Mar 22, 2025 2 min read

Pitt’s Luca Augustine and Dayton Pitzer finished one victory shy of earning a spot on the podium and All-American status in the NCAA Division I Individual Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia.

Augustine, a Waynesburg Central graduate, dropped a 7-6 decision to Iowa’s Patrick Kennedy in the 174-pound weight class, while Pitzer, who graduated from Mount Pleasant, suffered a 5-1 setback to another Hawkeye in Ben Kueter at 285 on Friday night in the “blood round.”

Augustine (23-11) dropped his first match, 5-0, before rallying off three straight victories to reach the “blood round.” He earned an 11-2 major decision over Maryland’s Branson John before edging Stanford’s Lorenzo Norman, 4-3. Augustine downed Army’s Dalton Harkins with a 4-1 decision in sudden victory.

Pitzer (20-7) advanced to the round of 16 following a 6-2 decision, but lost, 5-2, to ACC rival Isaac Tremble of North Carolina State to fall into the wrestlebacks in the afternoon session Friday.

Pitzer won by major decision, 9-0, over South Dakota State’s Luke Rasmussen and pinned Cal Poly’s Trevor Tinker in 3:51 to set up the match with Kueter.

Lock Haven’s Wyatt Henson lost by technical fall to Nebraska’s Brock Hardy, the No. 1 seed, in the round of 16 at 141. The Waynesburg Central graduate dropped a 5-2 decision to Rutgers’ Joseph Olivieri to finish his season at 28-8.

Virginia Tech’s Mac Church finished his season 16-16 after losing by major decision, 10-1, to Illinois’ Braeden Scoles at 165. The Waynesburg Central graduate defeated Little Rock’s Joseph Bianchi by major decision, 12-4, in his first consolation match.