WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 6) – The Waynesburg University men's wrestling team opens a new chapter in its tradition-rich history as head coach Bobby Patnesky enters his first season at the helm.
 
Patnesky brings 17 years of collegiate head coaching experience with him to Waynesburg, including 12 at Division I Davidson and five at Division III Penn State Behrend. He also served as an assistant at Davidson, Ohio University and West Virginia University, where he was a three-time NCAA Division I national qualifier with over 100 collegiate victories before beginning his coaching career.
 
He inherits a roster that is small, but experienced. Leading this year's squad is junior Jessie Orbin (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston), who is coming off a dominant sophomore campaign. Orbin led Waynesburg in virtually every major statistical category during a 42-6 season that featured a flawless 18-0 mark in dual competition. He went 10-0 in matches determined by pin, 7-0 in bouts determined by technical fall and 11-2 in contests ending in major decision.
 
He won individual championships at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational and the John Summa Invitational, before claiming the 174-pound crown at the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships. Orbin was a four-time PAC Wrestler of the Week honoree last season and came one win short of qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Championships after placing fifth at the NCAA Division III Region 4 Championships.
 
Recently, he was featured as a "Contender" to the D3Wrestle.com national top 10 rankings. The eight "Contender" spots are wrestlers ranked just outside the top 10.
 
"Jessie is great in the room," Patnesky said. "Not only does he try to get better in the room, but he really works to help others get better. It's a big positive. He doesn't like to lose and he wants to get on the stand at nationals, which is not out of the realm of possibility. We have to do all we can to put him in the best place possible."
 
The Jackets will be leading off their lineup with sophomore Ryland Parker (Ravenal, S.C. / Ashley Ridge), who will see time at either 125 or 133 pounds. Parker went 4-17 last year with a pin, a major decision and a technical fall.
 
Junior Brayden Barbao (Donora, Pa. / Ringgold) is expected to hold down the starting job at 141 pounds after going 4-18 during his sophomore campaign. The 149-pound class features a new face in freshman Kaleb McCamick (Bridgeport, Ohio / Bridgeport) who will be counted upon to produce at the spot.
 
Senior JT Hollyfield (Oakdale, Pa. / West Allegheny) brings a wealth of experience with him at 157 pounds. After dealing with injuries during most of his time at Waynesburg, Hollyfield competed in 31 matches last year, winning six of them.
 
Junior Jarvis Thomas (Rex, Ga. / Mount Zion) is back after posting a 4-5 mark that includes a 4-1 mark in dual competition at 165 pounds.
 
Orbin could see starting time at 174 or 184. Whichever weight he's not at, sophomore AJ Tomaino (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) will likely be the starter. Tomaino was solid as a freshman, going 8-18 overall with a 5-10 mark in dual competition. He logged five victories by pin. Freshman Damyan Pevarnik (Washington, Pa. / McGuffey) adds depth at both weights.
 
Junior transfer Isaiah Siwik (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Baldwin) comes to Waynesburg after two years at Washington & Jefferson. While he played a limited role with the Presidents, Siwik is expected to be a major contributor in Orange and Black. Junior Tyler Curry (Mannington, W.Va. / North Marion) is also expected to join the team after he wraps up his responsibilities with the Jacket football team.
 
The Waynesburg lineup will likely wrap up with junior Austin Fleming (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg) at heavyweight. Fleming went 7-14 during his first season with the squad as a sophomore. He claimed four wins by pin and added a major decision victory. Senior Alexander Paulsen (Harmony, Pa. / Seneca Valley) will add depth and a workout partner for Fleming after he concludes his time with the Waynesburg football team.
 
The Jackets open the 2025-26 campaign on Friday, Nov. 7, when they host Penn State Altoona. Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and is the second half of a men/women doubleheader at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.
 
The men's match will also feature an alumni night ceremony.
 
"Our goal is to try and get the alumni back involved with the program," Patnesky said. "We've got a long way to go, but when you have the support of the school and alumni and you have people behind you, you feel like you can do great things. Our goals are to grow as a team and enjoy this sport."
 
Waynesburg concludes a busy weekend the next day, when it travels to the Washington & Jefferson Invitational.