Wantagh Wrestler Ready To Hit the Hofstra Mats

Matt Loew is very familiar with the Mack Sports Complex at Hofstra University after wrestling at the arena for Wantagh High School in the Nassau County Championships the last three years. The 2010 Wantagh High School graduate will now be hitting the mats plenty more at Hofstra starting this November when he enters his freshman season competing for the nearby Division I college program.

Loew picked Hofstra over Binghampton and Maryland because of a desire to wrestle close to home and a comfort level with Pride head coach Tom Shifflet. At Wantagh, Loew wrestled at 189 pounds and was a two-time runner-up at the New York State Championships.

"It will be a good situation for me because I will be close to home and my family can watch me wrestle," said Loew, who was also attracted to the fact that Hofstra has traditionally been ranked in the top 20. "I'll feel right at home."

Loew got some solid preparation for his adjustment from high school to collegiate wrestling in early August when he became a Junior All-American at the Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D with a seventh place finish. The Wantagh High School product went 5-2 against the nation's top wrestlers including a 1-0 triumph over two-time Iowa state champion Cody Krumwiede.

At Hofstra Loew will be reuniting with former Wantagh teammate Steve Bonanno, who will be entering his third season with the Pride. Bonanno was limited to one match last season due to an arm injury, but as a freshman went 29-15 at 125 pounds and qualified for the 2009 NCAA Championships.

"Steve is a very hard worker so he will be very helpful to me on and off the mat," said Loew of his former fellow Warrior and friend.

"Matt is a very hard working kid," said Wantagh High School wrestling head coach Jim Murphy. "Hofstra is getting a real gem."