UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 20, 2013 -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will open up the home portion of the 2013-14 season on Sunday, Nov. 24, when it hosts neighborhood rival Lock Haven at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall.  The dual meet will be preceded by the raising of last year’s NCAA and Big Ten Championship banners into the rafters of Rec Hall.  Head coach Cael Sanderson’s crew enters the dual with a 2-0 record while a young and improved Lock Haven squad enters the weekend with a 2-1 mark.  Lock Haven is at Rider on Friday, 11/22 (post-press).

 

Penn State is coming off a 2-0 opening weekend road trip that saw the squad down Rider 34-8 in front of a sold out Rider crowd in Lawrenceville, N.J. on Saturday afternoon, then turn around and visit No. 25 Lehigh the next day and beat the Mountain Hawks 22-12 in front of nearly 5,000 fans.  The wins extended Penn State’s non-conference dual meet win streak to 25.   Penn State last lost a non-conference dual on Jan. 9, 2010, when Oklahoma beat Penn State 22-15 at the Virginia Duals.

 

The Lions are being led by senior All-American No. 1 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), who’s 2-0 start to the year included a pin of No. 13 Ramon Santiago of Rider and a major over Lehigh’s Brian Brill.  Taylor’s major of Brill was the 100th bonus point victory of Taylor’s career.  The three-time national finalist and ‘12 Hodge Trophy winner heads into the Lock Haven dual with a 107-3 record, including 42 pins, 35 tech falls and 23 majors.  His 42 pins is second all-time in Penn State history, just 11 shy of tying the all-time record of 53 held by Josh Moore (2001-04).

 

Joining Taylor with unblemished early season records are true freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), 7-0 and No. 12 at 141; junior All-American Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), 7-0 and No. 3 at 174; sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), 7-0 and No. 4 at 197; and junior Jimmy Lawson (Tom’s River, N.J.), 6-0 and No. 10 at 285.  Three Penn State starters from a year ago will not wrestle against LHU: Junior’s Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) and Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) are still recovering from off-season surgery and are ranked No. 8 at 149 and No. 5 at 157 respectively while senior Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 184, has been suspended for violation of team policy. Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked grapplers.  All-American Nico Megaludis (Murraysville, Pa.) is No. 3 at 125 and  red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.) is No. 16 at 133.

 

Lock Haven, which is at Rider on Friday night (post-press), enters the weekend with a 2-1 mark.  The Bald Eagles are coached by ‘03 Penn State graduate Scott Moore and own wins over Shippensburg (42-3) and Bucknell (19-13).  In comparing common opponents, Bucknell defeated Lehigh as well.  Lock Haven’s lone loss is a 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh last Friday evening.  The Haven is being led by 141-pounder Dan Neff, who is ranked in a number of listings with a 7-2 mark.  Junior Fred Garcia is also ranked No. 19 at 184 by Intermat and is 8-2 overall. Penn State leads the all-time series with Lock Haven, holding a 35-4 lead.  The Lions won 42-3 last year in Rec Hall on 12/15.

 

Penn State returns to action in two weeks when it travels to Boston University for a 7 p.m. dual meet on Friday, Dec. 6.  The Lions then trek right home for a Sunday showdown in the Bryce Jordan Center.  Penn State will entertain Pittsburgh on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.  Tickets can still be purchased via ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-NITTANY.

 

With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available to a few of the remaining Rec Hall duals.  Also, there are still tickets available for Penn State’s Dec. 8 dual against Pitt in the Bryce Jordan Center.  People may purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling.   The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.

 

THIS WEEK

The #1 Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0, 0-0 B1G) host Lock Haven (2-1*) on Sunday, Nov. 24, in a 2 p.m. dual in Rec Hall.  The dual will be preceded by the raising of last year’s NCAA and Big Ten title banners. *Lock Haven is at Rider on 11/22, post-press.

 

UP NEXT

Penn State will visit Boston University on Friday, Dec. 6, in a 7 p.m. dual.  Two days later Penn State will host Pittsburgh on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.  The dual meet will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center!

ON THE AIR

TV - None

Live Web Video  - GoPSUsports.com via All-Access

Radio - Full season live on WRSC (103.1 FM/1390 AM) State College; WPBZ 1230 AM Lock Haven; 1370 WWCB Corry; WLAK (103.5 FM) Huntingdon; WMRF (95.7 FM) Lewistown; WIEZ (670 AM) Lewistown.

Web - All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package as are select home duals.

 

#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (2-0, 0-0 B1G)

WT         NAME                                           EL       HT/HS                                                                                           REC

125         #3 Nico Megaludis                      Jr.        Murraysville, Pa./Franklin Regional                                            6-1

133         #16 Jimmy Gulibon                    Fr.       Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area                                                                4-3

OR          Jordan Conaway                           So.       Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford                                                    5-1

141         #12 Zain Retherford                  Fr.       Benton, Pa./Benton                                                                        7-0

149         James English                                Sr.       York, Pa./Central York                                                                   3-1

OR          Zack Beitz                                      Fr.       Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata                                                               4-3

                #8 Andrew Alton (out)               Jr.        Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain                                                  0-0

157         James Vollrath                              Sr.       Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South                                              5-2

                #5 Dylan Alton (out)                  Jr.        Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain                                                  0-0

165         #1 David Taylor                           Sr.       St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham                                                  5-0

174         #3 Matt Brown                             Jr.        West Valley City, Utah/Cyprus                                                   7-0

184         James Frascella                             So.       Carmel, Ind./Carmel                                                                      3-4

OR          Wes Phipps                                   Fr.       Grove City, Pa./Grove City                                                           0-0

                #1 Ed Ruth (out)                         Sr.       Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township                                   5-0

197         #4 Morgan McIntosh                  So.       Santa Ana, Calif./Calvary Chapel                                                7-0

285         #10 Jimmy Lawson                      Jr.        Tom’s River, N.J./Manchester Township                                  6-0

                Jon Gingrich                                 Jr.        Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle Area                                                      8-1

LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES (2-1*) / trend it at #PSUwrLHU

WT         NAME                                           EL       HT/HS                                                                                           REC

125         Kaleb LeMaire                              Fr.       Rehoboth Beach, Del./Caesar Rodney                                       7-5

OR          Ronnie Perry                                 Fr.       Christiana, Pa./Solanco                                                                  9-6

133         Matt Bryer                                     So.       Cochranton, Pa./Cochranton                                                       8-5

OR          Cody Wheeler                              So.       Towanda, Pa./Towanda                                                                1-2

141         Dan Neff                                       So.       Quarryville, Pa./Solanco                                                                7-2

149         Mac Maldarelli                             Sr.       Merrick, N.H./Nassau CC                                                            4-3

157         Billy Randt                                    Sr.       York, Pa./West York                                                                       5-2

165         Jake Kemerer                                Sr.       Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield                                                         5-2

174         Travis Moyer                                 So.       Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain                                                  6-6

OR          Adam Mackie                               Fr.       Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights                                     11-5

184         #19 Fred Garcia                          Jr.        Donora, Pa./Ringgold                                                                    8-2

197         Phil Sprenkle                                 So.       Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown                                                      4-4

285         Brad Emerick                                Fr.       Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin                                                          4-6

 

*Lock Haven is at Rider on Friday, Nov. 22, post-press

Individual rankings are Intermat and team rankings are Intermat TPI as of 11/19

 

 

Cael Sanderson is in his fifth season as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team.  The veteran head coach now has three straight NCAA and three straight Big Ten titles in hand.  He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year three straight times and was named the 2013 National Coach of the Year after guiding Penn State to yet another NCAA title in Des Moines.

 

THE PENN STATE YEARS...

In his first year at Penn State (2009-10), he guided the Lions to a 13-6-1 dual meet mark, 5-3 in Big Ten action, and crowned his first Big Ten Champion.  The Lions finished No. 10 in the final USA Today/Coaches dual meet poll and placed ninth at NCAAs.

 

In 2010-11, Sanderson guided the Nittany Lions to its first-ever Southern Scuffle Co-Championship and its first Virginia Duals Championship since 1991.  In guiding Penn State to a 6-1-1 conference mark, Sanderson equaled the most Big Ten dual meet wins in Penn State history in just his second year at the helm of the Nittany Lions (Penn State won six Big Ten duals in 1998).  Sanderson led Penn State to the school’s first ever Big Ten Championship on March 5-6 and was named 2011 Big Ten Coach of the Year.   Saving the best for last, he led the Nittany Lions to the 2011 NCAA National Championship in Philadelphia on March 17-19, Penn State’s first since 1953 and Sanderson’s first as a collegiate head coach.

 

In 2011-12, Sanderson led Penn State to a school record 7-1 Big Ten dual record and a share of the 2012 Big Ten dual meet championship.  Sanderson then made it two in a row by leading Penn State to the 2012 Big Ten Championship at Purdue on March 3-4 and was named 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year, earning the honor for the second straight season. Two weeks later, Sanderson led Penn State to a second straight NCAA crown, helping Penn State to become just the fourth team in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles.

 

Last year, Penn State went 13-1 overall in dual meets this year and won its third straight Southern Scuffle title in early January.  The Nittany Lions followed that up with a third straight Big Ten Championship on March 9-10 at Illinois and a third straight NCAA National Title in Des Moines on March 21-23.  He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the third straight season (sharing this year’s honor as a co-CotY) and 2013 National Coach of the Year (the second time he has earned that honor).

 

In this, his fifth season as Penn State’s coach, Sanderson has led the Nittany Lions to three-straight conference titles, three straight national titles, collected 19 All-Americans, five national champions, three Gorriaran winners, one NCAA tourney OW and one Hodge Trophy winner.  He and his coaching staff have a perfect 13-0 record in Big Ten championship finals.  Coach Sanderson now sports a 102-19-2 dual meet mark in this, his seventh year as a head coach.   He is 58-9-2 and in his fifth year at Penn State.

 

 

FANS ARE REMINDED ABOUT REC HALL’S NEW NO BAG POLICY

“To enhance public safety and improve fan access, no bags are permitted inside Penn State sports venues during a game.  A single one-gallon clear plastic bag (Ziploc or similar) is permitted for the things you have to have, like medicine, child care supplies, keys, phone, wallet, etc. Questions, call 1-800-NITTANY.  Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics thanks you for your cooperation.

 

TAYLOR’S 100TH CAREER BONUS POINT VICTORY LEADS LOINS TO WIN AT #25 LEHIGH; NAMED B1G WoW

Senior David Taylor dominated Lehigh’s Brian Brill to the tune of a 20-7 major, sparking Penn State to a 22-12 dual meet win at #25 Lehigh on 11/17.  With the Lions wrestling without four ranked wrestlers, Taylor’s bonus point win helped secure the victory for Penn State going away.  The win was Taylor’s 100th bonus point win.  At the conclusion of that dual, Taylor had 100 bonus point wins in 110 matches wrestled.  Taylor was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the second consecutive week for his efforts.

 

GINGRICH DOWNS #19 VOLLARO OF LEHIGH

Junior heavyweight Jon Gingrich capped off Penn State’s 22-12 win at #25 Lehigh on 11/17 with a strong 5-2 win over #19 Doug Vollaro.  Gingrich stepped in at 285 and helped put the finishing touches on a strong team showing as Penn State wrestled without four ranked wrestlers.

 

MEGALUDIS, RETHERFORD, TAYLOR LEAD PENN STATE

TO WIN AT RIDER IN FRONT OF SELL OUT CROWD

Wrestling in front of packed Alumni Gymnasium at Rider University, the Penn State Nittany Lions rolled to a 34-8 win over the Broncs, who were ranked 25th in the Coaches Poll at the time (not the Intermat TPI).  Junior All-American Nico Megaludis downed #17 Robert Deutsch 5-0 at 125, true freshman Zain Retherford made his Penn State dual meet debut with a 12-3 major over RU’s Paulie Kirchner at 141 and senior All-American David Taylor pinned #13 Ramon Santiago at the 4:27 mark to highlight the lopsided Lion victory.

 

HAMMOND WINS TITLE AT ESU OPEN

Ten members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team took part in the East Stroudsburg Open today, both attached and unattached.  True freshman Garett Hammond won the 165-pound title to lead Penn State’s efforts. Hammond was a perfect 5-0 on the day, putting forth a dominant performance with five bonus point wins.  Hammond had two majors, a tech fall and two pins on the day and improved his record to 16-3 as an unattached Nittany Lion.  Junior heavyweight Nick Ruggear went 3-1 on the day plus grabbing a win over a non-collegiate grappler (which does not count in his results).  Ruggear’s performance included a pin and a major was good enough for third place at 285. Two Nittany Lion 141-pounders placed.  Sophomore Michael Waters went 5-2 to place fourth at 141 while junior Nate Morgan went 6-2 to take seventh with two pins and a tech fall.

ALL REC HALL DUALS SOLD OUT;

LESS THAN 80 SROs FOR FOUR DUALS REMAIN

With the entire dual meet season of Rec Hall action sold out prior to the start of the season, a limited number of Standing Room Only tickets were made available in October for fans to purchase.  Three sets of those SROs quickly sold out (Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Illinois).  Less than 80 SROs remain for Lock Haven, Purdue, Northwestern and Clarion (the final home action for seniors David Taylor and Ed Ruth).  Fans may purchase those tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY.

PENN STATE TO HOST PITT IN BRYCE JORDAN CENTER! TICKETS AVAILABLE AT 1-800-NITTANY & TICKETMASTER

With fans clamoring for the chance to see Penn State wrestle but Rec Hall completely sold out as usual, the Penn State Nittany Lions moved it’s Dec. 8 dual against Pittsburgh to the Bryce Jordan Center.  Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or online at www.ticketmaster.com (simply search Penn State Nittany Lion Wrestling).

LIONS CROWN SIX CHAMPS AT BINGHAMTON

Penn State faired well at the Binghamton Open on Sunday, Nov. 10. Six Nittany Lions won individual titles at the event with three other Penn Staters making the finals and dropping close decisions to ranked wrestlers.  In addition, Penn State notched two third place finishes and a fourth place finish. True freshman Zain Retherford (141), senior David Taylor (165), junior Matt Brown (174), senior Ed Ruth (184), sophomore Morgan McIntosh (197) and junior Jimmy Lawson (285) all went 5-0 to win titles and ride into the first duals with a full head of steam.  Junior Nico Megaludis (125), sophomore Jordan Conaway (133) and senior James Vollrath (157) all went 4-1 and lost heart-breakers in the finals. Junior Jon Gingrich (285) and true freshman Garett Hammond (165) each went 7-1 to place third and red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (133) went 4-2 to place fourth.

TAYLOR B1G WRESTLER OF THE WEEK FOR 11/10/13

David Taylor has been named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Nov. 10, 2013.  The honor is the first for Penn State this year and the second of Taylor’s career. Taylor, ranked No. 1 at 165 by Intermat, was simply unstoppable in his first action of the 2013-14 season. Coming off an impressive exhibition win in Washington, D.C., the prior weekend, Taylor destroyed the field at the Binghamton Open on Sunday.  The Lion 165-pounder went 5-0 with four pins, all in the first period.  His only non-pin was an 18-2 technical fall in the semifinals.  His four pins came at 1:13, 2:00, 2:41 and 1:51 in the championship bout. 

TAYLOR AND BROWN AT THE NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Two members of the top-ranked Penn State wrestling team took part in the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic in Fairfax, Va. Held in George Mason University’s Patriot Center, All-Americans David Taylor and Matt Brown each competed at the exhibition event.  Taylor rolled to an 13-2 major decision over No. 4 Michael Moreno of Iowa State while Brown, ranked No. 3 at 174, dropped a tough 4-3 decision to No. 1 Andrew Howe of Oklahoma on riding time.

CHURCH AND HAMMOND AT THE CLARION OPEN

Senior Andrew Church and true freshman Garrett Hammond each competed unattached  at the Clarion Knight Point Open, the season’s first open tournament, on Nov. 3. Church worked his way into the quarterfinals before dropping into the consolation bracket.  The fifth-year senior ended a strong opening run with a 4-2 record. Hammond, seeing his first action at the collegiate level, dropped his first match and then reeled off four straight dominating wins in consolation action.  Hammond posted an identical 4-2 record.  His four wins included three pins and a technical fall. One of his pins was in just 0:42.

LIONS RANKED NO. 1 BY INTERMAT

WITH TEN RANKED INDIVIDUALS

Nine members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will begin the 2013-14 season with national rankings and head coach Cael Sanderson’s squad holds the No. 1 team ranking in Intermat’s Tournament Power Index (TPI).  The TPI ranks a team’s potential tournament strength based on Intermat’s individual rankings, not dual meet strength. The full list of national rankings is available at www.intermatwrestle.com.  Nico Megaludis is ranked No. 3 at 125, Jimmy Gulibon is No. 16 at 133,  Zain Retherford is No. 12 at 141, Andrew Alton is No. 8 at 149, Dylan Alton is No. 5 at 157, David Taylor is No. 1 at 165, Matt Brown is No. 3 at 174, Ed Ruth is No. 1 at 184, Morgan McIntosh is No. 4 at 197 and Jimmy Lawson is No. 10 at 285.

DUAL TIME CHANGES ANNOUNCED

The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team has announced dual meet time changes due to national television broadcast requests.  Two of Penn State’s Big Ten duals have had their times switched for national TV.  Penn State’s home dual against Ohio State on Sunday, Dec. 15, will now begin at noon in Rec Hall.  The Nittany Lions’ match-up at Michigan will start at 3:30 p.m. instead of 2 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2.  The live broadcasts are confirmed but the network they will appear on will be announced later with the full release of Penn State’s extensive live television schedule. Additional live TV dates are confirmed and possible time changes for more broadcasts are possible.  Penn State’s full television schedule will be announced soon.

 

 

Patrick Donghia

Penn State Wrestling Twitter:  http://twitter.com/pennstateWREST

Penn State Wrestling Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling

Assistant Director of Athletics Communication

Ph: 814 865 1757 -- email: pad11@psu.edu