Pecora expects to be back for Pitt-Johnstown's home match on Saturday
Dec. 2—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Pitt-Johnstown assistant wrestling coach Tyler Reinhart has taken on additional responsibilities this week as the team prepares to host King University from Tennessee at noon Saturday.
Pat Pecora, the winningest coach in college wrestling history, has been in Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center since Nov. 25.
Pecora is battling synovial sarcoma and was scheduled to undergo chemotherapy in Pittsburgh on Nov. 24. Instead, he found that his white blood cell count was too low to go through the treatment. A day later, he was in the Johnstown hospital with a fever. Pecora returned home Thursday night.
"Trying to fight my way out of here," Pecora said in a telephone interview on Wednesday night. "They think there is an infection, but can't find anything."
Pecora is still planning to be on the sideline as the 14th-ranked Mountain Cats (3-1) look for a fourth consecutive victory since dropping their opener to West Liberty.
"I'm hoping to get back there for moral support. I don't know if it's going to be like this all year or what," Pecora said. "I have total confidence that he's getting the team ready, but you always wish that your hands were in there."
Reinhart, who won a national title wrestling for Pecora in 2016, would rather have his mentor leading the team, but his mindset is similar to that of Pecora, who refuses to feel sorry for himself — or let anyone else feel sorry for him.
"Obviously, we wish he could be there, but we have a job to do," Reinhart said. "Nothing changes. It sucks not having him here, but we're just trying to keep a positive attitude and energy in the room. That starts with myself. A lot of these things are out of our control. We just have to control what we can control, and the rest will fall into place."
The Mountain Cats should be heavy favorites against King (1-2), which is led by coach Blaze Shade, who took over the Tornado in July. Pitt- Johnstown beat King 37-12 during the 2022-23 season.
Like Pecora, Reinhart doesn't worry about the opponent, only how his wrestlers perform.
"I emphasize that all the time," Reinhart said. "We treat every match the same, if we're supposed to win or not supposed to win. Just go out and wrestle the way Coach Pecora has always taught it, the old-school UPJ style, running back to the center, having good body language and competing. No one wants to see a 2-1 match. We want to put points on the board and make it entertaining."
King is led by Trent Mahoney, who is ranked seventh at 165 pounds and will face a national qualifier in Dillon Keane. Clint Morrisette is a returning NCAA qualifier for the Tornado and should present a stern test for redshirt freshman Noah Gnibus at 184 pounds.
Jacob Ealy, who is ranked third nationally at 149, leads the Mountain Cats. Trevon Gray (125) and Isaiah Vance (285) give them seventh-ranked wrestlers as bookends to the lineup.
