Williamsport, PA…The College of New Jersey closed out competition at the 30^th annual Budd Whitehill Duals hosted by Lycoming College with a second place finish. The runner-up finish is the sixth for TCNJ to go along with nine victories, both tournament records. The Lions defeated 17^th-ranked Roger Williams University 26-19 before falling in the championship match 26-15 to 11^th-ranked Messiah College.
 
Robert Dinger (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) won both of his matches to complete the weekend 5-0 and earned 22 team points. Kyle Cocozza (Farmingdale, NJ/Howell) won both of his matches on the day, earning nine team points.
 
TCNJ fell behind 9-0 early against Roger Williams before Dinger earned a pin at 141. With the Lions trailing 16-8, Dan Kilroy (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) brought the Lions to within just two, winning by fall with just 45 seconds remaining at 174. A third Lions pin by Pat Schinder (Forked River, NJ/Lacey) at 197 put TCNJ on top for the first time in the match at 20-19. In the heavyweight bout, Cocozza appeared to be in danger of giving up back points before swiftly changing the position with a reversal and followed shortly thereafter with a fall to secure the match.
 
In the championship match, TCNJ jumped out to a 12-0 lead on the strength of victories by Dan Ortega (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), Jake Giordano (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield), and Dinger. Giordano provided the bonus points via a pin at 133. The Falcons won the next six bouts before Cocozza ended the day with a victory.
 
The Lions will be back in action Friday, January 19 when they travel to Centenary College.
 
The College of New Jersey 26, #17 Roger Williams University 19
125         Nick Barbaria (RWU) over Dan Ortega (TCNJ) Dec 10-8                     Roger Williams leads 3-0
133         Jason Jacobi (RWU) over James Goldschmidt (TCNJ) DQ                  Roger Williams leads 9-0
141         Robert Dinger (TCNJ) over Nick Wagner (RWU) Fall 1:45                  Roger Williams leads 9-6
149         Justin Cochran (RWU) over Eric Friedman (TCNJ) Maj 8-0                Roger Williams leads 13-6
157         JT Beirne (TCNJ) over Tyler Gazaway (RWU) SV-1 3-1                        Roger Williams leads 13-9
165         Taylor Shay (RWU) over Dominic Fano (TCNJ) Dec 8-5                       Roger Williams leads 16-9
174         Daniel Kilroy (TCNJ) over Peter Hilburn (RWU) Fall 6:15                    Roger Williams leads 16-15
184         Brett Leonard (RWU) over Thom Anderson (TCNJ) Dec 3-0             Roger Williams leads 19-15
197         Patrick Schinder (TCNJ) over Connor Humphries (RWU) Fall 3:42  TCNJ leads 21-19
285         Kyle Cocozza (TCNJ) over Adam Patsun (RWU) Fall 4:09                    TCNJ wins 27-19
Lions assessed one team point deduction for misconduct.            
 
#11 Messiah College 26, The College of New Jersey 15
125         Dan Ortega (TCNJ) over Sean Redington (MESS) Dec 6-4                                  TCNJ leads 3-0
133         Jake Giordano (TCNJ) over Ka`au Estrella (MESS) Fall 3:59                               TCNJ leads 9-0
141         Robert Dinger (TCNJ) over Nick Nunez (MESS) Dec 4-0                                     TCNJ leads 12-0
149         Stephen Maloney (MESS) over Eric Friedman (TCNJ) Fall 2:17                        TCNJ leads 12-6
157         Kevin Edwards (MESS) over JT Beirne (TCNJ) Dec 10-7                                       TCNJ leads 12-9
165         Jeff Hojnacki (MESS) over Dominic Fano (TCNJ) Dec 8-5                                   Tied 12-12
174         Ben Swarr (MESS) over Daniel Kilroy (TCNJ) TF 15-0                                           Messiah leads 17-12
184         Victor DeFrance (MESS) over Thom Anderson (TCNJ) Dec 6-1                        Messiah leads 20-12
197         Kyle Koser (MESS) over Patrick Schinder (TCNJ) Fall 1:38                                  Messiah leads 26-12
285         Kyle Cocozza (TCNJ) over Jared Schell (MESS) Dec 6-0                                       Messiah wins 26-15