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In 1987 former Hofstra wrestler and three-time
conference champion Tony Arena replaced Joe
Bavaro as head of the Hofstra Wrestling
program. In his two years at Hofstra, Arena led
the team to a 15-17-1 record.
Javier Armengau returned to his alma mater in
1989 to take over the Flying Dutchmen
program. Armengau wrestled under Gallo and
Bavaro and was a three-time captain. As coach
at Hofstra, Armengau guided wrestlers such as
Ralph Tubello to outstanding careers. The
1992-93 season saw Tubello break 100 career
wins and freshman Jason Wartinger become
Hofstra’s second first team freshman All-
American. (The first was Mike Hogan in 1977.)
Tom Ryan, a Long Island native and a two-time
All-American at Iowa, took over the reigns of
the program in 1995. Ryan has brought in fine
recruiting classes since his arrival and in 1997
was able to coach three wrestlers, Joe
Catalanotto, Ryan Edmundson and Mike
Quaglio, to NCAA Tournament berths.
Catalanotto won an automatic berth by winning
the 126-pound title at the ECWA
Championships, while Quaglio and Edmundson
were at-large selections. In 1998 the Dutchmen
were again well represented at the NCAA
Championships. Sophomore Eric Schmiesing
and senior Russell Jones both received at-large
bids, while junior James Hieronymous and
senior Mike Quaglio received automatic bids as
ECWA Champions. Hofstra finished the year
ranked 24th in the NCAA dual meet rankings.
In 1999 Hofstra Wrestling reached new heights.
Hofstra placed second at the ECWA
Championships and crowned five individual
champions who would represent the conference
at the NCAA Championships. Roman Fleszar,
Jason DeBruin, Eric Schmiesing and Zach
Miller won four out of the first five weight
classes, and a victory by Russell Jones gave
the Flying Dutchmen their five champions.
Roman Fleszar and Eric Schmiesing advanced
to the quarterfinals at the NCAA
Championships, lifting the Flying Dutchmen to
a 26th-place finish out of the 79 competing
54
institutions. Jason
DeBruin was also
named New York
State Freshman of
the Year after
compiling a 43-8
record.
Hofstra met and
surpassed its 1999
accomplishments in 2000. The Pride crowned
four ECWA Champions, Fleszar, Schmiesing,
DeBruin and Rob Anspach, and sent six
wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament. Fleszar and
Schmiesing each placed at their respective
weight classes, becoming Hofstra’s first All-
American wrestlers since 1985. As a team,
Hofstra placed 21 out of 73 teams. The Pride
also won the New York State Championship for
the second time in three years.
2001 saw Hofstra win its ninth ECWA
Championship and first since 1983, and sent a
then school-record seven wrestlers (Tom Noto,
Roman Fleszar, Eric Schmiesing, Dennis
Papadatos, Jason DeBruin, Noel Thompson and
Rob Anspach) to the NCAA Tournament. Fleszar
and Schmiesing repeated as All-Americans and
the team placed 22nd overall at the NCAA. On
the year, Hofstra finished ranked 15th in the
nation. Tom Ryan was named ECWA Coach of
the Year for the second straight year. The 2000-
2001 season also marked the final season of
the ECWA, as the league merged with the
Colonial Athletic Association beginning with the
2001-2002 season. The Pride won the Colonial
Athletic Association title in 2002 and sent seven
wrestlers (Tom Noto, Jon Masa, Jason DeBruin,
Paul Siemon, John Garriques, Ralph Everett
and Chris Skretkowicz) to the NCAA
Tournament for the second consecutive year.
Noto, Masa and DeBruin each won individual
championships at the CAA Tournament with
DeBruin, the tournament’s most outstanding
wrestler, becoming Hofstra’s first four-time
conference champion. Skretkowicz was named
the CAA Rookie of the Year, while Tom Ryan
was the CAA Co-Coach of the Year.
Hofstra’s seven 2001 NCAA Qualifiers
The 2002-2003 season once
again saw Hofstra surpass
the achievements of the last
season as the team won the
Colonial Athletic Association
Championship for the
second straight year, sent a
school-record eight
wrestlers (Pat Flynn, Ricky
LaForge, Jon Masa, Mike
Patrovich, Noel Thompson,
Ralph Everett, Brad Christie and Chris
Skretkowicz) to the NCAA Championships, and
saw Masa and Skretkowicz come home All-
Americans. In addition, LaForge was the CAA
Championships co-Most Outstanding Wrestler
and Tom Ryan won his fourth consecutive
conference coach of the year award.
Last year, the Pride continued their winning
ways with a 15-5 record in duals, extended
their conference match winning streak to 34 by
posting an 8-0 conference dual record,
captured their third consecutive CAA
Championship and in the process had four
champions and tied the school mark by sending
eight wrestlers (Tom Noto, John Manarte,
James Strouse, Paul Siemon, Ralph Everett,
Noel Thompson, Brad Christie, and Chris
Skretkowicz) to the NCAA Championships in St.
Louis. Skretkowicz, who was the CAA Wrestler
of the Year, placed fifth to capture his second
All-American award as Hofstra finished 20th in
the final NCAA Championship standings. Coach
Tom Ryan added his fifth straight conference
Coach of the Year award to his trophy case.
In 58 years of action, the Hofstra wresting team
has posted a 471-365-23 record.
Editor’s Note: This brief Hofstra Wrestling
history is an attempt to recognize some of the
people who contributed to the growth of
Hofstra Wrestling over the years. Any omission
of other key contributors is purely
unintentional. Please contact the Hofstra
Athletic Communications Office with additional
historical facts about Hofstra Wrestling for
inclusion in future guides.
OFSTRA PRIDE WRESTLING