Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer commits to wrestle at Pitt

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, June 11, 2021 | 3:09 PM

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One of the state’s top wrestlers plans to stay close to home for his college career.

Mt. Pleasant junior Dayton Pitzer, a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion, announced on Instagram Friday he was committing to Pitt.

Pitzer joins a 2022 Pitt recruiting class that includes Hempfield junior Briar Priest, a PIAA champion; as well as Connellsville junior Jared Keslar, a two-time PIAA placewinner; Mt. Lebanon junior Mac Stout, a PIAA runner-up; and Richland (Johnstown) junior Cooper Warshel.

Pitzer picked Pitt over Penn State, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, the Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy.

@Pitt_WRES snags a HUGE in-state recruit in #DaytonPitzer @MP_Wrestling_ @keithgavin84 and Co. are putting together quite a nice Class of 2022 recruiting class! pic.twitter.com/vDq1slFu72

— TheOpenMat (@theopenmat) June 11, 2021

“After making my official visit to Pitt, I got to meet the wrestlers, the coaches, see the school and the facilities and that sealed the deal,” Pitzer said. “I’m super excited about going to Pitt.”

He was 43-1 during the 2018-19 season when he won the PIAA Class AA 182-pound title and was 42-2 in 2020-21 when he nabbed the 215-pound title. He missed the 2019-20 season with an injury.

Pitzer is ranked No. 2 in the state at 220 pounds behind Nick Feldman of Malvern Prep.

He is 85-3 overall with 62 pins.

Pitzer recently defeated PIAA Class AAA champion Jake Lucas of Carlisle in a national tournament at Virginia Beach.

He plans to practice at the Pitt Wrestling Club so he can continue to improve and prepare for collegiate wrestling.

Pitzer said he’s not sure what major he’ll pursue, but he said it will probably be something in the medical field.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant