 | Third Place | West Virginia | Greensburg Salem |
| 1999 | Jim Harshaw | 165 | Eighth Place | Virginia | Seneca Valley |
| 1999 | Leo Giel | 174 | Sixth Place | Rider | Thomas Jefferson |
| 1999 | Josh Koscheck | 174 | Fourth Place | Edinboro | Waynesburg |
| 2000 | Mark Angle | 141 | Fourth Place | Clarion | Canon-McMillan |
| 2000 | Vertus Jones | 184 | Runner-up | West Virginia | Greensburg Salem |
| 2000 | Jeremy Hunter | 125 | Champion | Penn State | McGuffey |
| 2000 | Mike Ziska | 157 | Eighth Place | Pittsburgh | Norwin |
| 2000 | Shaun Shapert | 157 | Seventh Place | Edinboro | Shaler |
| 2000 | Josh Koscheck | 174 | Runner-up | Edinboro | Waynesburg |
| 2001 | Josh Koscheck | 174 | Champion | Edinboro | Waynesburg |
| 2002 | Greg Jones | 174 | Champion | West Virginia | Greensburg-Salem |
| 2002 | Robbie Waller | 165 | Sixth Place | Oklahoma | Mount Pleasant |
| 2002 | Josh Koscheck | 174 | Third Place | Edinboro | Waynesburg |
| 2003 | Matt King | 165 | Fourth Place | Edinboro | Connellsville |
| 2003 | Robbie Waller | 174 | Champion | Oklahoma | Mount Pleasant |
| 2003 | Troy Letters | 165 | Runner-up | Lehigh | Shaler Area |
| 2004 | Matt King | 165 | Third Place | Edinboro | Connellsville |
| 2004 | Greg Jones | 184 | Champion | West Virginia | Greensburg-Salem |
| 2004 | Troy Letters | 165 | Champion | Lehigh | Shaler |
| 2005 | Greg Jones | 184 | Champion | West Virginia | Greensburg-Salem |
| 2005 | Matt Lebe | 157 | Seventh Place | West Virginia | Jeannette |
| 2005 | Jake Herbert | 174 | Third Place | Northwestern | North Allegheny |
| 2005 | Troy Letters | 165 | Third Place | Lehigh | Shaler |
| 2005 | Coleman Scott | 125 | Eighth Place | Oklahoma State | Waynesburg |
| 2005 | Drew Headlee | 133 | Eighth Place | Pittsburgh | Waynesburg |
| 2006 | Jake Herbert | 174 | Runner-up | Northwestern | North Allegheny |
| 2006 | Coleman Scott | 125 | Fifth Place | Oklahoma State | Waynesburg |
| 2007 | Jake Herbert | 184 | Champion | Northwestern | North Allegheny |
| 2007 | Coleman Scott | 133 | Runner-up | Oklahoma State | Waynesburg |
| 2008 | Mark McKnight | 125 | Fourth Place | Penn State | Chartiers Valley |
| 2008 | Coleman Scott | 133 | Champion | Oklahoma State | Waynesburg |
| 2009 | Steve Bell | 133 | Sixth Place | Maryland | Connellsville |
| 2009 | Jarrod King | 165 | Champion | Edinboro | Connellsville |
| 2009 | Jake Herbert | 184 | Champion | Northwestern | North Allegheny |
| 2010 | Steve Bell | 133 | Eighth Place | Maryland | Connellsville |
| 2010 | Jarrod King | 165 | Third Place | Edinboro | Connellsville |
| 2012 | Matt Wilps | 197 | Fourth Place | Pittsburgh | Chartiers Valley |
| 2012 | Nico Megaludis | 125 | Runner-up | Penn State | Franklin Regional |
| 2012 | James Fleming | 157 | Fifth Place | Clarion | West Mifflin |
| 2013 | Matt Wilps | 197 | Third Place | Pittsburgh | Chartiers Valley |
| 2013 | Nico Megaludis | 125 | Runner-up | Penn State | Franklin Regional |
| 2013 | James Fleming | 157 | Eighth Place | Clarion | West Mifflin |
| 2014 | Lorenzo Thomas | 184 | Sixth Place | Pennsylvania | Central Catholic |
| 2014 | Tyler Wilps | 174 | Seventh Place | Pittsburgh | Chartiers Valley |
| 2014 | Nico Megaludis | 125 | Third Place | Penn State | Franklin Regional |
| 2015 | Tyler Wilps | 174 | Runner-up | Pittsburgh | Chartiers Valley |
| 2015 | Jimmy Gulibon | 133 | Fifth Place | Penn State | Derry |
| 2016 | Connor Schram | 125 | Eighth Place | Stanford | Canon-McMillan |
| 2016 | Solomon Chishko | 141 | Sixth Place | Virginia Tech | Canon-McMillan |
| 2016 | Nico Megaludis | 125 | Champion | Penn State | Franklin Regional |
| 2016 | Mike DePalma | 149 | Fifth Place | Kent State | Jeannette |
| 2016 | Jason Nolf | 157 | Runner-up | Penn State | Kittanning |
| 2017 | Solomon Chishko | 149 | Sixth Place | Virginia Tech | Canon-McMillan |
| 2017 | Vincenzo Joseph | 165 | Champion | Penn State | Central Catholic |
| 2017 | Michael Kemerer | 157 | Third Place | Iowa | Franklin Regional |
| 2017 | Jason Nolf | 157 | Champion | Penn State | Kittanning |
| 2018 | Vincenzo Joseph | 165 | Champion | Penn State | Central Catholic |
| 2018 | Spencer Lee | 125 | Champion | Iowa | Franklin Regional |
| 2018 | Michael Kemerer | 157 | Fourth Place | Iowa | Franklin Regional |
| 2018 | Josh Shields | 157 | Seventh Place | Arizona State | Franklin Regional |
| 2018 | Jason Nolf | 157 | Champion | Penn State | Kittanning |
| 2018 | Luke Pletcher | 133 | Fourth Place | Ohio State | Latrobe |
| 2018 | Zach Zavatsky | 184 | Sixth Place | Virginia Tech | Latrobe |
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