For the first time since the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships on March 15 and 16, the Ithaca College men’s wrestling team took to the mat at its 40th annual season-opening Bomber Invitational Nov. 1-2. Out of the 11 teams at the meet, the team saw itself in fourth place after day one with 46 points and concluded day two and the invitational in third place with 151.5 points.
The Bombers saw junior Konrad Parker win the 165 pound weight class bracket, securing the title through an 8-3 decision over sophomore Jack Richardson of Johnson & Wales University. The team also had strong performances from junior Isaias Torres and senior Jackson Gray, with the pair finishing runner-up in the 133 and 174 weight classes respectively.
Gray said the team’s depth was on full display to start the season with strong contributions from the first-year student class and the rest of the team.
“It’s very exciting,” Gray said. “I think we all did really well today. A lot of the freshmen showed up, but the whole team is really focused and ready to go.”
Some notable performances by the first-year student class include Tomah Gummow reaching the semifinals in the 125 pound weight class, Max Casiano advancing to the round of 16 in the 165 pound weight class and Christopher Reddy making the quarterfinals in the 174 pound weight class.
In the 2023 Bomber Invitational, the team finished fourth out of 11 with 116 points, casting six top-five finishes under the 133, 149, 157, 165 and 184 pound weight classes. Graduate student Matthew Bayer secured the lone win for the Bombers in the 149 pound weight class.
In 2024, Gray posted a 30–7 season, recording 12 falls, two tech falls and five major decisions on his way to an individual win at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship on March 1-2.
Gray said he felt in control on the mat in the first, following the team’s recent work in preparation for the season opener.
“I just felt pretty dominant today,” Gray said. “A lot of the stuff we’ve been working on in the wrestling room is working on everyone else. Everything went well and I think we’re gonna be doing pretty well this year.”
Gray said the Bomber Invitational is a great benchmark to assess the team’s potential as the season progresses.
“I think we have what it takes to do really well by the end of the season,” Gray said. “I think we’re gonna be able to pull through by the end of the season and hopefully be on top of the podium.”
The Bombers return to the mat 9 a.m. Nov. 10 at the Bob Del Rosa Ohio Intercollegiate Open in Cleveland, Ohio.
