Providence, RI --- Tanner Thatcher (Blairstown, NJ) and Joseph Tully (Carver, MA) both were a perfect 4-0 on the day as the WPI wrestling team competed in the 2024 New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Dual Meet Championships contested at Johnson & Wales on Sunday.   The Engineers were 1-3 on the day to finished 12th in the 16-team event.
 
The eight-seeded Crimson and Gray began the day with a 29-17 setback to ninth-seeded Trinity before rebounding with a decisive 38-15 triumph off No. 16 Bridgewater State before falling to No. 13 Williams 27-16 and No. 14 New England College 27-19.
 
Thatcher improved to 22-3 on the season.  The 125-pounder began his day with a matchup of regionally-ranked wrestlers and the fifth-ranked Thatcher posted a 9-3 win by decision over seventh-ranked Bantam opponent.  The junior they delivered his 10th pin of the season with a fall with 13 seconds remaining in the first period against Bridgewater State, took a forfeit versus Williams and collected a 16-2 tech fall at 6:16 into his bout against New England College.
 
Tully, the reigning NEWA Rookie of the Week, continued his recent strong run.   The freshman, ranked fifth at 184 pounds, stunned the third-ranked wrestler from Williams with a first period pin at 2:19 and also recorded a first period fall (2:08) in his match versus New England College.  All four of Tully wins on the day result in bonus points as the 184-pounder collected 14-3 and 13-2 major decisions in bouts against Trinity and Bridgewater State.  The rookie, who was selected to the NEWA Dual Meet Championship All-Tournament Team, is 17-6 overall with nine pins and six major decisions.   
 
Connor Doran (Gales Ferry, CT) tallied a big win in the match with Trinity.  The 149-pounder record a pin at 4:03 against the third-ranked wrestler at 141 pounds who was stepping up a weight class.   It was Doran's first fall of the season.   Ethan Wilson (Braintree, MA) provided the Engineers a second win in the weight class when he pinned his 149-pound opponent in the contest with Bridgewater State.
 
Ryan Hsu (Norwood, MA) had a stellar day at 165 pounds, emerging victorious in three of his four bouts with his only loss coming to the third-ranked Williams grappler.  The junior amassed three different bonus point victories Sunday, featuring a first period pin versus Bridgewater State, a 16-1 tech fall (3:35) against New England College and a 11-3 major decision versus Trinity.
 
Zachary Rioux (Nashua, NH) was also a multiple winner for the Crimson and Gray.  The 157-pounder registered a 12-4 major decision against Williams and followed-up by grinding out a 5-3 victory over his opponent from NEC.  Earlier at 157 pounds, Bud West (Concord, MA) had his hand raised in victory for the third time this season.
 
Other winners on the day for the Engineers included Mason Medina (Orlando, FL) and Ethan Edmondson (Milford, CT) collecting tech falls in the win over Bridgewater State.  Medina posted a 16-0 shutout at 5:00 at 141 pounds and Edmondson needed the full seven minutes to claim the five team points with a 20-5 victory.
 
WPI returns home for a quad meet on Saturday beginning at 11am in the Sports & Recreation Center.  The Engineers will be entertaining Brockport (NY), Southern Maine and New England College.
 
Trinity 29, WPI 17
 
WPI 38, Bridgewater State 15
 
Williams 27, Williams 16
 
New England College 27, WPI 19