Ithaca, N.Y. – November 2, 2024 – Fueled by an individual title at 174 pounds by Jacob Deguire (Schenectady, N.Y.), the Springfield College wrestling team opened up the 2024-25 campaign at the Ithaca Invitational and finished fourth as a team.

Springfield had 140 points as a team in the two-day event, as it trailed Castleton (193), Johnson & Wales (186.5), and Ithaca (151.5).

Competing from the first time since November 18, 2023, Deguire was impressive in his return to collegiate wresting as he repeated as the 174 pound champion at the event.  Currently ranked sixth nationally in the weight class, Deguire opened up his tournament with a pinfall in 45 seconds before a technical fall and decision landed him in the title bout.  Deguire then reversed Jackson Gray for a pin in 3:38 to close out the weekend with a 4-0 record. 

Myles Leonard (Waldwick, N.J.) had a strong debut to his season with a runner-up finish at 184 pounds as he notched three pins and a major decision before being edged by Sampson Wilkins of Castleton by a 4-1 margin for the title.  Nick Rodgers (Watertown, N.Y.) added a third-place finish in the weight class after going 5-1 on the weekend, with his lone loss coming to Leonard, as he previously knocked off the No. 2 seed in the bracket.

At 197 pounds, Casey Allen (Park Ridge, N.J.) took second-place honors as the top seed in the bracket won his first four matches before falling by an 11-7 decision to Castleton's Josh Negron in the finals. At 141 pounds, Ryan Kozdra (Mahwah, N.J.) took fourth as he notched a decision, major decision, technical fall, and pin before dropping a 7-2 decision to James Rodriguez of Castleton in the third-place match. 

Ben Katz (Medford, N.Y.) registered four pins at 285, including one in the fifth-place match to conclude his tournament, and Jaden Colwell (Lords Valley, Pa.) added a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds.
 
Up next for the Pride will be the City of Springfield Championships next Saturday with American International, STCC, and host Western New England.
 
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