Jan. 23, 2014

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ohio State Wrestling Contact:

Danielle Warner (warner.238@osu.edu)

 

RELATED INFO

·         Online Release/PDF with Probable Starters: http://go.osu.edu/wr_2014nebraskapreview

·         Match Day

·         2013-14 Statistics

·         Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

 

No. 11 Ohio State Returns to St. John Arena Friday 

Buckeyes will host No. 10 Nebraska at 7 p.m. Friday in first home match since November

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time since November, the 11th-ranked Ohio State wrestling team will compete in St. John Arena at 7 p.m. Friday vs. No. 10 Nebraska. The Buckeyes (7-2; 2-2 Big Ten) vs. Cornhuskers (8-1; 2-1 Big Ten) match will be streamed live on BTN.com. Please note, there is a subscription fee to watch the live stream.

 

In its last outing, Ohio State was a 21-12 winner over No. 15 Northwestern at Cincinnati Moeller High School to pull to .500 in the conference. Including the match Friday, the Buckeyes have four Big Ten matches remaining before hosting the National Duals Feb. 16-17 and Virginia Tech Feb. 23.  

 

2014 National Duals

Ohio State will serve as hosts of the 2014 EAS Sports Nutrition/NWCA National Duals at St. John Arena in Columbus Feb. 16-17. Log on to https://go.osu.edu/wr_2014NationalDuals for more information, including how to purchase tickets.

               

In addition to Ohio State, teams scheduled to participate include: Cornell, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Kent State, Central Michigan, Virginia Tech, Bloomsburg, North Dakota State, Oregon State, Iowa State, Hofstra and Illinois. 

 

Last Time Out

Tenth-ranked Ohio State improved to 7-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten Conference with a 21-12 win over No. 15 Northwestern Jan. 17 at Cincinnati Moeller High School. The Buckeyes won six matches, including a technical fall by redshirt-junior Logan Stieber (141 pounds) and major decision by redshirt-sophomore Kenny Courts (184 pounds).    

 

In addition to Stieber and Courts, Buckeyes Nick Roberts (125 pounds), Johnni DiJulius (133 pounds), Mark Martin (174 pounds) and Nick Heflin (197 pounds) secured wins to help lift Ohio State to its seventh win of the season.

 

Seven Buckeyes Predicted to Qualify For NCAA Championships

In the first of three NCAA Wrestling Division I Coaches’ Panel Rankings released Thursday, seven Buckeyes made the list of 330 wrestlers who are predicted to qualify for the 2014 NCAA Championships in March. The 2014 edition is March 20-22 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla. Wrestlers are judged in each weight class by winning percentage, RPI and coaches rankings. So far, Nick Roberts (125 pounds), Johnni DiJulius (133 pounds), Logan Stieber (141 pounds), Ian Paddock (149 pounds), Mark Martin (174 pounds), Kenny Courts (184 pounds) and Nick Heflin (197 pounds) are on the list.  

 

Statistically Speaking

With his 2:02 pin over Illinois’ Dominic Olivieri Jan. 12 in Champaign, redshirt-junior Logan Stieber (141 pounds) recorded his team-leading seventh fall of the season among starters. Redshirt-sophomore Kenny Courts (184 pounds) became the first Buckeye starter to collect 20 wins on the season after beating Nikko Reyes of Illinois, 8-1 and improved his mark to 21-3 following his victory vs. Northwestern’s Jacob Berkowtiz, 18-4, Jan. 17. Redshirt-freshman Nick Roberts paces the squad in major decisions with seven, while Courts and Stieber are the team leaders in technical falls with four each.

 

Buckeyes Dominating Opponents

Through nine dual matches, Ohio State is outscoring its opponents, 210-120. The Buckeyes have scored more than 25 points in five matches this season – all wins. Ohio State recorded 18 team points in its 18-16 victory at Illinois Jan. 12 and 21 points in a 21-12 win vs. Northwestern. Jan. 17.  

 

Bonus

Ohio State has recorded a bonus point victory in each of its seven wins this season. The season high for the Buckeyes came against Davidson Nov. 24 when they won each of their nine matches via a major decision or fall en route to a 40-6 victory in Davidson, N.C.

 

Most recently vs. Northwestern Jan. 17, redshirt-junior Logan Stieber recorded a 15-0 technical fall vs. Pasquale Greco and redshirt-sophomore Kenny Courts posted an 18-4 major decision against Jacob Berkowitz. 

 

Bonus Part II

Each of redshirt-junior Logan Stieber’s victories have come either via a major decision, technical fall or fall. With a 13-1 overall record, Stieber has collected two major decisions, four technical falls and seven falls.

    

In the Rankings

Ohio State dropped to 11th (295 points) in the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll released Tuesday. In the InterMat NCAA Division I Tournament Index ratings, the Buckeyes moved up two spots to 10th with 38 points. Seven Buckeyes are ranked in the Amateur Wrestling News polls, including a pair of wrestlers in the Top 4. At 125 pounds, Johnni DiJulius is No. 3, followed by No. 3 Logan Stieber (141 pounds). 184-pounder Kenny Courts is No. 8, while Nick Heflin (197 pounds) moved up one spot to No. 10. Nick Roberts (125 pounds) holds down the No. 11 spot. No. 12 Mark Martin (174 pounds) No. 15 Ian Paddock (149 pounds) round out ranked Buckeye wrestlers.

 

Buckeyes vs. Cornhuskers

The Buckeyes trail the Cornhuskers, 7-2, in the all-time series, but were 21-18 victors two seasons ago in the 2012 National Duals.

 

Date                      Results (Last Five Meetings)

Feb. 12, 2012      Ohio State 21, Nebraska 18 (National Duals)

Jan. 6, 2012         Nebraska 18, Ohio State 16

Nov. 21, 2010     Nebraska 24, Ohio State 11

Dec. 9, 2000        Nebraska 20, Ohio State 19

Jan. 2, 1997         Nebraska 24, Ohio State 12

 

Up Next

Ohio State will host No. 12 Michigan at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 in St. John Arena. The match will be streamed live on Buckeye Vision.

 

#GoBucks