SALEM, Va./CHARLESTON, S.C. — App State Wrestling opened its 2024-25 schedule over the weekend with 27 wrestlers in action across two tournaments, highlighted by Luke Uliano’s individual title at the Southeast Open in Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Tomas Brooker’s runner-up finish at the Battle at The Citadel in South Carolina led the Mountaineers on Sunday, Nov. 3.
SOUTHEAST OPEN
Uliano captured the title at 174 pounds on Saturday in Salem, going 4-0 in his bracket and claiming a 7-1 decision against Morgan State’s Darrien Roberts in the final.
Uliano won a tournament title for the second time, pairing this one with his 2023 title at the Appalachian Open.
In a semifinal match with four reversals, a conceded escape to Uliano to open the third period was the difference in a 5-4 win against North Carolina’s Isaiah Estrada. He won his first two matches in the Open Division by major decision.
The other top results from App State’s six entries in Salem, Va., were runner-up finishes from Carson Floyd (197 pounds, Open Division) and true freshman Stephan Monchery (heavyweight, Freshman/Sophomore Division). Chad Bellis dropped his first match but took fifth at 133 pounds with a 5-1 record, while Jeremiah Price was fifth at 157 pounds with a 5-2 record.
Floyd overcame a 9-3 deficit entering the third period against West Virginia’s Rune Lawrence in the semifinal round, forcing overtime on takedowns with 50 seconds left and seven seconds left, then advanced via a medical forfeit. Virginia Tech’s Sonny Sasso won the final by fall.
Monchery won his first collegiate match by fall and advanced to the final of his bracket with a 5-1 decision.
Bellis’ last two wins came against 2024 SoCon semifinalists Blake Boarman of Chattanooga (17-7 major decision) and Dyson Dunham of VMI (5-2 decision).
BATTLE AT THE CITADEL
Brooker went 2-0 with a head-to-head win against teammate Dalton Battle in a 184-pound semifinal before falling 4-2 in the final against The Citadel’s Billy Janzer, who was an NCAA qualifier for Rutgers in 2020 and 2021. Janzer recorded a tiebreaking takedown with 33 seconds left.
The Mountaineers got third-place finishes from true freshman Jarvis Little (4-1 at 133 pounds), Aldo Hernandez (3-1 at 141 pounds) and Logan Eller (3-1 at 184 pounds), while Anthony Conetta placed fourth at 157 pounds with a 3-2 record.
The 2024-25 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station.
