Evan Whiteside is on a roll.

The Gateway graduate and 125-pound starter in the Thiel College wrestling lineup is enjoying a breakout first collegiate season. He hopes the momentum built throughout the season, including the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title won Feb. 12, will lead him to big things at Friday and Saturday’s NCAA Division III Southeast Regional at Lycoming College in Williamsport.

“I feel pretty good right now,” Whiteside said.

“After winning the PAC title, my confidence is all there. My body feels good, and I am ready to wrestle whoever steps in front of me at regionals.”

Whiteside is 17-3 overall and hasn’t lost since the quarterfinals of the Rochester Institute of Technology tournament Dec. 4.

He came back in the consolation bracket and produced four pins to claim third place.

“That loss left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I did whatever I could to fix my mistakes,” Whiteside said.

“I knew I needed to keep my head up because I still had a long day ahead of me. I just wrestled right through, and I was able to get back on track. I just hate to lose.”

Of his 17 victories this season, 13 have come by pin.

“After that match (at RIT), Evan told me, ‘Coach, I am not losing again,’” Thiel coach Craig Thurber said.

“I wasn’t sure if he meant that day or the rest of the season. But that loss lit a fire under him, and he rolled through the consolation bracket to take third. He’s been on a mission since then.”

Whiteside’s two wins at the PAC championships, a pair of pins in a combined 4 minutes, 16 seconds, earned him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler award.

He pinned Washington & Jefferson’s Emanuel Dovshek (3:36) in the finals.

Whiteside is he first Thiel wrestler to be named the PAC’s Most Outstanding Wrestler since the 2016 season.

“Evan is good everywhere on the mat,” Thurber said.

“He is really confident on his feet, and that confidence showed at PACs. I told Evan before his final match that Dovshek is pretty strong kid with some good upper-body stuff, and his first period is his best. I knew that if Evan could get through that first period, he would be in good shape. Manny came out and took Evan down pretty quick, and I saw Evan’s face change quickly. But Evan got into a few scrambles and kept after him. His conditioning is so good, and that helped him win that match.

“Evan has a tough weight class at regionals, but nobody works as hard as he does. He has the confidence, strength and technique to keep it going, no matter who he faces there.”

Whiteside hoped the 2020-21 season would be the start of a promising collegiate career, but the covid pandemic forced the cancellation of the main season and limited he and his Tomcats teammates to a couple of scrimmage matches.

“Seeing Evan wrestle a couple of times last year, I was really excited for his future,” Thurber said.

“His work ethic is unmatched, and he, like a lot of the guys we have, really bought into what we are teaching here. He put his trust into what we are doing, and he’s worked his butt off.

“Evan is such a confident kid, and with him leading off the dual meets, he knows what he needs to do to get us started. He gets the energy and momentum going for us.”

Whiteside said work in the practice room with fellow sophomore standout Hunter Thompson, a Titusville grad, has helped elevate his abilities.

Thompson won the 133-pound PAC title Feb. 12, and he will join Whiteside at this weekend’s regional championships.

“Hunter is the man,” Whiteside said. “When I am having a problem, he helps me work through it and fix everything. He’s been there all season for me, and he pushes me to my limits. I couldn’t be more thankful for him.”

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