Coming off a strong finish at the Southern Scuffle, Kent State heads to the Hampton Coliseum this weekend as the No. 5 seed at the 2014 Virginia Duals.  In their opening dual, the Golden Flashes (5-4) will take on The Citadel Friday at 9 a.m.

 

In The Rankings

This week, Kent State cracked the InterMat rankings for the first time this season at No. 22.  The Flashes are No. 21 according to WrestlingReport.com and No. 16 in W.I.N.’s Tournament Power Index.  Sophomore Ian Miller moved up to No. 4 in the 157-pound InterMat rankings, while sophomore Sam Wheeler moved up to No. 9 at 184.  Six Golden Flashes are ranked in this week’s Top 25 according to WrestlingReport.

 

Weekend Slate

After opening with The Citadel, the Golden Flashes return to the mat Friday at 1 p.m., taking on either No. 22 Bloomsburg or Bucknell.  Bloomsburg is the No. 4 seed.  The top three slots are filled by Virginia, Edinboro and Virginia Tech.  On Saturday, every team will compete in at least one dual and as many as three.  Action begins at 10 a.m. with the finals slated for 8:30 p.m.

 

Quick Shots

• With a seventh place at the Southern Scuffle, Kent State finished ahead of five teams (Iowa State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Stanford, North Carolina) previously ranked ahead of them.
  
  
• The Flashes have won five of their last six dual meets, with their only setback in that span coming against No. 7 Ohio State.
  
  
• Four of those wins are by 18 points or more. The other victory came against Michigan (17-16) who is No. 14 in this week’s InterMat rankings. 

• Kent State does not have a single senior in its starting lineup.

• Ian Miller’s second place at the Southern Scuffle was highlighted by a pin in 45 seconds of Minnesota’s Dylan Ness during the semifinals.
  
  
• Miller is tied for fourth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 28.
  
  
• Sam Wheeler went 7-1 in his third place finish at the Southern Scuffle, including a 6-4 win over No. 4 Kevin Steinhaus of Minnesota.
  
  

 

Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 114-41-1 in dual meets, including a Virginia Duals title in 2012.

 

 

Tournament History

Kent State has traditionally had success at the Virginia Duals, placing in the top six in each of the previous seven years.  Last season, the Golden Flashes placed sixth with victories over Arizona State, VMI and Old Dominion.  In 2012, Kent State went 4-0, capping off its run with an upset of Missouri.

 

Live Video
Live video of the entire tournament can be seen with a subscription to FloWrestling. 
 

 

 

Weight-by-Weight

 

125

Sophomores Del Vinas (16-10) and Alfredo Gray (10-13) will each make the trip to Hampton, Va.  Vinas was one win away from placing at the Southern Scuffle, going 4-2.  He has placed third at the Eastern Michigan Open and fifth at the Hokie Open.  Gray was sixth at the Navy Classic and recently won two matches at the Southern Scuffle.  The Citadel’s Joaquin Marquez is 14-7 on the year.  Old Dominion, Edinboro, Rider and Virginia Tech all have Top 25 wrestlers at 125.

 

133

Sophomore Mack McGuire is No. 17 in the latest W.I.N. rankings following a seventh place at the Southern Scuffle.  McGuire (15-6) placed third at the Navy Classic.  Last year, he went 3-2 at the Virginia Duals.  The Citadel’s Aaron Hansen is 7-5.  Edinboro, Chattanooga and Bloomsburg each have Top 25 wrestlers at 133.

 

141

Junior Tyler Small is coming off a sixth place finish at the Southern Scuffle, despite being unseeded.  Small (12-9) is No. 8 according to W.I.N.  He placed third at this year’s Navy Classic.  On his last trip to Hampton in 2012, Small went 4-0.  The Flashes will also bring sophomore Kyle Bauer (9-6), who won two matches at the Southern Scuffle.  Bauer took a fifth place at the Eastern Michigan Open.  The Citadel’s Nick Kiter is 3-7.  Edinboro, Old Dominion and Virginia all have Top 10 wrestlers at 141.

 

149

Sophomore Michael DePalma (15-9) is No. 24 according to Wrestling Report, despite a 1-2 finish at the Southern Scuffle.  DePalma placed third at the Navy Classic and fourth at the Clarion Open.  The Citadel’s Matt Frisch is 8-3 and ranked No. 21.  Virginia, Edinboro, Virginia Tech and Old Dominion all have Top 25 wrestlers at 149.

 

157

Sophomore Ian Miller (17-2) earned victories over two opponents ranked in the Top six at the Southern Scuffle. Miller suffered a 2-1 overtime loss against No. 2 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) in the finals, his first loss since the season’s opening weekend.  W.I.N., Miller is No. 4 and the top-ranked wrestler at the Duals. Miller is tied for fourth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 28.  In November, he won the Navy Classic.  Senior T.J. Keklak (8-9) is also likely to see action this weekend at 157.  The Citadel’s Aaron Walker is 12-7.  Edinboro, Virginia and Old Dominion all have Top 20 wrestlers at 157.

165

Sophomore Tyler Buckwalter is 3-0 in duals after a delayed start to his season.  Buckwalter won 27 matches last season, reaching the finals of the National Collegiate Open and the Edinboro Open.  The Citadel’s Kenneth Radford is 11-10.  Virginia, Bloomsburg, Rider and Lock Haven all have Top 30 wrestlers at 165.

 

174

Junior Caleb Marsh (6-5) is No. 24 according to WrestlingReport after a 1-2 finish at the Southern Scuffle, his first tournament of the season.  Marsh is 5-3 in duals this season.  Last season, he went 3-2 at the Virginia Duals.  The Citadel’s Turtogtokh Luvsandorj is 13-3 on the year with 112 career victories.  Virginia, Bloomsburg and Virginia Tech all have Top 25 wrestlers at 174.

 

184

Sophomore Sam Wheeler (19-3) is 8-1 in dual meets, despite moving up a weight from last year.  After a third place finish at the Southern Scuffle, Wheeler moved up to No. 7 in the latest WrestlingReport poll.  Wheeler placed third at this year’s Navy Classic and had won eight straight dual meets, before falling to Kenny Courts of Ohio State in his last dual.  The Citadel’s Jack Duane is 10-7.  Virginia, Virginia Tech, Edinboro and Lock Haven all have Top 20 wrestlers at 184.

 

197

Sophomore Cole Baxter (14-8) is 7-2 in dual meets and is coming off a 1-2 finish at the Southern Scuffle.  Baxter went 4-2 at the Clarion Open.  The Citadel’s Marshall Haas is 12-10 on the year.  Six schools at the Virginia Duals have a 197-pounder ranked in the Top 30.

 

285

Redshirt freshman Mimmo Lytle (10-11) had a pair of first period pins at the Southern Scuffle.  Lytle claimed a second place at the Cleveland State Open.  The Citadel’s Gerald Johnson is 6-10.  Bucknell, Bloomsburg, Edinboro, Virginia and Virginia Tech all have Top 25 wrestlers at heavyweight.

 

Up Next

Kent State’s wrestling and gymnastics teams will each host North Carolina State inside the M.A.C. Center Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. in their second annual Beauty and the Beast competition.

 

 

Aaron Chimenti

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

Contact for Football & Wrestling

Kent State University