Williamsport, Pa. – January 10, 2025 – The Springfield College wrestling team went 3-0 on the first day of the 2025 Budd Whitehill National Duals to advance into the championship bracket for the first time since 2019.

Springfield defeated host Lycoming, 24-21, before easing by McDaniel, 40-17, and downing No. 14 nationally ranked Stevens, 30-27. This was Springfield's first meeting with Lycoming since the 2004-05 season and the first meetings with both McDaniel and Stevens.

Springfield is now 8-0 in dual meets this season.

Springfield jumped out to an early 14-0 lead against the host Warriors after Jack Callahan (Tewksbury, Mass.) earned a 15-5 major decision at 125 and both Jaden Colwell (Lords Valley, Pa.) and Ryan Kozdra (Mahwah, N.J.) producing technical falls at 133 and 141, respectively. Lycoming then took a 17-14 edge with four straight wins at 149, 157, 165 and 174 highlighted by a pin for Kobin Karper at 149 in just 1:03. Myles Leonard (Waldwick, N.J.) then pinned Eli Crum at 184 in the second period before Ben Katz (Medford, N.Y.) sealed the match for the Pride with a 14-1 major decision over Robbie West at 285.

Against McDaniel, Springfield produced pins in six of ten matches to account for the 40-17 final. Callahan began with a 13-3 major decision at 125 before Kevin Sevigny (Wallingford, Conn.), Kozdra, Jacob Deguire (Schenectady, N.Y.), Nick Rogers (Watertown, N.Y.) and Leonard all pinned their way through the dual. Katz earned his first pin of the day at 285 over Ezekiel Gayle in the second period for Springfield's 40 points.

Springfield built an early 18-0 lead over the nationally-ranked Ducks thanks to a forfeit at 125 and back-to-back pins by Sevigny and Colwell at 133 and 141, respectively. Stevens, however, fought back with pins in three of the next four matches to take a 21-18 edge. Leonard earned his third pin in as many matches in just 39 seconds as Springfield regained the lead at 24-21 with two matches remaining. Blaise Wagner of Stevens pinned Nick Blitz (Massapequa, N.Y.) at it came down to just Katz at 285 with the Pride down 27-24. After a first period takedown, Katz pinned Maximo Ruiz in 1:59 as Springfield secured the 30-27 win over Stevens to advance to the championship bracket.
 
In a total of 30 matches on day one of the Budd Whitehill Duals, Springfield produced 11 pins, three of which came from Leonard and two of which came from Katz, including the winner against Stevens.
 
Springfield will take on No. 9 Roanoke College tomorrow in the championship bracket at 10:30 am.

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Springfield 24, Lycoming 21
125 - Jack Callahan (Springfield) def. Kaden Majcher (Lycoming) - MD, 15-5 - SC 4, LYCO 0
133 - Jaden Colwell (Springfield) def. Thomas Conselyea (Lycoming) - TF, 25-10 - SC 9, LYCO 0
141 - Ryan Kozdra (Springfield) def. Anthony Coukart (Lycoming) - TF, 15-0 - SC 14, LYCO 0
149 - Kobin Karper (Lycoming) def. Patrick Hickey (Springfield) - Pin 1:03 - SC 14, LYCO 6
157 - Jayden Drummond (Lycoming) def. Kayo Torres (Springfield) - Dec, 11-4 - SC 14, LYCO 9
165 - Kaiden Wagner (Lycoming) def. Jake Deguire (Springfield) - TF, 15-0 - SC 14, LYCO 14
174 - Nolen Zeigler (Lycoming) def. Nick Rogers (Springfield) - Dec, 6-3 - LYCO 17, SC 14
184 - Myles Leonard (Springfield) def. Eli Crum (Lycoming) - Pin 4:26 - SC 20, LYCO 17
197 - James Ellis (Lycoming) def. Nick Blitz (Springfield) - MD, 12-0 - LYCO 21, SC 20
285 - Ben Katz (Springfield) def. Robbie West (Lycoming) - MD, 14-1 - SC 24, LYCO 21

Springfield 40, McDaniel 17
125 - Jack Callahan (Springfield) def. Alex Dufour (McDaniel) - MD, 13-3 - SC 4, MCD 0
133 - Kevin Sevigny (Springfield) def. Romeo Tsai (McDaniel) - Pin 2:14 - SC 10, MCD 0
141 - Ryan Kozdra (Springfield) def. William Conley (McDaniel) - Pin 2:12 - SC 16, MCD 0
149 - Thomas Monn (McDaniel) def. Patrick Hickey (Springfield) - Pin 1:22 - SC 16, MCD 6
157 - Xavier Howard (McDaniel) def. Kayo Torres (Springfield) - TF, 19-3 - SC 16, MCD 11
165 - Jake Deguire (Springfield) def. Avery Cummings (McDaniel) - Pin 0:37 - SC 22, MCD 11
174 - Nick Rogers (Springfield) def. Soren Wynn (McDaniel) - Pin 2:47 - SC 28, MCD 11
184 - Myles Leonard (Springfield) def. Patrick Takeuchi (McDaniel) - Pin 0:57 - SC 34, MCD 11
197 - Valentino Pryor (McDaniel) def. Nick Blitz (Springfield) - Pin 3:44 - SC 34, MCD 17
285 - Ben Katz (Springfield) def. Ezekiel Gayle (McDaniel) - Pin 4:25 - SC 40, MCD 17

Springfield 30, No. 14 Stevens 27
125 - Jack Callahan (Springfield) W via forfeit - SC 6, SIT 0
133 - Kevin Sevigny (Springfield) def. Naci Robinson (Stevens) - Pin - SC 12, SIT 0
141 - Jaden Colwell (Springfield) def. Anthony Bistany (Stevens) - Pin 6:23 - SC 18, SIT 0
149 - Carmen Cortese (Stevens) def. Patrick Hickey (Springfield) - Pin 2:00 - SC 18, SIT 6
157 - Ryan Smith (Stevens) def. Jeremiah Cruz (Springfield) - Pin 1:46 - SC 18, SIT 12
165 - Christopher Stathopoulos (Stevens) def. Jake Deguire (Springfield) - Dec, 9-5 - SC 18, SIT 15
174 - Harrison Hinojosa (Stevens) def. Oliver Parker (Springfield) - Pin 2:10 - SIT 21, SC 18
184 - Myles Leonard (Springfield) def. Joel Marsinovsky (Stevens) - Pin 0:39 - SC 24, SIT 21
197 - Blaise Wagner (Stevens) def. Nick Blitz (Springfield) - Pin 4:05 - SIT 27, SC 24
285 - Ben Katz (Springfield) def. Maximo Ruiz (Stevens) - Pin 1:59 - SC 30, SIT 27