PRINCETON, N.J. – The Columbia will open the 2024-25 season Sunday at the Princeton Open. Action from Princeton's Jadwin Gymnasium begins at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Streaming will be available Sunday through
ESPN+. Brackets will be available through FloArena by clicking
HERE.
COMPETING SUNDAY
Columbia will send 26 competitors to Princeton Sunday. Here's the list of Lions competing:
125 Pounds
Sulayman Bah
Connor Smith
133 Pounds
Boris Witmer
141 Pounds
Kai Owen
149 Pounds
Kenny Duschek
Richard Fedalen
Cooper Hornack
157 Pounds
Nick Campagna
Rawson Iwanicki
Jaden Le
Dominic Rossetti
Yanni Vines
Jake Wacha
165 Pounds
Cesar Alvan
Oliver Howard
174 Pounds
Jack McGill
Matt Romanelli
184 Pounds
Spencer Fine
197 Pounds
Jack Bernick
Nick Fine
Adam Haselius
Javen Jovero
Ike Schmidt
285 Pounds
Billy McChesney
Vincent Mueller
Richard Ryu
KEY RETURNERS
Columbia returns
Kai Owen (141) and
Cesar Alvan (165), who have both participated in the NCAA Championships during their Columbia career. Owen qualified for the 2024 NCAA Championships, while Alvan qualified for the 2023 NCAA Championships after taking last season off to focus on Olympic training.
Richard Fedalen returns after posting an eighth-place finish at 149 at the 2024 EIWA Championships. Fedalen will look to build on that success this season.
Nick Fine did not compete last season, but comes back this season to build on his success as a first-year and sophomore. Fine posted a 23-13 record as a rookie and earned a seventh-place finish at 174 at the 2022 EIWA Championships.
RANKED LIONS
Kai Owen,
Cesar Alvan and
Nick Fine each earned a ranking in the Intermat preseason poll ahead of Sunday's competition at the Princeton Open.
Kai Owen (141) – 26 (Intermat)
Cesar Alvan (165) – 26 (Intermat)
Nick Fine (184) – 32 (Intermat)
A NEW COACHING STAFF
Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Donny Pritzlaff took over as the leader of Columbia's wrestling program in June after spending the past 10 years as the associate head coach at Rutgers. Pritzlaff, a two-time national champion and world medalist, brings 22 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level to Morningside Heights. He was instrumental in the Scarlet Knights' rise to the top of the collegiate wrestling landscape.
Pritzlaff quickly put together an elite staff including 2024 Olympic Bronze Medalist Sebastian Rivera, Jeff Buxton and Greg Bulsak. All three assistant bring valuable experience to the Columbia staff.
UP NEXT
Columbia begins its dual season Friday, November 15 at Cleveland State. The Lions will finish the weekend trip with a dual against Michigan at 2 p.m. on November 17. Columbia hosts Indiana for its home opener on Thursday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Wrestling by following the Lions on X (@CULionsWR), Instagram (@culionswr) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
