Rutgers Wrestling’s Joey Olivieri Returns to Lineup, Secures Technical Fall in Victory Over Princeton

Modern Brunswick, NJ – Rutgers University wrestling standout Joey Olivieri made a triumphant return to the mat on Monday night, leading the No. 14 Scarlet Knights to a 28-9 victory over in-state rival Princeton at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Olivieri’s return comes after a two-month absence from the lineup.

Olivieri Dominates in Return

The senior 141-pounder showcased no signs of rust, securing a decisive 19-2 technical fall victory over Princeton freshman Matthew Martino. Martino had previously upset two-time All-American C.J. Composto of Penn on Saturday.

Season Recap and Previous Absence

Olivieri began the season strong, achieving a 10-0 record with several wins against ranked opponents and climbing the national rankings at 141 pounds. His absence began following a dual meet against Oklahoma in mid-December, attributed to “a violation of team rules” by coach Scott Goodale according to NJ.com.

Despite being cleared to return for the January 16th dual against Michigan and weighing in for the match, Olivieri did not compete. Coach Goodale noted after a win over Rider on January 31st that Rutgers was “missing its horse,” signaling Olivieri’s impending return as reported by NJ.com. He also missed the historic win over No. 6 Minnesota on February 6th.

Key Performances and Match Results

Alongside Olivieri’s performance, senior Andrew Clark secured a significant 2-1 victory over Princeton’s 10th-ranked Eligh Rivera at 149 pounds. Though, fellow senior All-American Dylan Shawver fell to Ethan Rivera, 5-4, at 133 pounds.

Match Results:

• 174: Holden Garcia (P) d. Lenny Pinto, 8-5 (SV)
• 184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (R) md. Xavier Giles, 21-8
• 197: Remy Cotton (R) tf. Conor McCloskey, 19-4 (3:20)
• 285: Hunter Catka (R) tf. Sebastian Garibaldi, 21-5 (3:56)
• 125: Marc-Anthony McGowan (P) d. Ayden Smith, 5-1
• 133: Ethan Rivera (P) d. Dylan Shawver, 5-4
• 141: Joey Olivieri (R) tf. Matthew Martino, 19-2 (4:49)
• 149: Andy Clark (R) d. Eligh Rivera, 2-1
• 157: Anthony White (R) d. Rocco Camillaci, 7-0
• 165: Andrew Barbosa (R) d. Ty Whalen, 4-3

Looking Ahead

Rutgers will conclude its dual meet season with a match at Hofstra on Wednesday. Princeton will compete at No. 1 Penn State on Thursday as noted by NJ.com.

Olivieri, currently ranked eighth in the Coaches’ rankings according to Rutgers Athletics, is considered Rutgers’ strongest contender for an All-American finish this season.