Hofstra’s Michael Hughes advances to EIWA semifinals
Michael Hughes of Hofstra, right, wins his match by pinning Sean O'Malley of Drexel in the 285 pound weight class during the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships at the David S. Mack Sports Complex on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Hofstra’s Michael Hughes has a color tattoo of the Superman emblem on his left shoulder.
Fitting since the former Smithtown West standout has been the Pride wrestling team’s man of steel this season.
The redshirt senior entered the first day of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) championships at Hofstra with an impressive 31-2 record and a nation-best 17 pins on Saturday.
“I try to use my size and strength to overpower kids. That’s one thing I’ve been working on the past few years,” Hughes said. “At this point, I’m one of the biggest heavyweights in the country.”
Not to mention, one of the best.
Hughes improved to 33-2 on the season after an opening-round pin of Drexel’s Sean O’Malley in 5:46 — his 18th fall of the season — and a win by medical default in the quarterfinal versus Brown’s Ian Butterbrodt.
The 6-3, 285-pound Hughes was Hofstra’s only wrestler to advance to Sunday’s semifinal (10 a.m.). Other former local wrestlers that advanced to the quarterfinal round included Princeton’s Mike D’Angelo (the top seed at 157 pounds) from Commack, Binghamton’s Steve Schneider (184, MacArthur) and Princeton’s Christian Araneo (285, Ward Melville).
D’Angelo won by decision against Army’s Lucas Weiland, 6-4, to reach the semifinal round. But third-seeded Schneider lost his bout, 3-1, to Navy’s Michael Coleman (No. 6 seed). Seventh-seeded Araneo dropped a 10-2 decision against No. 2 seed Jordan Wood of Lehigh.
“I’m just trying to get off the mat quickly, keep my body healthy and get ready for [Sunday],” said Hughes, who has a career record of 109-43. “I’m not trying to wear myself down.”
Instead, it’s Hughes who wears down his opponents.
“He does everything right, and he’s so coachable,” Hofstra coach Dennis Papadatos said. “I wish he was a little meaner. But the good news is he’s starting to get mean on the mat.”
Whether it’s on the mat, or off, the veteran Hughes has been a pillar for his younger teammates.
“He just does all the right things,” Hofstra’s 141-pound sophomore Vinny Vespa said. “I’m around him 24-7, and he’s a great role model to have.”
Hughes, who redshirted last season, is two matches away from his first EIWA title. “To win this conference tournament in front of my home crowd on Long Island would be great, and I’m planning on doing that,” said Hughes, who estimated he had 20-plus family members and friends in attendance. “But this is just another little step to get myself to the national tournament where I’m trying to make it all happen.”
