With a new assistant coach, 10 incoming first-years and an onslaught of pre-season injuries, December and January will be a crucial time for members of the wrestling team to adapt to different roles and an evolving team dynamic.
With two tournaments already under their belts, the Bears will compete in two additional tournaments and a series of dual meets to tune up for Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association action beginning in February.
On Nov. 12 Brown finished seventh out of eight teams at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Tournament in Brockport, N.Y. Three of the Bears boasted standout individual performances: co-captain Shawn Kitchner '07 led the team by placing second in the 165-pound weight class, Levon Mock '08 placed fourth in the heavyweight division and Mark Savino '08 finished fifth in the 141-pound class.
Brown brought home another seventh-place finish at the Keystone Classic, which was held in Philadelphia on Nov. 21. Five wrestlers had top-six finishes in the 10-team tournament, with Mock and Larry Otsuka '10 placing fourth in the 285-pound and 197-pound weight classes, respectively.
These matches are just two on the Bears' grueling schedule - 13 of their 18 competitions will pit them against top-25 ranked opponents. But despite the team's lackluster performances in its first two events of the season, Head Coach Dave Amato was pleased with his wrestlers' efforts.
"I'm not looking for how high the team places, I'm looking for improvement," he said. "And our team definitely wrestled better in the second tournament."
Savino agreed that although the Bears' finishes were lower than they had hoped, the pre-season matches were positive experiences. "These tournaments were important (because) they give us a good idea of where everyone stands and what we need to work on," he said.
With such a young team, Brown will need to rely on its first-years. The first two tournaments saw encouraging performances by the first-years, who Savino said wrestled "particularly well."
"In the past it's been hard for us to keep guys; we usually lose at least one or two right off the bat," Savino said. "But the incoming freshmen this year are hanging in there and they're handling the tough transition (to college wrestling) well."
The wrestling team has already been hindered by a slew of injuries since the onset of preseason workouts. Two of the team's leaders, Nathan Myers '07 and captain David Saadeh '07, as well as several other players, are out with injuries.
In a sport that is plagued by injuries, Savino said he and his teammates have learned to cope.
"Guys are out hurt all the time and that's tough to overcome, but with the depth on our team we have an advantage," he said.
Larry Otsuka '10 will compete in the 197-pound class alongside Leo Saniuk '08. Greg Einfrank '10 will step in for the injured Myers in the 125-pound class. Steve DeLorenzo '10 will push Savino in the 141-pound class.
The Bears are set at one position, though. Jeff Schell '08, the 2005-06 Second-Team All Ivy Selection and former NCAA tournament qualifier, returns in the 133-pound class.
Besides the 10 first-years, the Bears will welcome another new face to the wrestling room this season: Assistant Coach Shawn Charles. Charles comes to Brown after serving time at some of the nation's best programs, including the University of Nebraska, Oklahoma University and Fresno State University.
As the first four-time All-American in Arizona State University history, Charles brings a vast amount of experience with him to College Hill. Savino said Charles' energy and enthusiasm will help the Bears to "make some serious turnarounds."
"He brings a whole new dynamic to the team," Savino said. "He's great at inspiring the guys."
Amato agreed, saying, "Shawn is fantastic. He has a great amount of knowledge and the guys all really respect him."
The Bears will test their newly bolstered coaching staff and battered lineup once more on Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas Invitational. Twenty teams will participate, including wrestling powerhouses the University of Michigan, the University of Iowa and Nebraska.
Savino said the team's goal is to make it to the second day of the tournament so they can put themselves in a position to place in the event.
Besides improving from their first two tournaments, Amato said the Bears are out to prove themselves in a series of matches against nationally ranked opponents.
"We seek out the toughest competition because that is the only way we will improve," he said.
