Wrestling hosts Edinboro Open

Every year, the Edinboro Open is considered one of the hardest open tournaments college wrestling has to offer. The 2020 edition was no different as 41 teams and clubs competed in the Mike S. Zafirovski Sports and Recreation Dome on Saturday. 

The Fighting Scots came in 17th as a team, while junior Zach Ancewicz placed fifth and junior Jon Spaulding brought home a sixth place finish. The Finger Lakes RTC club team, comprised of Cornell University wrestlers, won the team title, with Lehigh University coming in second. 

Both Ancewicz and Spaulding suffered early defeats, sending them into the consolation brackets at 197 pounds and heavyweight, respectively. Ancewicz lost a 2-1 decision to Aaron Bolo, of Central Michigan University, to start his tournament, but then rattled off four consecutive wins to take fifth. Bolo would go on to take second place. 

Spaulding fell in a one-point opening round heartbreaker, 3-2, against Josh Heindselman of Oklahoma University. Heindselman also took second. 

Spaulding, who has been nationally ranked a few times this year, decided to compete to gain valuable mat time for the postseason. Head Coach Matt Hill believes this decision could pay off, with him losing that early match and then having to recover from the adversity. 

While the Edinboro Open is a very beneficial day of home wrestling for the team, the one-day tournament is actually much more than that for the program.

“This is a good fundraiser for our team where we are able to raise a good amount of money,” commented Hill. 

He also believes hosting an event like this is a great way to keep the wrestlers on their toes with the postseason approaching. “This time of the year, this is one of the tougher opens to go to and [for] our guys to get some matches versus some quality opponents.”

The Fighting Scots next take the mat today as they visit Lock Haven University for a Mid-American Conference (MAC) dual meet against the Bald Eagles. With four dual meets remaining on the schedule, Edinboro has a 9-7 record and currently sits in fourth place in the MAC East Division standings. 

RELATED ARTICLES