Returning eight wrestlers with varsity experience at different weight classes would give any team high hopes for the upcoming season.

Include three national qualifiers and one national champion in the mix and it’s easy to see why Kutztown University head coach Robert Fisher is excited for the 2008-09 season.

“This should be one of our best seasons ever,” he said. “We bring back a national champion and we added depth with some really talented recruits.”

KU welcomes back Joe Kemmerer (sr. Mountain Top/Crestwood), who won the Division II national title at 133 pounds going 32-3 in 2006-07. Kemmerer, who redshirted and continued to train with the team last season, is fully prepared to win another title as a senior.

“He’s looking to repeat,” Fisher said of the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 133 pounds in the East Region.

Fisher also is looking for his other two national qualifiers to return to the NCAA Championships.

Chris Chambers (sr. Holland/Council Rock South), who qualified for nationals at 149 pounds as a freshman and a sophomore, may bump up to 157 pounds for his senior season. He battled injuries his junior year, going 20-10 and just missing a chance to go to nationals by finishing fifth at the East Regionals.

David Zeek (jr. Newtown/Council Rock North), who competed at the NCAA Championships last season at 157 pounds, may move up to 165 this season. Zeek finished 21-14 with five pins.

Also returning for the Golden Bears are Kyle Davis (jr. Peckville/Valley View), at 184, Scott Snyder (jr. Slatington/Northern Lehigh), at 197, and Kevin Bolinsky (so. Ashland/North Schuylkill), at heavyweight.

Snyder and Davis both were 18-11 as sophomores last season and Bolinsky was 19-10 as a freshman.

“We’re looking for those three to have breakout seasons this year,” Fisher said.

Together, the returning letterwinners, along with several talented newcomers, will look to give KU its ninth straight winning season and its fourth 10-plus-win campaign in the last five years.

KU’s roster for when it opens the season with the East Stroudsburg Open on Nov. 15 will look like this:

125 pounds

Matt Yocco (fr. Mertztown/Brandywine Heights) will look to get starting time at 125 after an illustrious high school career. Yocco owns the PIAA record in pins with 127 and he’s the all-time win leader in Berks County with 187. He finished his senior year 50-8 and he’s a four-time Berks County champion and a two-time District 3 champion.

“I’m really happy to have him,” Fisher said.

Clayton Youtz (fr. Dauphin/Central Dauphin), a fifth-place finisher in PIAA Class AAA, and last year’s starter Eddie Harris (so. Wilmington, Del./Howard) will also vie for time at 125.

Matt Nel (fr. Waynesboro/Waynesboro), Chad Emerick (fr. Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) and Quinten Hizey (fr. NiPomo, Calif./NiPomo) also join the Golden Bears this season.

133 pounds

Kemmerer, ranked No. 1 in the East Region’s preseason poll, will start at 133 pounds. He was undefeated against Division II wrestlers during his championship season.

Bryce Ebert (so. Mountain Top/Crestwood), who wrestled in six matches last season, returns to back up Kemmerer. Newcomer Oliver Thayer (fr. Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) also will provide depth at 133.

141 pounds

Bret Martinez (jr. Slatington/Northern Lehigh), who is ranked fifth in the East Region at 141 pounds, will start for the Golden Bears. He was 12-12 in 2006-07 and redshirted last season. Fisher expects him to be a national qualifier. He could also wrestle at 149.

Jamie Soupik (so. Boyertown/Boyertown) also returns to wrestle at 141 after going 6-12 last season.

Jay Sandt (so. Pen Argyl/Pen Argyl), who went 1-4 at 141 last season, return to provide depth, along with newcomers Thayer and Jesse Combs (fr. Oxford/Oxford).

149 pounds

Chambers opens the season with a No. 5 ranking at 149 pounds, where he was 14-8 last season. Overall he was 20-10. Chambers also could find himself wrestling at 157, opening the door for Martinez to start at 149. Joe Zizzo (fr. Yardley/Pennsburg), Ryan Stephenson (fr. Dillsburg/Northern) and Sandt also will compete for mat time at 149 when Chambers and Martinez are wrestling in their other weight classes.

157 pounds

Chambers could move up from 149 pounds to start at 157, where he was 6-2 last season

Zeek also may see some time at 157, where he was 17-12 a year ago. He was 21-14 overall and third on the team with five pins last season.

Zac Kisslinger (fr. Bethlehem/Liberty),Ricky Pena (fr. Reading/Reading), John Meyers (fr. Colonia, N.J./Bishop Ahr) and Mike Wisniewski (jr. Mountain Top/Crestwood) will back them up.

165 pounds

Zeek may jump up a level for the Golden Bears after going 4-2 in when wrestling at 165 pounds last season.

Pena, Sonny Flood (sr. Southampton/William Tennent), Joe Yavoich (fr. Jonestown/Northern Lehigh) and John Butera (fr. Clarksburg, N.J./Allentown) will provide depth behind Zeek.

174 pounds

Flood, who was 8-12 at 165 last season, will back up Zeek and possibly start at 174. Bobby Mort (fr. Huntingdon/Huntingdon). Eric Sergent (fr. Nazareth/Nazareth) and Andrew Osborne (jr. Philadelphia/Milton Hershey) also will look to start at 174.

184 pounds

Davis, who was 18-11 last season, will be the starter at 184 pounds. He was tied for first on the team with seven pins last season. Newcomer Josh Sheriff (fr. Douglassville/Daniel Boone) will back him up.

197 pounds

Snyder returns to start at 197 pounds after going 18-11 last season. He will be backed up by Cory Rutt (fr. Easton/Easton) and Victor Montanez (so. Prospect Park, N.J./Passaic County Tech).

285 pounds