Turnbull Inks Two Recruits
By Ira Green
WVU Sports Information Office
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (November 18, 2008) – West Virginia University wrestling coach Craig Turnbull announced that Shane Young, ranked No. 1 by Intermat at 119 pounds, and Mac Mancuso, No. 4 at 189 pounds according to Intermat, have signed National Letters of Intent and each will join the Mountaineers next fall.
“Our intention going into this recruiting period was to really strengthen the 125-pound and 184 and 197-pound area,” Turnbull says. “Very fortunately, we came out with two of the finest wrestlers in the country with Shane Young being ranked No. 1 in the country and Mac Mancuso ranked No. 4 in the country.”
Young, a Jeannette, Pa., native, is a four-year letterwinner at Penn Trafford High School under coach Larry Hohman.
“Shane Young is going to contribute in many valuable ways and he is someone who can compete for a national title before his career is over,” Turnbull comments. “He also comes from an outstanding family that will become a part of our family.”
As a junior, Young went 44-0 at the 112-pound weight division, a move up from his freshman and sophomore seasons where he wrestled at 103 pounds. Named a team captain, Young won numerous tournaments in 2007-08. The Junior 2008 Freestyle Nationals All-American won the Eastern Area Invitational, Westmoreland County Tournament and also the PIAA State Tournament, at Class AAA. Young went on to place first at sectionals, regionals and states.
At the conclusion of the season, he was named to the 2008 ASICS Honorable Mention All-American Wrestling Team for the second time and earned the Greensburg Tribune Review Wrestler of the Year award. Young was tabbed as the No. 14 recruit nationally by Intermat.
Young completed his sophomore season undefeated at 46-0 at 103 pounds. He placed first in sectionals, regionals and at states. During the season, he won five tournaments, including King of the Mountain, the PowerAde Tournament and the Westmoreland County Tournament. He was selected to the 2007 ASICS Honorable Mention All-American Wrestling Team and finished the season ranked third amongst all classes and second amongst all sophomores by Intermat.
As a freshman, he compiled a 22-18 overall record in the 2005-06 campaign. Young placed fourth in Section I, while earning the team’s outstanding freshman award at the conclusion of the season.
A wrestler who has amassed a tremendous amount of experience, Young has competed for the 2008 National Duals Freestyle Team and the Junior National Duals Freestyle All-Tournament Team. He also finished runner-up at the USA Northeast Regional in 2008.
“Mac Mancuso comes from a little bit of a farther distance and he also comes from an outstanding family,” Turnbull says. “It stays with the philosophy of our program of wanting to recruit what we hope our national champions and All-Americans will be as far as good people from good families.”
Mancuso, a Holy Spirit, N.J., native wrestled for three years under his father, coach Tim Mancuso, at Holy Spirit High School.
Although he missed most of the 2008 season with an injury, Mancuso has compiled a 98-6 career record at 189 pounds. A three-time N.J. Catholic Invitational Champion, Mancuso also won the New Jersey State Championship in 2007. As a freshman, he placed sixth at the state championship.
A four-year team captain, Mancuso won districts, regionals, and states as a sophomore. He took sixth in the Beast of the East Tournament after beating a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers, but ultimately fell in the semifinals. At the time, Mancuso was ranked in the Top 15 nationally and was in the Top 5 of his weight class.
One of the most notable wrestlers at his high school, Mancuso was the first state champion in the history of Holy Spirit High School and will also be the first to reach the 100-win plateau.
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