7 Pitt wrestlers earn national ranking as NCAA tournament approaches
With only 19 days before the NCAA wrestling tournament opens at PPG Paints Arena, seven Pitt wrestlers are ranked among the top 33 by the Division I coaches panel.
Leading the way is Micky Phillippi of Derry, who is No. 5 (4 in the RPI) and 17-2 at 133 pounds.
Nino Bonaccorsi of Bethel Park is No. 9 (8 in the RPI) at 184 pounds with an 18-5 record. Mt. Lebanon graduate Kellan Stout (12-6) is No. 22 (but No. 12 in the RPI) at 197 pounds.
At 285 pounds, Demetriius Thomas (24-3) is No. 13 (11 in the RPI); Taleb Rahmani (15-5) is No. 11 (13 in the RPI) at 157; and Gregg Harvey (11-8) is No, 32 (25 in the RPI) at 174.
The ACC was awarded 37 automatic qualifiers from its conference tournament, which will hosted by Virginia Tech on March 9. The conference will qualify between two and five wrestlers at each weight class. Five will come from the 184-pound weight division.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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