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Building the fan base
First, a quick thumbs up to former RU quarterback Mike Teel. On Super Bowl Sunday, Teel, Jamaal Westerman, and Kevin Malast were honorary captains for the RU-Indiana match. Apparently, Teel has become a fan, returning for the Northwestern match, too.
More #RUWrestling today with @CoachGoodale and the guys. I'm hooked coach!
— Mike Teel (@MTeel14) February 12, 2017
You’re welcome back any time, Mike.
A last note from the Northwestern match
Watch Phil Bakuckas' first period tech - right, a first period tech fall.
What time is it?
— RVision (@RVisionRU) February 13, 2017
Time for our Top 5 w/ @RUmlax breaking in!@RutgersMBB @RutgersWBB @RUWrestling @RUGymnastics https://t.co/KCnmzTuTJj
National Rankings
There were a few moves in the national rankings. RU moved up one spot to No. 12 while Michigan, which lost to No. 18 Wisconsin, dropped four spots. Illinois and Minnesota each moved up a spot, with most of the movement coming in the middle third of the poll.
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On an individual basis, the Knights added two rankings: John Van Brill entered WIN Magazine’s rankings at No. 20 and Jordan Pagano made The Open Mat list at No. 18. Anthony Ashnault continues to be the Knights’ highest ranked competitor at No. 5 in three polls.
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Around the Big Ten
Final Standings
With the exception of Friday’s Michigan State-Wisconsin match in Madison, the Big Ten regular season concluded with the Knights in a three-way tie for fourth.
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Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Nathan Tomasello, Ohio State || 133 pounds – Jr.
- Led the fourth-ranked Buckeyes to wins over No. 13 Minnesota and No. 6 Nebraska
- Defeated No. 5 Eric Montoya of Nebraska 5-2 before picking up a pin against No. 17 Mitch McKee of Minnesota
- Improved to 15-0 overall and 6-0 against ranked opponents
National Duals
Rutgers will face its former EIWA opponent Lehigh on Friday night in Bethlehem. The match begins at 7 pm and tickets are available online here. This is a repeat of last year’s NWCA Dual at the RAC, won by the Knights, 18-15.
NDCS SHOWDOWN
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) February 13, 2017
#12 #RUWR @ #11 Lehigh - the ♂️ rematch
Tix: https://t.co/RWggxUDqIL
Info: https://t.co/4wmgwGuQZn#NDCS #GoDual pic.twitter.com/YvTgQUGLk2
The Mountain Hawks finished third in the EIWA with a 9-4 record, 7-1 in conference. Lehigh’s only conference loss was to Cornell, 21-20, on January 21. The Knights lost to Cornell in the Grapple at the Garden in December, 28-10.
The two teams have several other common opponents this season.
Princeton: Lehigh won 34-3, Rutgers won 19-16
Penn State: Lehigh lost 30-10, Rutgers lost 37-6
Michigan: Lehigh lost 24-13, Rutgers lost 19-13
The Lehigh Match: a slew of ranked wrestlers
The Mountain Hawks are stacked. They have eight wrestlers ranked by Intermat with two as high as number 4. Here’s the likely lineup including the Intermat rankings for both squads.
125 No. 5 Darian Cruz vs. Brandon Paetzell
133 No. 9 Scott Parker vs. Scott DelVecchio
141 No. 16 Randy Cruz vs. No. 5 Anthony Ashnault
149 No. 12 Laike Gardner vs. No. 14 Ken Theobold
157 No. 4 Jordan Kutler vs. No. 17 John Van Brill
165 No. 15 Mitch Minotti vs. Anthony Pafumi
174 No. 4 Ryan Preisch vs. Phil Bakuckas/No. 19 Jordan Pagano
184 NR Andrew Price vs. No. 13 Nick Gravina
197 NR Thomas Murray vs. Matt Correnti
Hwt No. 16 Doug Vollaro vs. Razhonn Gross
Full NWCA National Duals Championship Series Schedule
Presented by Theraworx and the United States Marine Corps
Friday, February 17
#12 Rutgers at #11 Lehigh, 7 p.m. Eastern
#16 Michigan at #7 NC State, 7 p.m. Eastern
Purdue at #17 South Dakota State, 7 p.m. Central
Saturday, February 18
#3 Iowa at #24 Edinboro, 7 p.m. Eastern
Sunday, February 19
#4 Ohio State at #8 Cornell, 1 p.m. Eastern
#2 Penn State at #1 Oklahoma State, 3 p.m. Central
Indiana at #20 Appalachian State, 3 p.m. Eastern
#6 Nebraska at #5 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. Eastern