After a month-long break, the Case Western Reserve University wrestling team returned to competition in early January, partaking in three contests before the start of classes.

They began 2019 by taking ninth place at the Waynesburg Invitational. Third-year grapplers Jacob Frisch and Alec Hoover led CWRU on their way to second and third place finishes respectively. Frisch won all of his matches except for the championship bout, recording a pin en route to his runner up finish. Hoover lost his opening match, but endeavored to pin his next three opponents and win by major decision in the third place match. Frisch and Hoover combined to score 36.5 of the Spartans’ 59.5 points.

On Wednesday Jan. 9, CWRU hosted Thiel College and Lourdes University, but lost to both schools in the tri-meet. First-year wrestler Adam Kates, third-year wrestler Isaac Collier and Hoover all won both of their matches on the day. Against Thiel, the Spartans lost 24-14, and they lost 30-20 to Lourdes.

At Manchester University in Indiana, the Spartans placed 16th out of 22 teams in the Spartan Mat Classic on Jan. 12. Collier was the top CWRU finisher, placing fourth in his weight class, although he did have to forfeit the third place match. The team finished with 30 points.

The Spartans will be back in action at Adrian College on Jan. 17.