2026 Colts Neck Wrestling
Head Coach: Brett Jankos (13th Season in 2025)
Assistants: Mike Mason / Chris Richardson
Volunteers: Justin Schifter / David Rubin / Adam Coleman
Section: CJG4 / Division: D / District: 22 / Region: 6


Colts Neck has advanced to back-to-back Sectional finals, but have come up short in each of their trips. With a strong veteran core in place, the Cougars will once again be hunting for that first Sectional championship.

Anchoring the lowerweights is 4th-year starter Ethan Michaels. The senior, who is 9 wins away from 100 career victories, has twice advanced to Atlantic City, and is a 2-time District & Region champ. He's part of what could be a very tough group of lowerweights that has a has an experienced group of upperclassmen in juniors Julian Fortunato, a 17 match winner last season, Zach Zaltsman, Griffin Walsh, who was 13-4 last year, and Colin Barone, who returns to the Cougars after wrestling at RBC last season. Also returning is senior Chris Fischer, making this a nice veteran group of lowerweights.

A couple starters return in the middle of the lineup with junior Nico Zecchino, a 24 bout winner in 2025 who was a District runner-up, and senior Brody Kaplan, a 2-time District medalist. They provide a nice 1-2 punch in the middle as a couple new starters crack the lineup around them. Among the potential new starters is freshman Jackson DeGennaro, who was an Intermediate States medal winner last season.

Seniors Matt Anderson and Dean Natale headline the upperweights. Anderson advanced to AC last year to cap a 31-win season in which he placed 4th at Regions and won his 2nd District medal. Natale is a 4-year starter who has three District medals, and will be gunning for a trip to the boardwalk this March. Also back up top for the Cougars is junior Nick Jannucci, who won 17 matches and finished 4th in the District a year ago.

The pieces appear to be in place for a big season for the Cougars. They should once again be in the hunt for a Sectional title, and in the battle for what should be a good D-Division battle.


Possible Lineup