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.

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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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