Kent State opens Mid-American Conference competition Saturday, hosting Buffalo at 12 p.m. inside the M.A.C. Center.  The conference’s new look in 2013-14, now includes Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion.  All nine MAC teams will face each other in dual meets this season.

MAC Dual Success
Since the 2005-06 season, Kent State has gone 33-6-1 in MAC duals, including a 9-1 mark in the previous two seasons.  During that time, the Golden Flashes have not lost a MAC dual to a team other than Central Michigan, going 31-0-1 against the combination of Northern Illinois, Buffalo, Ohio and Eastern Michigan. 

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.

 

·         This week, six Flashes are ranked in the Top 30 by WrestlingReport.com.

 

·         With two starters out of the lineup, Kent State finished fourth of 14 teams on Nov. 23, at the Navy Classic, just 11 points out of second place.

 

·         Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy’s third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 112-40-1 in dual meets.

 

·         The Flashes have won 12 of their last 15 duals at the M.A.C. Center.

 

·         Sophomore Ian Miller was named MAC Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 27, following his 157-pound championship at the Navy Classic.

 

·         Miller is tied for sixth among Kent State’s career pin leaders with 26.

 

History vs. Buffalo

Kent State holds a 22-7 all-times series lead against Buffalo and has won nine straight against the Bulls.  Last season in Buffalo, Kent State trailed 19-3 after six bouts, before stringing together four straight victories on the way to a 22-19 win.  A victory by Sam Wheeler ignited the comeback.  The last time Buffalo came to the M.A.C. Center (Feb. 3, 2012) the Flashes came away with a 25-9 victory over the Bulls.  Buffalo’s last win in Kent came Dec. 7, 2003.

 

Live Video & Audio

Live video of Saturday’s dual can be seen on mac-sports.com. Live audio with Ty Linder can be heard on the Golden Flashes Radio channel on iHeartRadio.

 

The Competition

John Stutzman is in his first season as head coach at Buffalo after spending the previous eight seasons as head coach at Bloomsburg.  The Bulls are coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Northeast Duals, which included a convincing 37-6 victory over Sacred Heart.  Buffalo began its season with a fourth place finish at the Oklahoma Gold Classic.  Sophomore 184-pounder Tony Lock has finished second at two tournaments this season.

 

Projected Lineups

Buffalo at Kent State

125 – Max Soria (8-4) vs. Alfredo Gray (6-8, 6^th at Navy Classic)

133 – Justin Farmer (6-6) vs. No. 22 Mack McGuire (9-3, 3^rd at Navy Classic)

141 – Nick Flannery (8-4) vs. No. 20 Tyler Small (7-4, 3^rd at Navy Classic)

149 – Ryan Todora (4-7) vs. No. 26 Mike DePalma (12-6, 3^rd at Navy Classic)

157 – John Northrup (6-6) vs. No. 9 Ian Miller (10-1, 1^st at Navy Classic)

165 – Wally Maziarz (4-4) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (0-0) or Mike Vollant (3-5)

174 – Tyler Rill (3-5) vs. No. 21 Caleb Marsh (3-2)

184 – Tony Lock (6-4) vs. No. 15 Sam Wheeler (10-1, 3^rd at Navy Classic)

197 – Angelo Malvestuto (7-5) vs. Cole Baxter (11-5)

285 – James Benjamin (4-7) vs. Mimmo Lytle (3-6)

Rankings from WrestlingReport.com

 

Up Next
The Golden Flashes will host two dual meets in a four-day span.  Old Dominion comes to the M.A.C. Center Monday, Dec. 16, for Kent State’s second conference dual of the season. No. 8 Ohio State comes to Kent Thursday, Dec. 19.

 

 

Aaron Chimenti

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

Contact for Football & Wrestling

Kent State University