Williamsport, PA… The College of New Jersey wrestling team claimed third place at the 21st Annual Budd Whitehill National Duals on Saturday as the Lions split their two matches on the day.

The Lions, seeded fifth in the tournament hosted by Lycoming College, fell to top-seeded University of Wisconsin – Whitewater 25-15, before battling back to beat third-seeded Wilkes University, 36-7.

TCNJ, which is ranked 18th in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, is now 8-1 on the season in dual meets.

The Lions had three grapplers go undefeated on the day led junior Dan DiColo (Budd Lake, NJ/Mt. Olive) at 157, Justin Bonitatis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) at 165 ,and freshman Scott Kelly (Vineland, NJ/Sacred Heart) at 174.

The Lions have the week off before returning to the mat on Saturday, January 17 at York (PA) College with Elizabethtown College.

Semifinals
#5 Wisconsin-Whitewater 25 #18 TCNJ 14
125: Max Oldenberg (W) dec. Don Franke (6-0)
133: Kyle Wacholder (W) dec. Jaishon Scott (10-3)
141: Austin Bautista (W) pin Bill Tenpenny (2:39)
149: Tyler Branham (T) tech fall Adam Spatchek (16-0, second)
157: Dan DiColo (T) dec. Tom Thieloff (9-7)
165: Justin Bonitatis (T) dec. Patrick Nagel (4-3)
174: Scott Kelly (T) dec. Jake D'Acquisto (1-0)
184: Sean Pietrzyk (W) pin Greg Osgoodby (2:02)
197: Karl Voeck (W) maj. Ed Broderick (10-1)
285: Sean Evans (W) dec. Kyle Franzone (5-1)

Third-Place Match
#18 TCNJ 36, #16 Wilkes University 7
125: Shaun Farnham (W) maj. Dan Franke (8-0)
133: Josh Pauling (W) dec. Kyle Kinchen (4-2)
141: Bill Tenpenny (T) pin Jarrid Brownmiller (1:21)
149: John Barnett (T) maj. Robert Griffith (10-1)
157: Dan DiColo (T) maj. Tom Andresen (13-5)
165: Justin Bonitatis (T) pin Matt Brode (4:01)
174: Scott Kelly (T) dec. Travis Davis (5-0)
184: Greg Osgoodby (T) maj. D.J. Brown (18-5)
197: Adam Kozoil (T) dec. Chris Smith (3-0)
285: Kyle Falzone (T) win by forfeit
Note: Wilkes penalized one team point during 149 pound bout