Men's Wrestling Shows Early Season Fire in Dual at Duke

Saturday, November 1

Durham, N.C.

11:00 AM

Sacred Heart

Duke University

Photo by: Daniel Boyle

Men's Wrestling Shows Early Season Fire in Dual at Duke

11/1/2025 6:25:00 PM | Men's Wrestling

Pioneers Capture Four Wins in Season-Opening dual

By: Samantha Carey

DURHAM, N.C. — The 2025–26 campaign kicked off with intensity and grit as the Sacred Heart men's wrestling team went toe-to-toe with ACC foe Duke on Saturday afternoon inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Pioneers delivered statement wins across the middle weights, showcasing a lineup filled with toughness and fight as they opened the new season on the road.

Dual Records:
Sacred Heart (0-1)
Duke (1-0)

Individual Results:
133: Braxton Fries-Appello (SHU) def. John King (Duke), 18-2 (3:00) technical fall
141: John Hildebrandt (SHU) def. Raymond Adams (Duke), 3-2 decision
149: Dakota Asuncion (SHU) def. SP O'Donnell (Duke), 17-5 major decision
157: Felix Lettini (SHU) def. Mikey Boulanger (Duke), 7-6 decision
165: Aurelius Dunbar (Duke) def. AJ Falcone (SHU), 4-2 decision
174: Aidan Wallace (Duke) def. Aiden Zarrella (SHU), 5-4 (OT)
184: Gaetano Console (Duke) def. Eric Wolf (SHU), 21-5 technical fall (5:16)
197: Chris DeLena (SHU) def. Owen McGrory (Duke), 10-6 decision
HWT: Connor Barket (Duke) def. Brendan Gilchrist (SHU), 19-2 technical fall (5:36)

Of Note:

At 133 pounds, Fries-Appello wasted no time making a statement, exploding for an 18-2 technical fall in just three minutes
Hildebrandt earned his first win as a Pioneer at 141 pounds.
Asuncion took over his 149-pound bout, piling up points for a 17-5 major decision that had the Pioneers bench on its feet.
Lettini gutted out a thrilling 7-6 decision after trading leads throughout the match.
DeLena used a strong finish and pressure to earn a 10-6 decision over his Blue Devil opponent.

Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action on Nov. 9 as they take part in the Journeyman Classic Tournament in Bethlehem, Pa.