Wrestling | 11/4/2022 3:37:00 PM

STONE RIDGE, NY - SUNY Ulster Wrestling enters the 2022-2023 season with high hopes after suffering from the effects of the COVID Pandemic last season. After completing the majority of last season with only two wrestlers, the Senators come into the new season with solid returners, new transfers, and a new coaching staff. Matt Shields takes over as head coach this season after serving as an assistant. Shields is an Ulster Alum who wrestled for the Senators from 2017-2019.
 
"This is my first year as a head coach, being a head coach is much different than being an assistant," said head coach Matt Shields. "There's more responsibility, administrative work, and involvement of having this responsibility. My approach for this year is having more tournaments versus dual meets. From personal experience, going to different tournaments in the Northeast gives you a variety of different levels of competition. This will expose our wrestlers to different levels such as other schools that are a part of the NCAA. We do have a home match this year. We are looking forward to our quad meet on November 5 in the Senate gymnasium against UConn Club, Middlesex Community College, and Sullivan Community College. Having these teams come to our gym is going to give them a chance to see what college wrestling is about. From this matchup, we will see where we are at, what we need to work on, and how we are going to get our wrestlers to the National Tournament at the end of the year."
 
In addition to Shields, Senators add Jacob Studt to the mix who is also an Ulster Alum. Studt returns to the Senators as an assistant after wrestling for the Senators from 2018-2020.
 
"He is and was a hard worker," said Coach Shields. "So it is great to have him put these guys through tough workouts and be a helping hand. He's a great guy and grateful to have him."
 
Kenny Straker and Aidan Maduro return to Ulster after competing on the wrestling team a season ago. The two sophomores will help lead the Senators this season and have been noted for their superb work ethic throughout the course of the offseason.
 
"We have two returners from last year which I'm really excited about," said Coach Shields. "Last year I was the assistant for Coach Gale and would work one on one with Kenny and Aidan everyday. I'm really impressed with the work that these sophomores put in during our preseason."
 
In addition to Straker and Maduro, the Senators will have a few new faces on the roster as well. Nelson Martinez, from Binghamton, NY, comes to Ulster after wrestling at Sullivan Community College a season ago.
 
"Nelson is huge addition for us," said head coach Matt Shields. "He previously wrestled at Sullivan CC, so he has the college experience. He has a good head on his shoulders and happy to have him."
 
In addition to Martinez, the Senators add Jordan Berryann who is the cousin of head coach Matt Shields.
 
"Jordan has such a great work ethic and is learning so much very fast," said Coach Shields "We are looking to make some noise this year with this group of guys. I have high expectations for this group. Hard work beats talent. We will be the guys that wrestle an entire seven minutes. Keep an eye out for us this year. It's going to be a good one!"