STCC wrestling team wins 7th conference title
STCC Vice President of Student Affairs Darcey Kemp, seventh from right, cheered on the team at the conference championship match on March 2. She and her daughter join student wrestlers for a photo.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College’s wrestling team captured its seventh consecutive conference title on March 2.
STCC won first place at the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Northeast Conference Championship (NEC). The tournament was held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
STCC advanced to the 2024 NCWA National Championship in Shreveport, La., on March 14-16. The Rams placed 10th out of 90 competing colleges. Two student-wrestlers were named All-Americans: Justin Barr and Jalon Martori. Barr placed 4th and Martori placed 5th in the country.
Two students earned individual academic honors: Ryan Eplite and Mitchell Aarons.
STCC wrestling coach Alberto Nieves said he was proud of the team for putting in the work required to succeed.
It was great to be able to see our team in action. Congratulations to our coaches and student athletes on a fantastic season.Darcey Kemp, Vice President of Student Affairs at STCC
“We had a good season,” said Nieves, coordinator of Athletics and Fitness at STCC. “I was hoping we would finish in the top 10. I always go back to our motto, ‘Serious Training Creates Champions,’ or ‘STCC.’”
STCC Vice President of Student Affairs Darcey Kemp, who cheered on the team at the conference championship match on March 2, said, “It was great to be able to see our team in action. Congratulations to our coaches and student athletes on a fantastic season. Heading to nationals was well deserved. I'm thrilled that our students had this opportunity to compete at the national level."
Nieves noted the STCC wrestling team has won seven conference titles in a row since 2017. (There was no competition in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Arranged by order of their weight competition category, the following STCC students competed in the conference tournament on March 2:
- 125 pounds – Mark Zavatkay, Torrington, Conn., 1st place
- 125 pounds – Zachary McCloskey, Inverness, Fla., 4th place
- 133 pounds – Matthew Clayton, Plymouth, Mass., 1st place
- 133 pounds – Justin Muller, North Miami, Fla., 4th place
- 141 pounds – Spencer Miltimore, West Springfield, 1st place
- 149 pounds – Justin Barr, West Orange, N.J., 1st place
- 157 pounds – Robert Caulton-Jones, Springfield, Did Not Place (DNP)
- 165 pounds – Jolan Matori, Springfield, 1st place
- 165 pounds – Justin Perez, Holyoke, 2nd place
- 174 pounds – Xzander Chapman, Springfield, 3rd place
- 174 pounds – Mitchell Aarons, East Longmeadow, Wild card
- 184 pounds – Johnny Andre, Hightstown, N.J., 2nd place
- 197 pounds – Rohan Heron, Wilbraham, 6th place
- 197 pounds – Ryan Eplite, Wilbraham, Wild Card
- 285 pounds – Jacob Gariepy, Springfield, 3rd place
- 285 pounds – Shendell James, New Britain, Conn., 4th place
Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
About Springfield Technical Community College
STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu