Release: http://aueagles.com/sports/m-wrestl/2011-12/releases/20111227
The No. 9 American University wrestling team will return from a nearly three-week hiatus to take part in the 49th-annual Midlands Championships on December 29-30 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.
The Eagles have been idle since posting a 27-15 dual meet win at George Mason on December 10. No. 1 Ryan Flores and No. 4 Ganbayar Sanjaa each recorded falls while Thomas Barreiro, Kevin Tao, and Thomas Williams each picked up major decisions. No. 9 Matt Mariacher was also victorious in the dual.
Flores heads into Midlands as the top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in the country, marking the fifth consecutive week he has held the spot. He is 5-0 on the season with four pins and dating back to last season, he has earned victories in 16 of his last 17 bouts.
Sanjaa is also 5-0 on the campaign and has remained in the No. 4 spot at 157 lbs. throughout the season thus far. He has earned two falls and two major decisions on the campaign.
Mariacher remains No. 9 this week in the rankings at 141 lbs. and is 11-2 on the season. He has posted a team-best two technical falls along with two major decisions and one fall. No. 15 Daniel Mitchell, meanwhile, is American's fourth ranked wrestler and has recorded a 4-3 record thus far in 2011-12. He has earned two major decisions on the season.
The two-day Midlands Championships will feature 15 teams ranked in this week's InterMat top-25 poll. American is coming off a 19th-place finish last season -- which included a third-place effort by Flores -- although the majority of the Eagles' squad was unable to make it to Evanston last year due to the winter weather forcing travel cancellations.
AU set a program-record with an eighth-place result in both 2008 and 2009, and the Eagles have boasted 13 Midlands Placewinners in program history. Ten of AU's 13 placewinners have gone onto earn All-America status at that year's NCAA Tournament.
First round action will get underway on Thursday at 10:30 am. EST and the second round will continue at 8 p.m. EST later that evening. The semifinals, consolation and seventh place bouts will begin at 12 p.m. EST on Friday with the final session (first, third, and fifth place matches) scheduled to get underway at 8:20 p.m. EST that night.
Free audio coverage of the event will be available from Takedown Radio on TheMat.com. Additionally, the Big Ten Network will provide a same-day delayed broadcast of the finals on Friday, beginning at 10:30 p.m. EST. Be sure to become a fan of AU Wrestling's Facebook and Twitter pages for up-to-date information on American's wrestlers.