Wilkes University Colonels Wrestling
Wilkes University Colonels Wrestling
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Published on May 21st by Associate Head Men's Wrestling Coach. Pankil Chander
Colonels Graduate to a Bright Future
Congratulations to Cam Butka, Chris Nuss, Devin Doty, and Michael Richardson on walking across stage and officially earning their bachelor’s degrees from Wilkes this past weekend!
Proud of these Colonels that left a lasting impact on the program while preparing themselves for personal and professional success. Bright futures ahead for these four men as Wilkes Wrestling Alumni!
Cam Butka, Biochemistry
Chris Nuss, Nursing
Devin Doty, Mechanical Engineering
Michael Richardson, Criminology
From left to right: Assistant Coach Jack Bauer '24, Associate Head Coach Pankil Chander '17, Cam Butka '25, Chris Nuss '25, Coach Laudenslager '99, Devin Doty '25, Michael Richardson '25, Dr. Andy Miller, and Coach Al Zellner '72
Colonels celebrate a banner 2024-25 season
Team gathers for a picture after a great celebratory Pig Roast Meal at Murphy's
Colonels enjoyed a spring banquet by celebrating a banner year!
Wilkes' Wrestling program concluded the 2024-25 season with a litany of excellent accomplishments which include, but are not limited to: All-time wins leader Cam Butka becoming an NCAA Championships Finalist (4th in last 11 seasons) and earning the 58th NCAA All-America honor in program history!
As a contingent, Wilkes collected an NCAA Region II Team Trophy (3rd of 19 teams), 2 NCAA Championships Qualifiers, 1 Region Champion, 1 Region Runner-Up and seven NCAA All-Region wrestlers. The Colonels also tallied a tournament team championship at the Blue Jay Classic and earned its 22nd winning dual season in the last 25 years!
Seniors gather with their families for a picture after collecting their farewell portraits!
Butka earns 2025 Major Ally Sleiman '96 Honor
Cam Butka has been named this year’s recipient of the Major Sleiman Award — presented annually to the Wilkes wrestler who best embodies the competitive spirit, work ethic, and leadership of Alumnus, Ally Sleiman ’96, a two-time U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials Greco Roman competitor in both 2000 & 2004.
On and off the mat, Cameron has represented the highest standards of Colonel Wrestling.
Butka is a true leader, scholar-athlete, and relentless competitor.
Major Sleiman served as an Officer in the US Army and deployed to combat in key leadership positions on multiple occasions with US Special Operations.
Who will be next to get their name on the wall?!
Hall of Fame Weekend for Wilkes Wrestling Alumni and Teammates on 1974 National Championship Team, Mahonski and Gregrow
Wilkes Athletics HOF Inductee, Dave Gregrow takes wrestling picture surrounded by former teammates and other Wilkes Wrestling Alumni!
Danny House, a teammate of Gregrow under Coach John Reese, was chosen by Gregrow to introduce him for his Hall of Fame induction
Dave Gregrow '77 graciously accepts his Hall of Fame honor by thanking the many who helped him throughout his career
A memorable Hall of Fame weekend for Wilkes Wrestling!
David Gregrow got inducted into the Wilkes Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 26th for his excellent career as a Colonel, while Rick Mahonski earned a spot in the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with the Lifetime of Service honor to the sport on Sunday, April 27th in Hershey!
Both Gregrow and Mahonski were teammates on Wilkes’ 1974 NCAA DIII National Championship Team. Both are great and proud Colonels for life!
Rick Mahonski '77 earns induction into the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with a great incoming class of inductees!
Campus wide and National Recognition for Colonel Wrestlers
Congratulations to Sophomore, Lucas Miller for being inducted into Colonels Elite and Junior, Sam Kimmel for being inducted into Chi Sigma Alpha during Wilkes University's NCAA DIII Week Athletics Academic Awards Ceremony!
For the third straight year, Cam Butka earned Wilkes University's Male Athlete of the Year honor!
Butka, a senior Biochemistry major, became the program's tenth All-American since 2007 by placing second at the 2025 NCAA Championships at 197-pounds. Butka concludes one of the finest careers in the storied Wilkes wrestling history. He stands as the school's all-time leader in wins with a 137-24 career mark. He also set the school record for wins in a season after his semifinal victory finishing with a 42-3 mark in his senior campaign. He finished his career as a two-time All-American at 197-pounds.
The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Scholar All-American Awards recipients as Wilkes University seniors Cameron Butka and Chris Nuss were among those selected!
Butka becomes the first four-time NWCA Scholar All-American for the Colonels while Nuss earned the second Scholar AA honor of his career!
In order to earn this honor, wrestlers must have met one of at least two criteria in the wrestling and academics category. In wrestling, this includes placing in the top 8 in the NCAA Regional Championship, or wrestled at least 15 matches with a win percentage greater than 66%. Academically, wrestlers must have a 3.2 GPA over the last two semesters or must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above.
Congrats, Cam and Chris!
Colonels host successful Spring Prospect Days
Wilkes Wrestling hosted a pair of successful Spring Prospect Days on March 22nd and April 5th for our storied men's program and inaugral women's program with 60+ prospects on campus to enjoy a day of learning more about the transformational Wilkes student-athlete experience!
A few of many committed incoming freshman wrestlers gather for a pic after clinic
April 5th Prospect Day group gather for picture after clinic
March 22nd Prospect Day group gather for picture after clinic
Colonels join John Mendola Show following a successful season
Sneak Peak of the 2025 Incoming Men's and Women's Class
It's an exciting time as we welcome in a strong incoming class for our storied men's program and inaugural women's team!
The inaugural women's class consists of over 20 young women from six different states with multiple state qualifications and medals to makeup an exciting first team.
The men's team will have over 15 young men with state qualifications across PA, NJ, NY, MD, and state medals in PA and MD to construct a balanced class across all ten weights that are positioned to make a sustainable impact!
Inaugral 2025 Women's Incoming Class
Ava O'Shield (Mill Creek HS, GA)
Lynzee Andreuzzi (Hazleton HS, PA)
Abbigale Bowman (Hughesville HS, PA)
Kara Fogelsanger (Shippensburg HS, PA)
Summer Footit (Pocono Mountain West HS, PA)
Natalie Frederick (Kutztown HS, PA)
Kimberlee Hechler (Cumberland Valley, PA)
Milly Hughes (Jefferson HS, GA)
Sydnee MacDonald (Mid-Valley HS, PA)
Alyssa McIntosh (Easton HS, PA)
Janayah Nobles (Connellsville HS, PA)
Kendra O'Brien (Cumberland Valley HS, PA)
Grace Riley (Paramus Catholic HS, NJ)
Carina Rivera (Nutley HS, NJ)
Aneleyshka Rivera (Reading HS, PA)
Haylee Robinson (Charles W. Baker HS, NY)
Santina Saraka (Hanover Area, HS, PA)
Isabella Seip (Wyoming Valley West HS, PA)
Lily Shymanski (Wyoming Valley West, PA)
Jordyn Suhina (Big Spring, PA)
Angel Upright (South Western HS, PA)
Gabriela Vasquez (Cornerstone Christian School, TX)
Ashari Willis (Patapsco HS, MD)
2025 Men's Incoming Class
Nicholas Doktor (Clifton HS, NJ)
Elliot Black (Freedom HS, PA)
Brody Bogues (Fair Lawn HS, NJ)
Christopher Della Bella (Delaware Valley HS, PA)
Brody Frank (Morris Hills HS, NJ)
Jahaan Fields (North East HS, MD)
Joshua Holliman Pollonais (Bay Shore HS, NY)
Colton Jaust (High Point HS, NJ)
Raymond Mcnulty (Cold Spring Harbor HS, NY)
Cameron Parke (Middle Township HS, NJ)
Ashton Romberger (Chambersburg HS, PA)
Connor Rowlands (Middle Township HS, NJ)
Xaiden Schock (Wallenpaupack HS, PA)
James Sloan (St. Joe's Regional Montvale, NJ)
Gus Smith (Spring-Ford, PA)
Kevin Wilson (Pope John HS, NJ)
We are looking forward to continuing to keep you informed on the many exciting things on the horizon for WIlkes Men's and Women's Wrestling!
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