Rutgers Wrestling Rolls Past Princeton in Rivalry Showdown, 28-9
**PISCATAWAY, N.J. ** - Rutgers wrestling turned Senior Night into a celebration, and not just for the graduating class.
The No. 14 Scarlet Knights put together a dominant 28-9 win over in-state rival Princeton in front of 3,820 fans at Jersey Mike’s Arena, extending their grip on the series with a fifth straight win and 29th victory in the last 30 meetings between the two programs.
This one had all the makings of a rivalry match: top-10 upsets, technical falls, momentum swings-and a Rutgers team that continues to find new ways to win.
The Scarlet Knights took seven of the 10 bouts, with a mix of ranked wins, bonus points, and gritty decisions. Leading the charge was Andrew Clark at 149 pounds, who delivered one of the biggest moments of the night.
Clark, ranked No. 29, took down No. 10 Eligh Rivera in a 2-1 decision that was as much about mat control as it was about mental toughness.
After escaping in the second period, Clark rode Rivera for the entire third, locking in the upset and giving Rutgers a jolt when it mattered.
At 165, Andrew Barbosa added another ranked win, edging No. 17 Ty Whalen, 4-3, to cap off the dual and seal the final score at 28-9. Barbosa’s early takedown was the difference, and his ability to maintain position down the stretch kept Princeton from clawing back any momentum.
Head coach Scott Goodale praised his team’s depth and resilience after the match.
“Princeton wrestled really hard, but our guys continue to find ways to win,” Goodale said. “It’s a different guy every night.
It’s really good to have Joey [Olivieri] back. He’s the spark we’ve been missing, and we got him back at the right time.”
Olivieri, ranked No. 6 at 141 pounds, didn’t waste any time making his presence felt. He racked up nearfall points early and finished with a 19-2 technical fall over Matthew Martino. It was a statement win and a reminder of just how dangerous he can be when he’s healthy and in rhythm.
The match started at 174 pounds after Princeton won the toss, and the Tigers struck first. Holden Garcia edged Lenny Pinto in sudden victory, 8-5, giving Princeton an early 3-0 lead. But Rutgers responded with a trio of bonus-point wins that flipped the dual on its head.
Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184) shook off an early takedown and stormed back for a 21-8 major decision. Then Remy Cotton (197) and Hunter Catka (HWT) poured it on with back-to-back technical falls. Cotton’s six takedowns in just over three minutes overwhelmed Conor McCloskey, while Catka exploded for five takedowns in the first period alone, cruising to a 21-5 win.
That flurry gave Rutgers a 14-3 lead through four bouts.
Princeton managed to chip away with wins at 125 and 133. Marc-Anthony McGowan, ranked No. 12, took a 5-1 decision over Ayden Smith, and Ethan Rivera followed with a narrow 5-4 win over Dylan Shawver, trimming Rutgers’ lead to 14-9.
But that was as close as the Tigers would get.
Olivieri’s tech fall reignited the home crowd, and Clark’s upset win over Rivera slammed the door. From there, Anthony White (157) controlled his bout from start to finish, notching a 7-0 decision over Rocco Camillaci.
White’s two takedowns and strong top game left little doubt. Barbosa’s win at 165 iced it.
The night also served as a sendoff for a senior class that’s been foundational to Rutgers’ success. Catka, Clark, Olivieri, White, Patrick Adams, Brandan Chletsos, Eric Freeman, Sebastiano Nini, Lenny Pinto, and Dylan Shawver were all honored before the match-each playing a role in building Rutgers into a top-15 program.
With the win, Rutgers improves to 13-5 on the season and retains the B1G-IVY Trophy in the process. Princeton drops to 4-10.
Up Next: Rutgers wraps up the regular season on the road at Hofstra on February 18. The dual is set for a 6 p.m. start and will stream on FloWrestling.
Final Score: Rutgers 28, Princeton 9
- 174: Holden Garcia (PU) dec. Lenny Pinto (RU), 8-5 SV1 - Princeton leads 3-0
- 184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (RU) maj. dec. Xavier Giles (PU), 21-8 - Rutgers leads 4-3
- 197: Remy Cotton (RU) tech fall Conor McCloskey (PU), 19-4 (3:20) - Rutgers leads 9-3
- HWT: Hunter Catka (RU) tech fall Sebastian Garibaldi (PU), 21-5 (3:56) - Rutgers leads 14-3
- 125: Marc-Anthony McGowan (PU) dec. Ayden Smith (RU), 5-1 - Rutgers leads 14-6
- 133: Ethan Rivera (PU) dec. Dylan Shawver (RU), 5-4 - Rutgers leads 14-9
- 141: Joseph Olivieri (RU) tech fall Matthew Martino (PU), 19-2 (4:49) - Rutgers leads 19-9
- 149: Andrew Clark (RU) dec.
Eligh Rivera (PU), 2-1 - Rutgers leads 22-9
- 157: Anthony White (RU) dec.
Rocco Camillaci (PU), 7-0 - Rutgers leads 25-9
- 165: Andrew Barbosa (RU) dec.
Ty Whalen (PU), 4-3 - Final: Rutgers wins 28-9
Rutgers is peaking at the right time, with key wrestlers healthy and the lineup clicking top to bottom. If Monday night was any indication, this squad has no intention of slowing down.