LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven men’s wrestling team finished the 2022-23 year with a record of 8-7. The Bald Eagles won their second straight Mid-American Conference (MAC) title and had four wrestlers compete in the NCAA Division I Championships.
“We had a really tough schedule coming out, wrestling some good teams, including top-ranked Penn State and some other top 10 programs,” Lock Haven head coach Scott Moore said. “I knew it was going to be challenging. Our record doesn’t really indicate the success that we had. But that allowed us to really advance and develop throughout the season to get ready for the MAC. We have a lot of our guys returning and a ton of talent in the room. The sky’s the limit and we’re excited to see if we can win another Mac title this year and have some more All-Americans at the NCAA.”
Anthony Noto returns for his third year at Lock Haven. The Bald Eagle finished the 2022-23 year with a record of 34-4 bringing his overall record to 65-7. Noto also won his second straight individual MAC title, becoming the first two-time MAC champ in Lock Haven history. Noto also competed in the NCAA Division I Championships where he earned All-American honors.
“[Noto’s] currently ranked second, which is awesome for the program and him,” Moore said. “The goals are pretty high as a program this year. We want to be a top 20 program at the NCAA. It will take a lot of dedication. I really believe we can compete for an individual National Championship at a couple of weights.”
At 133, Gable Strickland will look to earn another MAC title after winning the previous year. The junior wrestler competed in the NCAA Championships and will look to fight his way back.
At 174, Tyler Stoltzfus made his NCAA debut last year after a third-place finish at the MAC tournament. Stoltzfus finished last year with a 32-12 record, while also recording 13 pins.
“He’s still coming off of recovery from an injury from last year,” Moore said. “He had a good season placing third in the MAC. He’s got a good style for the college scene. The goal for him is to improve, develop, make some changes from last year, and win more close matches.”
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Bald Eagles will look to win their third straight MAC title after being ranked No. 1 in pre-season rankings.
The 2023 MAC Wrestling Pre-Season Team Scores and Weight Class Predictions, provided by WrestleStat. 🤼♂️#MACtion pic.twitter.com/psz10ns3Fe
— #MACtion (@MACSports) November 1, 2023
“We have a ton of guys that are poisoned and ready to win a MAC Championship but we need to get through the season first,” Moore mentioned.
UP NEXT:
The Bald Eagles open the season on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Princeton Open. Watch live on ESPN+.
