NCAA Wrestling Championships: 7 Long Islanders set to compete for national titles
Cornell wrestler Vito Arujau, right, wrestles Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, left, in the 133 lbs. finals match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
The 94th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships begin Thursday morning at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Seven wrestlers with Long Island ties hope to land on the podium with a top-eight finish on Saturday.
Vito Arujau, Cornell
High school: Syosset
Weight: 133
Year: Senior
Record: 13-2
Seed: No. 6
Arujau is the reigning national champion, becoming Long Island’s 15th Division I champion, and a three-time All-American. He's also the reigning freestyle world champion at 61 kilograms. Injuries have plagued Arujau throughout the season and have knocked him down to the sixth seed.
Anthony D'Alesio, LIU
High school: Canfield (Ohio)
Weight: 184
Year: Sophomore
Record: 19-12
Seed: No. 32
D’Alesio is LIU’s first NCAA qualifier since the Sharks became a Division I program prior to the 2019-20 season. The transfer from West Virginia finished seventh in the EIWA Championships.
Max Gallagher, Penn
High school: Bayport-Blue Point
Weight: 125
Year: Freshman
Record: 20-8
Seed: No. 27
After winning a state title as high school junior in 2022, Gallagher missed his entire senior season with a leg injury. Now at Penn, the freshman finished fifth at the EIWA Championships.
Keaton Kluever, Hofstra
High school: Kaukauna (Minnesota)
Weight: 285
Year: Graduate student
Record: 15-5
Seed: No. 24
The graduate student is heading to the tournament in his first year at Hofstra after transferring from Minnesota. He placed eighth at the EIWA Championships.
Tony Negron, Arizona State
High school: North Babylon
Weight: 184
Year: Senior
Record: 13-9
Seed: No. 31
Negron was a runner-up at the Pac-12 Championship and will wrestle in his last collegiate tournament ever. The Penn State transfer said people are “probably overlooking” him before he opens the tournament against second-seeded Isaiah Salazar, which should work in his favor.
Jacori Teemer, Arizona State
High school: Long Beach
Weight: 157
Year: Senior
Record: 21-3
Seed: No. 2
The two-time All-American and four-time Pac-12 champion was derailed by an injury and did not compete last season. Long Island’s first five-time state champion has earned the second seed.
Jordan Titus, West Virginia
High school: Center Moriches
Weight: 141
Year: Sophomore
Record: 24-4
Seed: No. 13
The most decorated wrestler in Center Moriches history after winning two state titles is heading to his second straight NCAA Tournament. He placed sixth at the Big 12 Championship.