After helping the St. Peter’s Prep wrestling program reach heights never before reached, like an NJSIAA Parochial A North state sectional championship four years ago, Dave and Greg Ilaria moved on as a tandem to wrestle together at Seton Hall University.
The Ilarias were happy, successful, sitting on the top of the world. They couldn’t have asked for a better collegiate scenario.
"We had three guys on the team returning home from competing at the nationals (the NCAA Division I championships) that week," Dave Ilaria recalled. "We were close to home, had our family close, with friends there. The same week we had three guys coming home from nationals, they told us that they were dropping the sport."
Just like that, Seton Hall’s wrestling program was dead. And the Ilaria brothers had no place to wrestle.
"It was extremely disappointing," Dave Ilaria said. "It hurt to leave everything behind. I didn’t know where the road might lead us."
"I was very disappointed," Greg Ilaria said. "I spent two years setting myself up and then it’s over just like that. It was very upsetting to think I had to go elsewhere."
It was even more upsetting to think that for the first time in their competitive lives, the Ilaria brothers might have to split up and go to separate schools.
Dave, a senior, had only one year of collegiate eligibility remaining after his three years at Seton Hall. Greg, a junior, had two years left. Dave was the more accomplished wrestler and had offers to go to the University of Minnesota, Michigan State and Boston University if he wanted to. Greg’s options were fewer.
"Sacred Heart University [in Connecticut] contacted me when I was in high school," Greg Ilaria said. "I didn’t have the choices Dave had."
"For many different reasons, I knew I didn’t want to go far from home," Dave Ilaria said. "I had other opportunities, but I wanted to stay pretty close to home."
Home also meant his younger brother.
"I wanted to wrestle with my brother," Dave Ilaria said. "I’ve always been with him. We’re really close. I just thought we should stay together."
Dave Ilaria knew about the rich wrestling tradition at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. It was an NCAA Division III program, a step down from the Division I status that the brothers were accustomed to, but it represented the best chance for the brothers to wrestle together once again.
"To be honest," says veteran TCNJ wrestling coach Dave Icenhower, "when they came down together, I thought we were only getting Greg. I didn’t have much to go on. I didn’t know we were going to get both. They needed an opportunity and we provided it. They came in and provided leadership and filled in at weights where we needed help."
"Once Dave made the decision to come to TCNJ, it made the decision easier for me," Greg Ilaria said. "It made sense. It was a good school academically and had a great wrestling program."
The marriage between the Ilaria brothers and TCNJ has been nothing short of perfect. Both are at the top of their games, with Dave ranked as the No. 2 wrestler nationwide at 133 pounds and Greg ranked No. 5 in the nation at 157 pounds. Dave has a 28-3 record with 15 pins, while Greg has a 28-5 mark with six pins.
"We knew that Dave could come in and help us right away," Icenhower said. "Greg has been a great surprise. They both became leaders on the team. They’ve meshed in well right away. They’re both extremely outgoing and well liked. They had no problem adapting. They also set a nice example. We had a young team and the younger kids followed their lead. They both have great work ethic. They’re wrestling really well right now."
Both brothers feel that they’re on the top of their game, which is coming at the right time, considering that the end of the season is approaching. It begins with the Metropolitan Conference Championships this weekend at Montclair State University and will culminate at the NCAA Division III Championships at Ohio Northern University March 7-8.
"I feel like I’m wrestling the best of my life," Greg Ilaria said. "Everything is starting to come together for me. Coming to Division III from Division I, I was hoping to be able to do well. I knew Dave would do well. Our hard work is beginning to pay off now."
Dave was suffering from a series of injuries. He split his eye open in the beginning of the season, an injury that required stitches and forced Dave Ilaria to wrestle wearing a mask. He then had fractured ribs that kept him out of action for five weeks and had an assortment of strained muscles.
"But I feel 100 percent healthy now for the first time all season," Dave Ilaria said. "I feel like I’m peaking at a really good time."
The two brothers head to the post-season with national championship possibilities.
"It definitely would be great if we both could win," said Dave Ilaria, who will graduate with a degree in communications in May and hopes to pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales. "It’s definitely possible. I wouldn’t be able to put my emotions to words if that happened."
"I couldn’t ask for anything better," Greg Ilaria said. "Going into the season, we set a goal to both qualify for the nationals. I knew Dave had a good shot. It would be great if I could. I set the goals high and came in with that mentality. But we still have some work to do."
Icenhower has high hopes.
"I would hope that both guys can win the conference this weekend," Icenhower said. "Both have good shots. They’re also both capable of becoming All-Americans [finishing in the top eight at the nationals]. Dave is certainly capable and Greg is getting better. He’s fifth in the country and I don’t know if that’s high enough."
It all begins this weekend at Montclair State, which will be sort of a homecoming of sorts – and the last time local fans can watch the Ilaria brothers wrestle together.
"I know that they have a great following," Icenhower said. "It should be nice for them."
"We always have good support," said Greg Ilaria, who is a psychology major and would like to study sports psychology in graduate school. "Being that close to family and friends makes it exciting to me. I just hope we can put on a good showing."
Considering everything that has transpired, the brothers couldn’t have asked for a better fairytale ending, especially if they are both crowned national champions in a few weeks.
"There was some doubt that it could be over," Greg Ilaria said about Seton Hall’s decision to discontinue wrestling. "We knew we couldn’t hang it up just yet. We’ve both worked so hard for so long. I’m just happy that we got this chance."
"We really got pretty lucky coming here," Dave Ilaria said. "It’s amazing how things worked out."