FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Steve Lomangino (Media Relations Director)
Email – sjl304@lehigh.edu
Story on Lehighsports.com
http://www.lehighsports.com/sports/wrestling/mountain_hawks_to_wrestle_at_no_5_iowa_thursday.aspx
Steve Lomangino (Media Relations Director)
Email – sjl304@lehigh.edu
Story on Lehighsports.com
http://www.lehighsports.com/sports/wrestling/mountain_hawks_to_wrestle_at_no_5_iowa_thursday.aspx
Mountain Hawks to wrestle at No. 5 Iowa Thursday
Posted: 12/04/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. –
For the first time since 2002 the Lehigh wrestling team heads
to Iowa as the 23rd-ranked Mountain Hawks meet the
fifth-ranked Hawkeyes Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The
Mountain Hawks are coming off an up-and-down weekend at home
where they posted an impressive 34-7 win over Hofstra before
stumbling 24-12 against Penn in their EIWA opener. Senior
Robert Hamlin, junior Joey Napoli and sophomore Nathaniel
Brown were the only three wrestlers to post 2-0 marks last
weekend.
Three Mountain
Hawks are ranked in the latest Amateur Wrestling News
rankings, led by Hamlin, a two-time defending EIWA Champion
and All-American, who comes in at No. 2. Hamlin is also ranked
third by InterMat and W.I.N. Magazine. Napoli shot into the
top ten with wins over top-six opponents from Penn State and
Bloomsburg. Sophomore Anthony Salupo moved into the rankings
at 141 following his win over Luke Vaith of Hofstra. Brown is
not ranked by A.W.N. but is ranked 19th at 174 by InterMat.
One of college
wrestling’s most storied programs; Iowa has won 23 national
championships and 34 Big Ten titles. The Hawkeyes boast
another strong team in 2012-13. Iowa has won its first six
duals to open the season, including a 32-3 throttling of rival
Iowa State Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa also
owns wins over Cumberland, Virginia, Chattanooga,
SIU-Edwardsville and Cornell College.
Iowa’s projected
lineup features eight nationally-ranked wrestlers including
three men ranked either first or second. The Hawkeyes are led
by two-time national champion Matt McDonough at 125, while
returning finalist Derek St. John (157) is also ranked No. 1
at his weight class. Returning All-American Tony Ramos comes
in at No. 2 at 133, while heavyweight Bobby Telford is also
coming off an All-America season and is currently ranked
fifth. Iowa finished third at last year’s NCAA Championships
and recently won three straight national team titles in 2008,
2009 and 2010.
Thursday’s dual
marks Lehigh’s first trip to Iowa since the 2002-03 season.
Lehigh has not had a great deal of success in the state of
Iowa, winning just twice in 18 road dual meets against Iowa,
Iowa State, Northern Iowa and Cornell College. The Mountain
Hawks posted a 40-0 win over Cornell College back in 1972 and
also won 21-12 at Iowa State in 2002. Lehigh is 0-13 all-time
versus Iowa in Iowa City.
Lehigh and Iowa
meet for the 24th time Thursday and the first time since
December 2002. The Mountain Hawks have never defeated the
Hawkeyes, dropping the previous 23 duals, including all 13
matches contested in Iowa. Lehigh and Iowa met once in 21
consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1992. Iowa is one of eight
schools that Lehigh owns zero all-time wins against, but it is
the only school in the group Lehigh has wrestled more than two
times.
Thursday’s match
gets underway at 5 p.m. (ET) from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa
City, Iowa. The match will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1230 and
1320 as well as Lehighsports.com with pre-match coverage
beginning at 4:45. The match will be Lehigh’s final dual of
the fall semester. The Mountain Hawks will compete at the
Midlands Championships December 29-30 in Evanston, Illinois
before returning home to host Cornell on Sunday, January 6 at
2 p.m.
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Date:
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December
6, 2012
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Opponent:
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No. 5 Iowa
Hawkeyes
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First
match:
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5:00 p.m.
(ET)
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Arena:
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Carver-Hawkeye
Arena (15,400)
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Location:
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Iowa City,
Iowa
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Lehigh’s
Record:
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3-2
overall, 0-1 EIWA
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Iowa’s
Record:
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6-0
overall, 0-0 Big Ten
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Series:
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Iowa leads
23-0
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Streak:
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Iowa has
won all 23 previous meetings
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Television:
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None
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Radio:
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ESPN Radio
1230 and 1320 with Steve Lomangino and beginning at
4:45 p.m. (ET)
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Internet
broadcast:
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Streaming
audio Lehighsports.com
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Behind
enemy lines:
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