AT PITT
2024-25 (133): Went 2-4 before being sidelined with an injury for the remainder of the season … Opened the season with a 16-2 technical fall win over Hunter Heflin of Navy … Picked up another major decision victory over D’Amani Almodovar in Pitt’s dual against Rider.
2023-24: Finally debuted in a Pitt singlet and produced a strong freshman campaign ... finished with a 16-15 record while competing against one of the toughest schedules in the country ... was named the first alternate at 133 pounds for the NCAA Championships in Kansas City ... during the season, wrestled against all of the eventual top-four finishers and six of the eight All-Americans at NCAAs in his weight class ... finished fourth at the ACC Championship ... was excellent in open tournaments, winning the Franklin & Marshall Open and placing second at the Clarion Open ... defeated No. 8 Nic Bouzakis of Ohio State at Clarion and No. 17 Braxton Brown of Maryland at F&M to highlight those runs ... won with bonus points five times, including three pins ... named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
2022-23: Did not compete and redshirted while rehabbing from injury.
BEFORE TCNJ: State champion and four-time state place-winner at Brick Memorial High School ... Became Brick Memorial's first four-time state medalist at the 2021 NJSIAA Wrestling Championships ... Also state runner-up in 2020 and third-place in 2019 ... Three-time regional champion ... Helped lead Mustangs to state sectional championship in 2020 ... Went 131-10 in his prep career with three section titles and three regional titles ... Shore Thing Wrestling Club member
WHY TCNJ? The academics, athletics, and location.
PERSONAL: Birthday is February 24 ... Parents are Vinnie and Christina Santaniello ... Siblings are Samantha and Anthony ... Father was a collegiate wrestler, and brother wrestles at Pitt ... In 2021, the Santaniellos became the first brothers in 25 years to win state titles in New Jersey in the same year ... Can play the ukulele ... Enjoys fishing and surfing ... Favorite athletes are Michael Jordan, George Saint-Pierre, and Ed Ruth
AWARDS AND HONORS
- All-ACC Academic Team (2024)
