Buffalo Wrestling Announces 2009-10 Newcomers

12 grapplers slated to join program

BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo head wrestling coach Jim Beichner has announced the addition of 12 student-athletes from New York, Michigan, Illinois and Massachusetts who will join the program for the upcoming 2009-10 season. The newcomers combine for over 2,100 high school wins and 24 top-three finishes in their respective state tournaments including three high school All-Americans from three different states.

Coach Frank Beasley

At 125, the Bulls signed Sean Walton (Palmyra, NY/Palmyra Macedon) and Matt Watson (Hastings, MI/Hastings). A three-time state qualifier, Walton finished in third place in 2007 and 2008 at the New York State Championships while finishing second in his senior year. He also was a NHSCA High School All-American as a senior. Watson is a four-time state qualifier, who continually improved in his placements at each of the Michigan State Championships including a second-place finish in 2009.

Looking to compete at either 125 or 133 is four-time state qualifier and three-time top-three finisher Justin Farmer (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central). He finished 16th overall at 130 in the final rankings of the 2008-2009 nation’s best high school senior wrestlers by Wrestling USA Magazine and was a NHSCA High School All-American as a senior.

Joining the Bulls from northern New York is 133-pounder Shawn Brown (De Kalb Junction, NY/Canton), a six-time state qualifier and second-place finisher at the 2008 New York State Championship.

Earning Outstanding Wrestler with a perfect 14-0 tournament finish at the 2009 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa is 141-pounder Andrew Schutt (Greenwood Township, MI/Yale). A two-time Disney Duals National All-American and five-time AAU Junior Olympics All-American, Schutt recorded four top-three finishes at the Michigan State Championships. After placing at the 2009 NHSCA Senior National Championships, he earned honorable mention in the Wrestling USA Magazine high school national rankings.

The Bulls will have two New York State natives looking to compete at either 141 or 149. First is Josh Micek (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove), a three-time state qualifier with a personal best second-place state championship finish in 2008. Second is 145-pound 2009 New York State champion and two-time state finalist Brian Sewalt (Waverly, NY/Waverly). In the final national rankings by Wrestling USA Magazine, Sewalt ranked 16th at 145. Also joining the Bulls at 141 is three-time state qualifier Nate Skiba (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore, West).

Looking to compete at 157 is the 17th nationally-ranked wrestler at 152 by Wrestling USA Magazine, Kenny Betts (Cassadaga, NY/Fredonia). In five appearances at the state championships, he captured two state championships in 2007 and 2009 and two runner-up finishes. He joins the Bulls as the winningest New York State wrestler (269) and runner-up in all-time pins (186). Nationally, he finished his high school career at Fredonia fifth for all-time most career wins and fourth for all-time most career pins.

Coach Jim Beichner

With two years of eligibility remaining, transfer Brian Sheehan (Lowell, MA/University of Massachusetts-Lowell) will wrestle at either 165 or 174. At 163, he reached the mini tournament of the 2009 US Freestyle Nationals, which serves as the US Senior World Team Trials quailifer, facing a field of nationally top-ten ranked wrestlers including Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State, Bryce Saddoris of Navy, Moza Fay of Northern Iowa and Matt Moley of Bloomsburg. In high school, he was a two-time New England champion and four-time Massachusetts State champion. As a senior, he was named to the 2006 Wrestling USA Magazine's All-America team.

At 174, New York State qualifier Pat Brady (Carthage, NY/Carthage) joins the Bulls. Rounding out the 2009 class is Jeff Miller (Thornwood, NY/Westlake), a state qualifier who will look to compete at 184.

Approximately three-quarters of the 2009 class hail from New York State, which will serve as their identity. According to assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Frank Beasley, the program desired to sign the best talent in New York State. “We want to keep the best New York wrestlers in state, while also adding some of the top out-of-state wrestlers in the country. This year is no different as we are bringing in eight of New York’s best seniors while adding wrestlers from Michigan, Illinois and Massachusetts,” said Beasley.

“This class is coach Beasley’s first full class as the recruiting coordinator at the University at Buffalo,” said Beichner. “I am very pleased to welcome a very talented and hard-working class. Our goal at the beginning of the recruiting cycle was to add depth and talent to our very young team. We have added 12 student-athletes across 7 of the 10 weight classes.”

Beasley added, “The incoming freshman are hungry and eager to compete. I would expect a couple of these young men to be ready to step right into the line-up and compete on a national level. The recruiting class is not only talented on the mat but also in the classroom. One thing that really sticks out about this class is they all have high moral character. With this strong recruiting class and a good young team returning, I expect our team to make big improvements this season”.

2009-10 UB Wrestling Recruiting Class

Kenny Betts
From Cassadaga, NY... 269-34 overall high school record... 57-3 as a senior at 152 pounds... Four-time team captain... Five-time New York State qualifier... Four-time New York State finalist... Two-time New York State runner-up... Two-time New York State champion... Fifth place in the country for all time career high school wins (269)... Fourth place in the country for all time high school career pins (186)... First place in all-time wins in New York... Second-place in all-time pins in New York.

Pat Brady
From Carthage, NY... 125-30 overall high school record... 40-6 as a senior at 160 pounds... Three-time team captain... One-time New York State qualifier.

Shawn Brown
From De Kalb Junction, NY... 171-45 overall high school record... 38-5 as a senior at 125 pounds... Four-time team captain... Six-time New York State qualifier... 2008 New York State Championship runner-up.

Justin Farmer
From New Lenox, IL... 148-17 overall high school record... 24-2 as a senior at 130 pounds... Two-time team captain... Third-place finish at Illinois State Championships in 2007 and 2009... Second-place finish at 2008 Illinois State Championship... Finished in eighth-place at NHSCA Senior Nationals as an All-American.

Josh Micek
From Bemus Point, NY... 184-39 overall high school record... 40-3 as a senior at 145 pounds... Three-time team captain... Three-time New York State qualifier... 2008 New York State Championship runner-up... Fifth-place finish at 2009 New York State Championship... Sixth-place finish at 6th at NHSCA Open Nationals as a sophomore... Third-place finish at 2008 NHSCA Open Nationals.

Jeff Miller
From Thornwood, NY... 93-41 overall high school record... 33-7 as a senior at 189 pounds... One-time team captain... One-time New York State qualifier.

Andrew Schutt
From Greenwood Township, MI... 221-18 overall high school record... 54-2 as a senior at 135 pounds... Two-time team captain... Four-time Michigan State Championships top-three finisher... Third-place finish in 2006, 2007 and 2009... First-place finish in 2008... 2009 Yale High School Outstanding Athlete of the Year... Finished 14-0 overall and named Outstanding Wrestler at 2009 AAU Junior Olympic Games... Two-time All-American (silver and bronze) at Disney Duals... Five-time AAU Junior Olympics All-American (two gold, a silver and two bronze)... Finished in seventh-place at NHSCA Senior Nationals as an All-American.

Brian Sewalt
From Waverly, NY... 188-32 overall high school record... 43-3 as a senior at 145 pounds... 2009 New York State champion... 2008 New York State Championship runner-up... Second-place finish at 2008 PowerAde Tournament voted the toughest tournament in Pennsylvania and fourth best in the nation according to WrestlingReport.com.

Brian Sheehan
From Lowell, MA... Arriving from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with two years of eligibility remaining... Reached the mini tournament of the 2009 US Freestyle Nationals at 163 pounds, which serve as the US Senior World Team Trials qualifier. In high school... 187-6 overall high school record... Named to 2006 Wrestling USA Magazine's All-America team... Two-time New England champion... Three-time Massachusetts All-State champion... Four-time Massachusetts State champion.

Nate Skiba
From Kenmore, NY... 171-32 overall high school record... 37-4 as a senior at 140 pounds... Three-time team captain... Three-time New York State qualifier.

Sean Walton
From Palmyra, NY... 232-34 overall high school record... 46-2 as a senior at 125 pounds... Two-time captain... Three-time New York State qualifier...Third-place finish at 2007 and 2008 New York State Championships... Second-place finish at 2009 New York State Championship... Finished in eighth-place at NHSCA Senior Nationals as an All-American.

Matt Watson
From Hastings, MI... 162-31 overall high school record... 36-4 as a senior at 125 pounds... Two-time team captain... Four-time Michigan State qualifier... Eighth-place finish at 2007 Michigan State Championship... Third-place finish at 2008 Michigan State Championship... Second-place finish at 2009 Michigan State Championship.