RE-ENERGIZED WRESTLING PROGRAM LOOKS TO BUILD IN 2006-07 

The once-proud American International College wrestling proud has seen its share of short comings in recent seasons.  The Yellow Jackets have been down on numbers and also did not send a single wrestler to the NCAA National Championships in 2005-2006. As a result of, the program hired its first full-time coach in Chaz Seibert. Seibert, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has wrestled at the Division I level for Duquesne University and is coming off two seasons where he served as the assistant coach at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. Seibert brings youth and enthusiasm to a program that is need of a lift.  

The Yellow Jackets have a 20-man roster that includes the return of three of the team's primary wrestlers from a year ago. Although the group is young, it's just the foundation that a re-energized program needs. 

Thomas Sawicki (Laconia, N.H.) will fill the 125 pound weight class for the Yellow Jackets. Sawicki, a prep-league wrestler at Tilton (N.H.) School, will fill a much needed hole that AIC had last year.

The 133-pound weight class should be a point of strength this year for the Yellow Jackets. AIC will put forth sophomore Jeff Haddad (Old Saybrook, Conn.) (right), who is a red-shirt freshman. Haddad was a decorated high school wrestler who also excels in the classroom.  "If Jeff stays healthy he could very easily be a national qualifier," said Seibert "He is a blue collar wrestler on the mat and has a bright future here with AIC." Freshman Gonzalo Carozo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) will also compete at the position. Carozo, suffered an early season setback when he took an elbow to the side of his face that resulted in stitches.

Red shirt freshman Sam Gauvine (Enfield, Conn.) is another solid competitor for the Yellow Jackets. Gauvine, who was a two-time high school state champion in Connecticut, will wrestle in the 141-pound weight class. "Sam is the most technically sound wrestler in our room I think he will surprise a lot of people that don't know him at the collegiate level," said Seibert, who went on to predict, "Gauvine will be a guy that will help put AIC back on the wrestling map." Steffen Wahl (Sykesville, Md.) is red shirting the '06-'07 season but will add depth to the squad next year.

One of the returnees from last season, sophomore Bryan Cosgrove (Warwick, R.I.)(left) will wrestle in the 149-pound weight division. He will be competing with freshman John Mullinix (Baltimore, Md.). Mullinix is known on the mat as a hard worker who has made a solid transition from the podium in the Maryland state wrestling tournament to the more physical style that the collegiate level brings. Although Mullinix is a solid wrestler Seibert stays confident about Cosgrove, "Bryan is one of those rare wrestlers who has experience wrestling at the college level and knows what the sport is about." Junior Maurice Scott (Manchester, Conn.) is red shirting, as been in the room assisting the team.

The 157-pound weight class could be a position where Mullinix could also see some time, but for now the Yellow Jackets will call too freshman Nick Laurino (Merick, NY). Laurino found his way to the medal round in the New York State high school wrestling championships last season which consisted of many Division I prospects. Seibert describes Laurino as "flexible and has yet to show his peak in a sport that he could be very successful in."

Sophomore and returnee Martin Thompson (Poughkeepsie NY) will likely be the starting 165-pounder for AIC. Thompson saw a door open when the Yellow Jackets lost Sean Rollo to a season ending injury.  "Martin is a team captain who has unabsorbed a tremendous amount of wrestling technique so far this season." said Seibert

The 174-pound weight class is arguable the toughest division in the region. Freshman Luis Gomez (Hartford, Conn.) (right) is excited to give the already competitive weight class more talent. Gomez, a prep-league champion, will go up against a weight class that has a returning National Champion, a National Championship runner-up and two All-Americans. Already the competition is stiff, but coach Seibert is confident in his athlete. "Luis is by far the most athletically gifted wrestler in the AIC room to date," said coach Seibert "He combines an uncanny strength and mat awareness, and it wouldn't surprise me if he strongly competed within the division."  Freshman Tom Clark (Glastonbury, Conn.) is also looking to log some mat time in the 174-pound class in the '06-'07 season.

Seibert was planning on having graduate student, Davin Williams as another 174-pounder to go to, but Williams elected to give up his final season of eligibility in order to assist the team as Graduate Assistant. 

The 184-pound weight class should be competitive among sophomore transfer Dan Puccini (Ridgefield, Conn.) who wrestled at the Division I level for Lock Haven and red shirt freshman Morgan Wanzer (Enfield, Conn.). Puchinni has seen a positive push from allotted time in the weight room, and Wanzer has been assisted from accumulating hours on the mat during the summer. Seibert describes his potential starting situation for this division as, "just a flip of the coin, at this point."

Junior returnee Kelvin Valencia (Hartford, Conn.) is the likely candidate to start at the 197-pound spot. "He has spent a lot of time building up his gas tank and has a lot of skill." said Seibert.

The most depth on the squad will be in the heavyweight division. Freshman Tim Rustek (Portland, Conn.), junior Willie Patterson (Windsor, Conn.) (left) and dual-sport athlete James Bridges who also plays on the Yellow Jackets football squad will compete for the position. Seibert as he did for the 184-pound weight class describes this battle as, "another flip of the coin."

After opening their regular season last weekend at the University of Buffalo Open, the Yellow Jackets open their home slate on Monday, November 13 against UMass.