Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast New Jersey Mat Chat

Delsea standout Amari Vann joins New Jersey Mat Chat for an honest, unfiltered conversation about wrestling, leadership, nutrition, and big goals.

Amari talks openly about missing last year’s postseason, learning from weight cutting mistakes, and how he’s turned things around this season. He breaks down his role as a team captain, his college wrestling ambitions, freestyle dreams, and what it will take to reach Atlantic City and compete for a state title.

From mindset to match prep, this episode is packed with insight for NJ wrestlers, parents, and coaches.

🤼‍♂️ Delsea Wrestling

🎯 138 Pounds

📍 Built in New Jersey

00:00 – Show Open & NJ Officials PSA

01:40 – Meet Amari Vann | Delsea Wrestling Star

02:00 – Season Check-In: How Things Are Going

02:30 – Is Delsea Where They Want to Be Yet?

03:10 – Being a Team Captain and Leading by Example

03:50 – Academics and Favorite Subject (Math Guy!)

04:15 – College Plans and Wanting to Leave NJ

05:00 – Big Goals: Wrestling in Warm Weather

05:40 – Why He Missed Last Year’s Postseason

06:30 – Weight Cutting Struggles and Lessons Learned

07:20 – Fixing Nutrition and Taking Accountability

08:15 – Freshman Success and Returning to Form

09:00 – Postseason Goals for 138 Pounds

09:40 – Freestyle vs Folkstyle: Which Is Better?

10:25 – International Wrestling Dreams

11:00 – Jordan Burroughs Inspiration

11:30 – One Wrestling Rule He Would Change

12:15 – Training Partners in the Delsea Room

13:05 – Advice to His 11-Year-Old Brother

13:40 – First Meal After the Season Ends

14:10 – Previewing the Big Delsea vs Delsea Dual

15:10 – Match Predictions and Team Confidence

16:00 – Guaranteeing Another State Title

16:30 – Final Thoughts & Send-Off

Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

Princeton commit Jackson Weller (Delran HS) sits down with New Jersey Mat Chat to talk leadership, recruiting, training mindset, and what it really takes to compete at the highest level of New Jersey wrestling.

From choosing Princeton over other Ivy League programs, to staying loyal to a public high school, to how he prepares mentally and physically before matches — this episode is a must-watch for wrestlers, parents, and coaches.

🎧 Leadership. Discipline. NJ pride.

📍 Delran Wrestling | 🎓 Princeton University

🤼‍♂️ Built in New Jersey.

00:00 – NJ Wrestling Officials Needed (Quick PSA)

01:00 – Meet Jackson Weller | Delran Wrestling Leader

01:25 – Delran Wrestling 2025 Outlook & Key Returners

02:20 – What Being a Team Captain Really Means

02:50 – Training Partners & Practice Room Culture

03:05 – Princeton Commitment Story (Recruiting Breakdown)

04:10 – Final 3 Schools: Princeton, Penn, Cornell

04:25 – GPA, Academics & Engineering Goals

04:55 – Folkstyle vs Freestyle: Which Do You Prefer?

05:20 – Training Differences: HS Season vs Freestyle Season

05:55 – Weigh-Ins, Diet & Cutting Weight the Smart Way

06:35 – Pre-Match Routine & Mental Prep

07:10 – Music Before Matches (What’s on the Playlist?)

07:40 – Wrestling With Dad on the Coaching Staff

08:20 – “My Mom Knows More Wrestling Than Most People”

09:10 – Describing Coach Marty in One Word

10:10 – Rivals, Pressure & Chasing State Titles

11:20 – Advice for Young Wrestlers Watching

12:35 – Public School Pride

13:44 – Be part of the journey

Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

Princeton commit Jackson Weller (Delran HS) sits down with New Jersey Mat Chat to talk leadership, recruiting, training mindset, and what it really takes to compete at the highest level of New Jersey wrestling.

From choosing Princeton over other Ivy League programs, to staying loyal to a public high school, to how he prepares mentally and physically before matches — this episode is a must-watch for wrestlers, parents, and coaches.

🎧 Leadership. Discipline. NJ pride.

📍 Delran Wrestling | 🎓 Princeton University

🤼‍♂️ Built in New Jersey.

Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

00:48 Meet Jackson Weller | Delran Wrestling Leader

01:13 Delran Wrestling 2025 Outlook & Key Returners

02:09 What Being a Team Captain Really Means

02:39 Training Partners & Practice Room Culture

02:54 Princeton Commitment Story (Recruiting Breakdown)

03:59 Final 3 Schools: Princeton, Penn, Cornell

04:14 GPA, Academics & Engineering Goals

04:44 Folkstyle vs Freestyle: Which Do You Prefer?

05:09 Training Differences: HS Season vs Freestyle Season

05:44 Weigh-Ins, Diet & Cutting Weight the Smart Way

06:24 Pre-Match Routine & Mental Prep

06:59 Music Before Matches (What’s on the Playlist?)

07:29 Wrestling With Dad on the Coaching Staff

08:09 “My Mom Knows More Wrestling Than Most People”

08:59 Describing Coach Marty in One Word

09:59 Rivals, Pressure & Chasing State Titles

11:09 Advice for Young Wrestlers Watching

12:24 Why He Stayed at Delran (Public School Pride)

13:29 Final Thoughts & Delran Wrestling Shoutout

The Phillipsburg “Pit” isn’t just a gym — it’s a proving ground.

In this episode, we step inside one of NJ wrestling’s most iconic venues with Greg Troxell and the legendary voices who’ve called matches here for decades. From historic rivalries to “Pit Magic,” this is about legacy, pressure, and what it means to wrestle in front of a crowd that never lets up.

👇 Chapters below

00:00 Intro

00:50 Why NJ Wrestling Needs Officials

01:27 Welcome to the Historic Phillipsburg “Pit”

02:00 Greg Troxell: Growing Up Wrestling in the Pit

04:51 Why Phillipsburg Still Hosts Matches Here

05:24 The Reality of Hosting a Match in the Pit

06:16 Troxell’s Career: Wrestler, Coach, Leader

07:01 The Legendary Rivalries (Highlands, Paulsboro, Del Val)

08:14 “This Place Tests Your Soul"

09:19 Home-Mat Advantage Is REAL Here

10:46 Losing in the Pit (And Remembering It Forever)

12:42 Wrestling for the Names That Came Before You

14:54 Why NJ State Titles Are Brutal to Win Today

16:22 What It Takes to Be Elite Now

17:30 Who Greg Troxell Idolized Growing Up

19:26 Wrestling vs Football (And Penn State)

22:10 Mike Moore: The Voice of the Pit

23:27 Has Wrestling Gotten Better or Worse?

25:17 The Loudest Moments Ever in the Pit

27:03 What “Pit Magic” Really Means

29:46 Another Legendary Voice Joins In

32:30 Announcing 5 Sports for 30+ Years

34:10 The Wildest Night Inside These Walls

36:09 – Why This Match Belongs in the Pit

36:57 Be part of the journey

Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

We sit down with the Jersey Shore wrestling legend, BJJ phenom, and UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino to chat about everything from wrestling to coaching, to parenting, to mental health.

00:00 Intro

00:18 Pellegrino MMA

01:20 Welcome Kurt Pellegrino

02:00 Becoming a hammer

05:00 Your opponent doesn't matter

08:57 Beat the midget

09:54 Championship Mentality

14:22 College, Dislexia & Dip

17:00 'Kut' Pellegrino

18:50 I hate fighting

21:55 Coaching

23:20 Reclassing & Education

29:30 Parenting

34:15 Coaching St. Rose

46:26 Little Nicky

50:47 Be part of the journey

Try out Pellegrino MMA in Manasquan, NJ

https://www.pellegrinomma.com/

Guest Instagram:

@kurtpellegrino

We sit down with Jackson's own Armani McCann to discuss the Liberty & Memorial merger, martial arts, and his surprising choice of music...

00:00 Intro

00:18 Pellegrino MMA

01:20 Welcome Armani McCann

01:38 The Merge

03:21 Season's coming

04:23 Young Karate kid

06:55 Steady rising

10:30 Academic comeback

12:25 College visits

13:16 My sis used to beat my....

14:43 Elite Inner Power

15:45 Freestyling

17:54 Match day

19:53 Trust my coaches

21:00 Inspirations & Nutrition

23:55 Inner Power Martial Arts

24:30 Be part of the journey

Try out Pellegrino MMA in Manasquan, NJ

https://www.pellegrinomma.com/

Guest Instagram:

@armani.mccann

Tanner Hodgins, one the top 190 pounders in the country, is back on after his fun at the world championships in Greece. This time we went down to 'the barn' to discuss his college recruitment, and how he narrowed it down on where to continue his storied wrestling career.

00:00 Intro

00:18 Beato Baits

00:58 Welcome back Tanner Hodgins

01:45 Repechage & Competing Internationally

06:15 Official Visit: Arizona State

07:50 Official Visit: NC State

09:10 Official Visit: Virginia Tech

10:15 Official Visit: Michigan

12:40 Official Visit: Oklahoma State

14:40 Plains, Pains, & Automobiles

17:08 Advice to future recruits

20:00 Narrowing it down

22:11 Senior Rebel

25:14 The Choice

28:08 Be part of the journey

Guest Instagram:

@tannerjhodgins

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We sat down with Cinnaminson's very own 138 pounder to discuss their program, his first trip to Atlantic City, college expectations, alignments, and more...

00:00 Intro

00:18 Beato Baits

00:58 Welcome Dominic Marino

01:18 Atlantic City

02:30 No off season

04:35 Freestlyling

05:31 Cinnaminson Program

07:20 Weight game & Goals

08:21 College Goals & Prep

10:59 Mat side weigh ins

13:40 Out on Alignment

18:19 Be part of the journey

Guest Instagram:

@dominic.marino09

Beato Baits

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We sat down with West Deptford stud Ryan Mcconaghy to chat about his rise, his future, and mom's cooking.

00:00 Intro

00:14 Beato Baits

00:53 Welcome Ryan McConaghy

01:15 Prep for final year

02:20 Rearview mirror

06:15 Club life

07:35 West Deptford

09:20 Peak into the future

10:30 Competition

11:57 Atlantic City bound

14:18 The Program

15:40 Cross country

17:10 The Evolution

19:05 Immortal Technique

20:30 Family first

21:31 Be part of the journey

Guest Instagram:

@ryan.mcconaghy

We set up shop at Shore Thing wrestling club to get an up-close look at the man who has remained relevant after 30+ years as a coach, mentor and friend of countless wrestlers, parents and coaches throughout New Jersey. Please welcome Vinny Santaniello.

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In part 4 of our official series, highly respected officials Vinny Russo & Gary Wade are back to chat about what could be the most confusing part of a wrestling match: near fall.

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We sat down with our first lady wrestler, Madison Rucci of Jackson, NJ, to discuss the fastest growing sport, the merging of Liberty & Memorial, and prom dresses...

Guest Instagram: @madsrucci

We sat down with Dan Wernikoff of Champion Athletes & Anthony White from Rutgers Wrestling to gain some insight about the science and data behind nutrition and weight management. Experience what it's like first hand for a wrestler and their parents to work with a nutritionist.

Guest Instagram: @danwernikoff @championathletes @anthony.white25

We sat down with Vincent Santaniello, nationally ranked collegiate wrestler from New Jersey’s own Brick Memorial, to discuss his college journey, Shore Thing, and growing up in one of Jersey's top wrestling clubs.

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We sat down with Rumson Fair Haven stud Sonny Amato to chat about his recruiting status, NIL, Pauly Legs and……

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Two current HS wrestling coaches sit down with two highly respected wrestling officials to chat about all things wrestling.

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Anthony Curlo stopped in the studio to chat about life at Blair Academy, his teammates and staying healthy by eating the best fresh eggs in New Jersey.

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Felician University’s head wrestling coach Dale Fava and his brother, assistant coach Vinny Fava chat about New Jersey’s only D2 wrestling program, their recruiting tactics and building the program from “Ground Zero”. A must watch for HS wrestlers.

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We sat down with Immortals Wrestling Club owner Russ Latkovich to chat about Mount Holly, the current state of Burlington County wrestling and…..

Episode sponsor: Vote for Sheriff Erik Johnston of Burlington County

Camden Catholic senior Lazarus Joyce and his younger brother, incoming CBA freshman Shiloh Joyce, stopped by the studio pre Fargo to chat about moving from urban Elizabeth to suburban Cherry Hill and……

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Two Saint Augustine hammers, Chase Sudano and Johnny Chirico, stopped by the studio to chat about making freshman mistakes, being multi-sport athletes and…

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We sat down with Mike McAleer and Tony Papaneri, the two voices of Atlantic City, for an in-depth chat about keeping everyone informed during the best 3 days of the high school wrestling season.

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South Jersey hammer Richie Wootten stopped by the studio to chat about his freshman season, him transferring to another school and being funky…..

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@.beato.baits

Guest Instagram: @the_richwoot

“The Whistle” educational series continues with two legendary NJ wrestling referees, Vin Russo and Gary Wade, sharing their insights on stalling. The kind of expert insight from an officials perspective is only available on New Jersey Mat Chat.

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Don Bosco’s stud 190-pounder Nevin Mattessich chats about becoming an Ivy Leaguer, making money and…..

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Saint Peter Prep’s Christian Ramirez chats about eating food, not eating food and rebounding after a serious injury that wiped out most of his freshman season.

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Camden Catholic’s Jaden Simpson stopped by the studio to talk about the Fighting Irish program, his college plans and his hometown not having a good cheesesteak spot.

Guest Instagram: @jaden_simpson07

We invited legendary coach Mike Lamb and his son, Haddonfield hammer Michael Lamb stopped by to talk about one of the best hidden secrets in South Jersey. Then we went to experience Lamb Trained for ourselves.

Middle school state champ and Howell resident Brayden DeJesus chats about his Pan-Am experience, the intricacies of freestyle wrestling and his high school plans.

Guest Instagram: @brayden_dejesus_taz

We go to JMPowerU, one of the top strength & conditioning 'dojos' in NJ to learn more about dieting, strenght training, and overall mindset to get to the top of your game.

We have partnered with two of New Jersey’s most accomplished and respected officials for our upcoming special edition episodes. Longtime referees Vinny Russo and Gary Wade will be explaining and clarifying what most wrestlers, parents and yes,…..even coaches, are unsure about. Hear it straight from the source. guest Instagram: @garywade36

Our interview with Lacey super sophomore Killian Coluccio and his coach Justin Bonitatis.

Guest Instagram

@killian_coluccio

@coach165

Howell sophmore Tanner Hodgins discusses his U.S. Open title, relaxing in Costa Rica, and his gameplan to prepare for international competition at the World Championships this summer in Greece.

Guest Instagram: @tannerjhodgins ✅ Follow us on... 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/newjerseymatchat 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6FSWGcAZgr6I4IDjDX0i7d?si=c377f97049fc4c6d 🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-jersey-mat-chat/id1813387872

Michael is an accomplished wrestler, concert cellist, and devout Catholic who has achieved remarkable success on and off the mat. We spoke with him and his father Joe about how he has achieved so much in such a short time. Guest Instagram: @eskimo_python

Two hammers from St. Joe's discuss their freshman year with hosts Peter J. Normandia & Doug Johnston. When Johnathon beat Charlie in a wrestle-off for 106, Charlie made the decision to stay and sit out his first post season. The following year Charlie went on to place in states. We discuss the benefits of that decision and the relationship that developed off the mat between two of Jersey's best.

Guest Instagram:

@johnathanon_mcginty

@_charlie.esposito