NCAA Releases First Wrestling Coaches’ Panel

INDIANAPOLIS – On Thursday, Jan. 22, the NCAA released the first of four coaches’ panel rankings for the 2014-15 wrestling season.

Seven Pitt wrestlers were among the initial list, which helps determine the qualifiers for the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, held in St. Louis from March 19-21.

Redshirt senior Max Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) is the highest rated wrestler, coming in at second in the 184-pound weight class. Classmate Tyler Wilps (Oakdale, Pa./Chartiers Valley) is the only other top-10 selection, ranking eighth at 174 pounds.

A pair of wrestlers in sophomore Mikey Racciato and redshirt junior Nick Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) received top-20 nods. Racciato (Pen Argyl, Pa./Pen Argyl) tied for 18th at 149 pounds and Bonaccorsi was 19th at 197 pounds.

The remaining selections were redshirt junior Ronnie Garbinsky (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) (25th) at 157 pounds, freshman Dom Forys (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) (26th) at 125 pounds and redshirt freshman Nick Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) (t-32nd) at 133 pounds.

All seven wrestlers were rated in the top four of the Atlantic Coast Conference, with four of them ranked either first or second. Thomusseit was the only top ACC choice from Pitt while Forys, Racciato and Garbinsky were all second. Both Wilps and Bonaccorsi were third and Zanetta was fourth.

Wrestlers are placed on the list considering a number of categories, which include winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. In order to be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the past 30 days.