Kent State takes on its two biggest rivals this weekend, beginning a string of five consecutive Mid-American Conference duals.  The Golden Flashes will take their 2-0 MAC mark into Athens Friday, Jan. 24 against archrival Ohio University.  Two days later, Kent State hosts Central Michigan (Jan. 26) at the M.A.C. Center.

Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 117-43-1 in dual meets.  The Flashes have also won 15 of their last 19 duals at the M.A.C. Center. 
Since the 05-06 season, Kent State has gone 35-6-1 in MAC duals, including an 11-1 mark since the 2011-12 season.  During that time, the Golden Flashes have not lost a MAC dual to a team other than Central Michigan, going 33-0-1 against the combination of Northern Illinois, Buffalo, Ohio, Eastern Michigan and Old Dominion.

History vs. Ohio and Central Michigan
Kent State has defeated the Bobcats in nine straight duals and leads the all-time series with Ohio 45-23.  Last season, the Flashes won seven matches on the way to a 26-11 home victory.  Mack McGuire and Caleb Marsh are KSU’s two returning winners.  The last time the teams met in Athens, the Flashes downed Ohio 23-9 in 2012.  The series dates back to 1929 and escalated into a rivalry just a few years later after Bobcat graduate Joe Begala took over as Kent State's head coach.

Central Michigan leads the all-times series with Kent State 25-20.  The Chippewas have won 14 of the last 16 meetings, including a 27-8 victory in Mount Pleasant last season. Sam Wheeler is the Flashes’ lone returning winner from last season. The last time the Chippewas came to Kent, the Flashes took 7-of-10 matches in a 22-13 victory.  In each of the previous eight seasons, the winner of the CMU-KSU dual has directly impacted the MAC regular season championship.

 

The Competition
With two All-Americans in the lineup, Ohio was the preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference.  The Bobcats are 6-2 on the year, coming off a 22-13 victory against Eastern Michigan this past Sunday.  Ohio is 3-0 at home was ranked in the NWCA Top 25 until this week.  Several Bobcats and Flashes have met this season at the Navy Classic and Southern Scuffle.

 

The Chippewas are 7-6, coming off a narrow 16-15 defeat against No. 7 Missouri this past Sunday.  Central Michigan earned its third conference victory of the year last weekend against Ohio (19-15).  WrestlingReport has the Chippewas ranked No. 24 with five wrestlers ranked in the Top 20.

 

Live Video, Audio, Scoring
Live video of Sunday’s duals can be seen on mac-sports.com. Also on Sunday, live audio with Matt Miller can be heard on Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio.  Live scoring can be followed on Trackwrestling.com.

 

In The Rankings

This week, Kent State is No. 21 in W.I.N.’s Tournament Power Index and No. 28 according to WrestlingReport.com.  Six Golden Flashes are ranked in this week’s Top 25 according to WrestlingReport and seven are in the Top 33.  Kent State is receiving votes in this week’s NWCA Coaches Poll and sit just one spot out of the Top 25.  Six Flashes are in the Top 4 spots of this week’s MAC rankings.

 

Sophomore Ian Miller is No. 5 in the 157-pound W.I.N. rankings, sophomore Sam Wheeler is No. 11 at 184 and Mack McGuire is No. 14.

 

 

 

Quick Shots

• The Golden Flashes have finished in one of the top two spots in the MAC regular season standings in each of the previous eight seasons.
  
  
• Tyler Buckwalter is 4-0 in home duals this season.
  
  
• Mack McGuire has won his last six matches, including a 4-0 mark at the Virginia Duals.
  
  
• Kent State does not have a single senior in its starting lineup.
  
  
• Ian Miller is tied for fourth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 29.
  
  
• Six of Kent State’s dual wins are by 15 points or more.
  
  
• Five of the Flashes’ six losses have come against teams ranked in the Top 17 of the latest coaches poll. 

On the Horizon

In its third of five straight MAC duals, Kent State travels to Ypsilanti, Mich., Jan. 31, taking on Eastern Michigan.

 

 

 

Projected Lineup vs. Ohio
125 – KeVon Powell (6-10) vs. Del Vinas (17-11) or Alfredo Gray (10-16)
133 – Kagen Squire (7-6) vs. No. 20 Mack McGuire (20-6, 11-3 duals)
141 – Noah Forrider (18-11) vs. No. 22 Tyler Small (15-11, 7-7 duals)
149 – No. 14 Tywan Claxton (17-4) vs. No. 24 Mike DePalma (18-11, 8-6 duals)
157 – No. 26 Sparty Chino (12-6) vs. No. 7 Ian Miller (19-3)
165 – No. 29 Harrison Hightower (22-8) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (4-6, 4-4 duals)
174 – No. 13 Cody Walters (3-1) vs. No. 25 Caleb Marsh (10-5, 9-3 duals) or Mike Vollant (6-9)
184 – Ryan Garringer (4-8) vs. No. 9 Sam Wheeler (23-4, 12-2 duals)
197 – No. 8 Phil Wellington (22-2) vs. No. 31 Cole Baxter (17-10, 10-4 duals)
285 – No. 12 Jeremy Johnson (24-3) vs. Mimmo Lytle (11-15, 4-10 duals)
Rankings from WrestlingReport.com

 

Projected Lineup vs. CMU
125 – No. 16 Corey Keener (15-4) vs. Del Vinas (17-11) or Alfredo Gray (10-16)
133 – No. 15 Joe Roth (14-7) vs. No. 20 Mack McGuire (20-6, 11-3 duals)
141 – No. 7 Zach Horan (20-2) vs. No. 22 Tyler Small (15-11, 7-7 duals)
149 – Scott Mattingly (13-10) vs. No. 24 Mike DePalma (18-11, 8-6 duals)
157 – No. 17 Luke Smith (11-7) No. vs. No. 7 Ian Miller (19-3)
165 – Nick Becker (7-11) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (4-6, 4-4 duals)
174 – No. 12 Mike Ottinger (16-2) vs. No. 25 Caleb Marsh (10-5, 9-3 duals) or Mike Vollant (6-9)
184 – Craig Kelliher (7-10) vs. No. 9 Sam Wheeler (23-4, 12-2 duals)
197 – Jackson Lewis (12-11) vs. No. 31 Cole Baxter (17-10, 10-4 duals)
285 – Adam Robinson (8-13) vs. Mimmo Lytle (11-15, 4-10 duals)
Rankings from WrestlingReport.com

 

 

Aaron Chimenti

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

Contact for Football & Wrestling

Kent State University