The 14^th-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers, winners of three straight dual meets, return home to begin a stretch of the straight home matches when they host a non-conference match against Kink (TN) University, Saturday at noon in the Sports Center.
 
Head Coach Pat Pecora's (48^th season) Mountain Cats have won their last three matches and enter Saturday's dual meet at 3-1.  The Mountain Cats opened their PSAC schedule with a 47-0 victory over East Stroudsburg in the Sports Center on Nov. 15, before outscoring No. 21 Glenville State (WV) and Fairmont State (WV) by a combined total of 89-9 at the Fairmont State Duals on Nov. 19.  After defeating the nationally-ranked Pioneers, 43-6, to open the Duals, Pitt-Johnstown dealt the hosts a 43-6-3 setback.
 
The Mountain Cats are led by three-time All-American and third-ranked Jacob Ealy at 149 lbs., 2022 National Qualifier Dillon Keane at 165 lbs, and 2023 National Qualifiers No. 7 Trevon Gray (125 lbs.), No. 9 Dakoda Rodgers (197 lbs.) and No. 7 Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.).
 
First Year Head Coach Blaze Shade and the King University Tornado are 1-2 to begin the season.  The Tornado suffered a 23-17 lost at Mount Olive (NC) on Nov. 15 and a narrow, 21-20, loss to No. 17 Newberry (SC) on Nov. 17.
 
King is led by 2023 NCAA Division II All-American and seventh-ranked Trent Mahoney (165 lbs.) and 2023 NCAA National Qualifier Clint Morrisette (184 lbs.).
 
Since the 2010-11 season, the Mountain Cats and Tornado have met three times and Pitt-Johnstown has won all three meetings.  Last season, the Mountain Cats used a pair of falls and three wins by technical fall to defeat King, 37-12, in the Sports Center on Dec. 3.
 
Key Match-Ups: 2023 NCAA National Qualifier and No. 7 Trevon Gray (UPJ) vs. Tyson Upchurch (KING) at 125 lbs…2023 NCAA National Qualifier Byron Daubert (UPJ) vs. Franky Medina (KING)  at 133 lbs…three-time NCAA All-American and No. 3-ranked Jacob Ealy (UPJ) vs. Demetri Teddlie (KING)  at 149 lbs…2022 NCAA National Qualifier Dillon Keane (UPJ) vs. 2023 NCAA All-American and No. 7 Trent Mahoney (KING) at 165 lbs…Noah Gnibus (UPJ) vs. 2023 NCAA National Qualifier Clint Morrisette (KING) at 184 lbs…2023 NCAA National Qualifier and No. 9-ranked Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) vs. J.J. Pociask (KING) at 197 lbs…2023 NCAA National Qualifier No. 7-ranked Isaiah Vance vs. Jacob Telles (KING) at 285 lbs.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will host non-conference matches in the Sports Center against 15^th-ranked Ashland (OH) on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Findlay (OH) next Saturday at 2:00 p.m., before competing in the 2023 Midwest classic in Indianapolis on Dec. 16-17.