Williamstown, Mass.- The Hunter College wrestling team delivered impressive performances at the Williams Open, highlighted by two runner-up finishes and a top-six placement.

Sophomore Botensky Bauzile (133 lbs) made his first career finals appearance, finishing second after a 2-1 day. Bauzile earned a bye to the quarterfinals based on his seeding and dominated Norwich's Dylan King with a 19-1 technical fall. He followed up with a pin at 2:00 over Alfred State's Christian Caputo in the semifinals before falling in a hard-fought 5-1 decision to Alfred State's Elijah Moshenek in the finals.

Freshman Jayden Medina (149 lbs) also reached his first tournament finals, finishing as the runner-up to SUNY Cortland's Angelo Centrone, the no. 2-ranked wrestler in the nation. Medina went 3-1, opening with a 15-0 technical fall over Alfred State's Jayden Norris and continuing with a dominant 19-1 technical fall over Norwich's Joshua Lister in the quarterfinals. He secured a pin at the 5:00 mark against Western New England's James Linder in the semifinals but was edged out in the finals.

Freshman Martin Palomeque (157 lbs) showcased resilience in his first collegiate tournament, earning a top-six finish. After an initial loss to Williams' Peter Kane, Palomeque rallied with three straight wins, including an 18-0 technical fall over Norwich's Noah Babboni, a 16-12 come-from-behind decision against SUNY Cortland's Jack DiMaggio, and an 18-2 technical fall over Plymouth State's Nick Antonucci. He ultimately fell in the consolation semifinals to Alfred State's Owen Cummings.

Other notable victories for the Hawks included Michael Douglas (125 lbs), who earned a win via medical forfeit over Springfield Tech's Cameron Cardona, and senior captain Naman Bhasin (141 lbs), who pinned Springfield's Kyle Gidman in just 2:10. Freshman Justin Riello (157 lbs) notched a pin at 3:10 against Jared Dolder of Alfred State, while sophomore Nicholas D'Erasmo (165 lbs) claimed an 8-6 decision over Norwich's Sean Cavanaugh. Senior Jevin "El Toro" Torres (197 lbs) capped the team's success with a thrilling pin at 2:00 against Plymouth State's Luke Murphy.

The Hawks' strong showing at the Williams Open demonstrated their depth and determination, setting an optimistic tone for the rest of the season. The team returns to the mat on Friday Jan. 10 as they host Rhode Island College at 4:00 p.m. in the Sportsplex.