Fast Start Propels No. 19 WVU Wrestling Past Rider

A 20-point cushion through four matches helped the No. 19 ranked WVU wrestling team a take down Rider 31-9 on Thursday night for the Mountaineers’ second consecutive win to begin the 2024 campaign.

The victory marked the Mountaineers’ third win over the Broncs since the series began in 2000, while also avenging a 28-6 loss the last time the two teams met in 2017.

West Virginia used two pins and two technical falls to score its highest-ever team point total and largest margin of victory in four matchups against Rider.

Jace Schafer kicked off the match by defeating Will Betancourt 1-0 at 125 pounds.

⛰️ No. 19 WVU vs. Rider ⛰️

133 | Sr., No. 22 Jett Strickenberger pins Michael Campanaro (RU) in 4:31.

Team Score: WVU 9 | RU 0#HailWV pic.twitter.com/5LXsdQhRaU

— WVU Wrestling (@WVUWrestling) November 15, 2024

No. 22 Jett Strickenberger and No. 15 Jordan Titus both followed with pinfall victories at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, before No. 3 Ty Watters scored a 16-1 technical fall win over No. 24 Sammy Alvarez at 149 to put the Mountaineers ahead 20-0.

Rider’s Colton Washleski got the Broncs on the board by defeating Caleb Dowling 7-3 at 157. No. 4 Peyton Hall beat Enrique Munguia via technical fall 22-7 at 165 to increase West Virginia’s lead to 25-3.

The Broncs tallied back-to-back wins at 174 and 184 for its final points of the match. Rider’s Michael Wilson defeated No. 24 Brody Conley 11-5 in Conley’s season debut after missing the opener against Glenville State due to injury. Isaac Dean then beat West Virginia’s Ian Bush 4-2, giving Bush his second straight dual meet loss to begin the year.

Michael Wolfgram closed the match for West Virginia by defeating Collin French 7-6 in the heavyweight bout.

Hall and Watters will compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic at Penn State University on Saturday. The Mountaineers will be back in action Nov. 22 when West Virginia visits Appalachian State.

For a related story, the WVU wrestling program added several recruits to their 2025 class.