KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Senior Brandon Steele, senior Tyler Richardson and redshirt freshman Francesco Palagruto each went undefeated on the evening, but East Stroudsburg University fell to both nationally-ranked Seton Hill (22-18) and Belmont Abbey (27-24) to begin the two-day Kutztown Duals on Friday evening.

Steele went 2-0 in his two bouts at 197 pounds, Richardson had two falls at 184 and Palagruto earned one win via fall and another via forfeit for the Warriors (3-8).

Earlier in the day, the latest NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll was released, with redshirt sophomore Dylan Nace (141 pounds) and graduate student John Pellegrino (125) each ranked in the top 12 nationally in their respective weight classes.

Nace, who earned his first-ever national ranking at No. 10 in the previous poll, moved up two spots to No. 8 after defeating regionally ranked Karl Lightner from Shippensburg by a 4-3 decision in the teams' dual meet at ESU last Friday. That improved his record on the year to 17-2 (9-0 in duals), with both losses coming to Division I opponents. Nace is now 18-3 on the year after splitting his two matchups tonight.

Pellegrino cracks the national rankings for the first time after topping regionally-ranked Dustin Steffenino by a 2-0 decision last Friday. That gave him a 4-0 record in his first four bouts as a Warrior.

Nace is currently listed at No. 2 in the Super Region I rankings at 141 pounds, while Pellegrino is No. 4 at 125. Full national rankings for each weight class are listed below.

ESU has two more matchups on Saturday morning to conclude the Kutztown Duals, with the Warriors taking on Minot State (10 a.m.) and Tiffin (11:30 a.m.).



Match 1: ESU vs. No. T-16 Seton Hill

The Warriors came within one bout victory from their first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since Feb. 18, 2014 against then-No. 9 Kutztown.

After Pellegrino dropped his first bout of the season in a tight 8-6 decision at 125 to regionally-ranked Alan Diltz, Palagruto earned six points for ESU with a pin of Rodney Sunday in 2:49 at 133. The victory was Palagruto's first via fall this season, and he improved his dual record to 4-3 on the year.

Nace followed with an 8-4 decision over Seton Hill's Austin Shaw at 151 before the Griffins took points in the subsequent four bouts, including six points through a forfeit at 165.

Seton Hill led 19-9 after those four victories, but Richardson pulled the Warriors within four after pinning Nathan Bowlen in 2:04 at 184. Richardson earned his 10th win of the season via fall, and he has now pinned opponents in 25 his 54 lifetime victories at ESU.

Steele reduced the deficit to one point with a 9-5 decision at 197 over Morris Lawson, as the Bethlehem native grabbed his second victory of the season. Seton Hill, though, escaped with the victory after prevailing 8-5 at 285 to conclude the dual.

The Griffins (4-5) snapped a two-match losing streak with tonight's triumph. Of the nine contested bouts, six were decided by four points or fewer.


# T-16 Seton Hill 22, ESU 18
125 – Alan Diltz (SHU) def. #11 John Pellegrino via decision, 8-6 … Seton Hill leads, 3-0
133 – Francesco Palagruto (ESU) def. Rodney Sunday via fall (2:49) … ESU leads, 6-3
141 – #8 Dylan Nace (ESU) def. Austin Shaw via decision, 8-4 … ESU leads, 9-3
149 – #6 Ty Lidic (SHU) def. Pierre Liciaga via maj. decision, 18-6 … ESU leads, 9-7
157 – Zach Voytek (SHU) def. Blake Cohen via decision, 7-6 … Seton Hill leads, 10-9
165 – Damon Greenwald (SHU) won via forfeit … Seton Hill leads, 16-9
174 – Zach Mattucci (SHU) def. Joe Welk via decision, 4-0 … Seton Hill leads, 19-9
184 – Tyler Richardson (ESU) def. Nathan Bowlen via fall (2:04) … Seton Hill leads, 19-15
197 – Brandon Steele (ESU) def. Morris Lawson via decision, 9-5 … Seton Hill leads, 19-18
285 – Lou Maser (SHU) def. Daniel Makagon via decision, 8-5 … Seton Hill wins, 22-18

Super Region I Rankings
125 - #4 Pellegrino (ESU), #8 Diltz (SHU)
141 - #2 Nace (ESU)
149 - #2 Lydic (SHU)
157 - #6 Voytek (SHU)
174 - #6 Mattucci (SHU)
184 - #6 Richardson (ESU)


Match 2: ESU vs. Belmont Abbey

Pellegrino, Steele and freshman Daniel Makagon won bouts for ESU in the nightcap against Belmont Abbey, with Palagruto gaining an additional six points via a forfeit victory.

Nace, competing above his usual weight class at 149, suffered the first dual defeat of his career after losing via injury default 4:10 into his bout against John Gahagan. Nace is now 2-1 competing up at 149 this season.

Makagon earned his first collegiate fall, needing only 17 seconds to pin Chass Delgado.

The Crusaders (8-6) split their two duals after falling 25-19 to Shippensburg in their first contest of the night.


Belmont Abbey 27, ESU 24
125 –  #11 John Pellegrino (ESU) def. Nick Lukanich via decision, 10-5 … ESU leads, 3-0
133 – Francesco Palagruto (ESU) won via forfeit … ESU leads, 9-0
141 – Troy Gregor (BA) def. Connor Maliff via decision, 19-16 … ESU leads, 9-3
149 – John Gahagan (BA) def. Dylan Nace via inj. default … Tied, 9-9
157 – Greg Hilliard (BA) def. Blake Cohen via fall (0:53) … Belmont Abbey leads, 15-9
165 – John Glunt (BA) won via forfeit … Belmont Abbey leads, 21-9
174 – Seth Bridgeman (BA) def. Joe Welk via fall (1:36) … Belmont Abbey leads, 27-9
184 – Tyler Richardson (ESU) def. Tyler MacLaine via fall (2:58) … Belmont Abbey leads, 27-15
197 – Brandon Steele (ESU) def. Brian Girard via decision, 9-2 … Belmont Abbey leads, 27-18
285 – Daniel Makagon (ESU) def. Chass Delgado via fall (0:17) … Belmont Abbey wins, 27-24


Super Region II Rankings (Belmont Abbey)
157 - #7 Hillard
165 - #6 Glunt


125 Pounds (National)
1. Willie Bohince – Mercyhurst
2. Dustin Reed – Newman
3. Ronnie Wardleigh – Western State
4. Josh Lindsey – Central Oklahoma
5. Ronzell Darling – Wisconsin Parkside
6. Brett Valazquez – St. Cloud State
7. Ivan McClay – Notre Dame (Ohio)
8. Trung Doung – Newberry
9. Carlos Jaquez – Lindenwood
10. Austin Petril – Kutztown
11. John Pellegrino – ESU
12. Brandon Kile – Chadron State

141 Pounds (National)
1. Nate Rodriguez - Maryville
2. Joseph Alessandro - Seton Hill
3. Darren Wynn - McKendree
4. Nick Crume - Indianapolis
5. Matt Nelson - St Cloud State
6. Jacob Wasser – Nebraska-Kearney
7. Daniel Salazar - Colorado Mesa
8. Dylan Nace - ESU
9. Trey Grine – Tiffin
10. Brandon Ball – Fort Hays State
11. Drew Walker – Notre Dame (Ohio)
12. Josh Wimer - Findlay