MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville wrestling is coming off a successful 2024–25 campaign with two Marauders clinching NCAA Championship berths. With the goal remaining the same for the Marauders and that is to return to the national stage with even more wrestlers.
The Marauders finished last year with a 12–7 record and 3–3 in conference play, placing fourth in the PSAC standings. However, Head Coach Jerry Boland is not focused on records; rather, he emphasizes daily improvement. "I mean, when you look back last year, 12–7, you know, we kind of try to take the mentality of not even looking at our record or whatever it was last year. You know, the objective every day is to put our best foot forward every day in all aspects and continue to improve—not so much focus on the results" said Coach Boland.
Winning remains important to the program, but Boland stresses that success begins with consistency. "We want to win every match; we want to win all the time. So, in order to do that, we have to make sure we're doing the right thing day in and day out. I think these guys are doing that, and I'm excited to see how it unfolds" says Coach Boland.
Boland brought in a large freshman class, adding 15 new faces who now make up nearly half of the roster. He describes this group as one built on camaraderie and hard work. "I mean, the 15 freshmen pretty much occupy half our roster, and it goes without saying we have a young team in many ways. Of course, the past two years, we've pretty much replaced all 10 starters in some way, and it's been a reloading process. The energy these guys bring, the camaraderie they build with each other and with the upperclassmen, has been fabulous—it's exciting to see it, and they work hard. You would never know who the freshmen are by how they work. They love to compete against each other, and I'm excited to see them develop and make an impact" said Coach Boland
Millersville returns key wrestlers such as national qualifier Nick Cottone at 141 pounds. Cottone finished the year with a 19–8 record and placed second at Super Regionals to earn his ticket to nationals. The Marauders also return Cole Dubois, Taylor Robinson, Daniel Sinclair, and Richie DeFulvio, all of whom posted impressive performances last season. Boland believes this group's leadership will be crucial with so many freshmen on the roster. "Nick and Cole are just great leaders to begin with. They have a tremendous work ethic. They take their academics seriously; they take their training, diet, and health seriously. So, having guys like that lead is really important. But we have other guys that may not have PSAC recognition who are returning impact guys. We have others who have placed in the region before, like Taylor and Danny, and you know, Richie was at one point ranked nationally last year before the end of the season. There are other guys who have already made an impact here, and they're all looking to grind together" stated Coach Boland.
The Marauders begin a series of duals this weekend at the Glenville State Invitational in West Virginia. Millersville returns home next Friday to face York College at Cooper Park, continuing a two-year outdoor tradition. "Right now, we're excited to compete this weekend. The big thing is we get to bring our whole team to Glenville and watch everybody compete to see how we hit the ground running. Then we have a quick turnaround with our first home dual outside, which is exciting—having an outdoor mat is always special. After that, we get to the Shorty and then start PSAC duals" said Coach Boland.
As the semester winds down, the Marauders will travel west to Indianapolis for the Midwest Classic, one of the most prestigious Division II wrestling tournaments in the nation. "To end the semester, we're looking forward to going to the Midwest Classic for the first time. It's the toughest Division II tournament in the country, and our starters are eager to see how we finish the semester strong" said Coach Boland.
After winter break, Millersville will compete at the Franklin & Marshall Open before resuming PSAC competition. "Next semester doesn't get any easier—we start with the F&M Open, being the only non–Division I team there, and then our PSAC schedule continues to challenge us. Three PSAC teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally in the preseason, so we've got our work cut out for us. From there, we'll continue through the second semester as we get ready for regionals" stated Coach Boland
The expectation remains high after sending two wrestlers to nationals last season—Boland wants to see all 10 reach that stage. "I mean, everybody—that should be the goal. We talk all the time about how if you're not in this room to be a national qualifier, an All-American, or a national champ, then you're in the wrong room. If everybody has that mentality—pushing each other to get to that level—then good things are going to happen" says Coach Boland.
Accountability and mindset are the foundation of Boland's program. "We have an unselfish room with guys who push each other every day, hold each other accountable in the room and outside the room. We can't control the numbers right now—whether we qualify two, five, or seven—but we can certainly control our approach every day. If we approach every day to win the day and do the right things—eat right, sleep right, take care of our mind and body, train hard, and stay on top of our academics—then the end of the year will take care of itself" stated Coach Boland.
Millersville begins action Saturday, November 1, at 10 a.m. for the Glenville State Invitational.
