Navy Wrestling Shows Improvement in Early Season
Navy wrestling gained valuable insights during its opening weekend, facing No. 21 Pittsburgh and hosting the annual Navy Classic. Coach Cary Kolat assessed the team's progress compared to last season.
Dual Meet Against Pittsburgh
On Saturday, Navy lost 20-12 to Pittsburgh, a team ranked 21st in the National Wrestling Coaches Association preseason poll and returning most of its starters. Despite the loss, Kolat noted a significant improvement from last season's 35-3 defeat to the Panthers.
“It comes down to who is ready to perform when the season starts. We eased in last year and it was a wake-up call. We started to perform better as the season went on,”
— Coach Cary Kolat
Performance at the Navy Classic
On Sunday, Navy placed third out of 10 teams at the 47th annual Navy Classic, competing against strong teams including Pittsburgh and Nebraska, ranked second in the preseason poll. Navy itself is in the "others receiving votes" section of the Top 25 rankings.
Team Composition and Challenges
The team features a mix of youth and experience, with three juniors, two seniors, three plebes, and two sophomores in the lineup. A major challenge is filling the 141-pound spot left by All-American Josh Koderhandt, who ranks 13th in program history with 106 career wins.
Summary: Navy wrestling demonstrates clear progress early in the season with competitive performances and a balanced team, aiming to build on this momentum under Coach Kolat's leadership.