COLLEGE WRESTLING: TIOGA'S BELLIS SIGNS TO WRESTLE AT DIVISION I UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (2024-06-18)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Tioga senior Caden Bellis said the University of Penn felt like “a good fit” so he’ll spend the next five years there as a member of the Division I wrestling Quakers.

“I went to a few other places,” he said. “I thought Penn had the best team, and some of the best coaches that I fit in well with.”

Bellis, a five-time N.Y. State medalist, and three-time state finalist, also considered Army, Appalachian State, and Cornell.

Bellis said he’ll have a year to prepare to make the Quaker line-up.

“For the first year, I’ll be taking a gap year, or ‘grey shirt’ year, just working to get bigger.

“Our 174-pounder is graduating after next season, so that’s the spot I’ll compete for my second year there,” said Bellis.

Tioga wrestling coach Kris Harrington believes Bellis will be successful at the next level.

“Caden’s work ethic will make him successful.

“I also think his deferment year is going to play a big role,” said Harrington. “I think any kid who can do that, and get your footing together with your academics, and your wrestling in that year, I think that pays huge dividends as your career goes along.”

Bellis knows he has a lot of work to do.

“Right now, I’m just trying to get bigger. They want me at a higher weight class, so I’m just lifting every day, and still practicing twice a week.

“It’s a competition to get the spot you want, that’s how I’m approaching it,” said Bellis.

Harrington said Bellis will need to fine-tune his mechanics as well.

“He just needs to be more consistent on his leg attacks,” he said. “The (Penn coaches) will clean that up, Coach (Brandon) Slay (an Olympic gold medalist) is one of the best coaches in the country technically … and Jordan Burroughs is in that room right now. It’s impressive.

“That middleweight group for (Penn) is going to be huge for (Caden), just working with them every day.

“To get more consistent on finishing his leg attacks, that’s his separator right now because he gets in on just about everybody, but his fish rate is not where it needs to be yet,” noted Harrington.

“I think his freshman year is going to be a learning year, but by his sophomore year he should compete to get in the line-up,” he added.

Bellis was also a two-time N.Y. State Class D Football “Player of the Year,” and led Tioga to a 40-0 record, and three state titles at quarterback.

Tioga football coach Nick Aiello has little doubt Bellis will be successful at the next level.

“Caden seems to only know one way, and that’s doing whatever it takes to reach his goals.

“He’s willing to put in the work, and he goes about it in a humble sort of way,” said Aiello. “You’re not going to find many people willing to match his work ethic when it comes to putting in the time and effort.”

Bellis will major in Engineering.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Caden Bellis. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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