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No. 13 Penn State Opens up Big Ten Action Against No. 19 Illinois and No. 3 Ohio State
By: Pat Donghia
Jan. 20, 2010
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -
No. 13 Penn State (8-3-1, 0-0 Big Ten) opens up Big Ten dual action by returning to Rec Hall for the first time in nearly three months. Penn State hosts No. 19 Illinois (5-3, 0-0 Big Ten) on Friday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. and then hits the road for a Sunday, 2 p.m. dual, at No. 3 Ohio State (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten) in Columbus.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a weekend at home as Penn State has not wrestled since the Virginia Duals on Jan. 8-9. They entered the Virginia Duals ranked 13th nationally and as the tournament's fourth-seed and went 2-2 at the event to place fourth, grabbing impressive wins over Virginia Tech (26-9), which went on to finish sixth, and No. 13 Kent State (22-13), which finished fifth. Penn State won four of ten bouts against No. 4 Oklahoma State but lost 24-13 and then split bouts with No. 10 Oklahoma in the third place dual but lost on bonus points, 22-15.
Head coach Cael Sanderson's crew has six ranked wrestlers, including three former All-Americans all ranked in the top eight. Senior Cyler Sanderson is No. 5 at 157 and sports a 19-2 mark while sophomore Frank Molinaro is No. 5 at 149 with a 21-1 mark. Senior Dan Vallimont is 18-3 overall and ranked No. 8 at 165. Sophomore Cameron Wade is No. 11 at heavyweight with a 12-5 mark while sophomore Brad Pataky is No. 12 at 125 and is 17-5. Senior David Erwin is No. 12 at 184 with a 19-5 overall record.
Illinois will come into the weekend's dual with a 5-3 record and ranked No. 19 nationally. The Illini also have five ranked grapplers, led by No. 2 John Dergo at 184. Patrick Bond is No. 10 at 197, Ryan Prater is No. 11 at 141, Jordan Blanton is No. 14 at 174 and Eric Terrazas is No. 20 at 149. Potential bouts between ranked foes loom at 149 and 184 in what looks to be a hotly contested dual meet in Rec Hall. Illinois leads the all-time series with Penn tate 9-2, including each dual meet wrestled since Penn State joined the Big Ten.
Ohio State enters this Sunday's dual with an 11-1 mark and will carry a No. 3 national ranking into the 2 p.m. match-up in Columbus. The Buckeyes features six ranked grapplers, including three in the top eight as well. Reece Humphrey is ranked No. 3 at 141 and Lance Palmer is No. 3 at 149 to lead the Buckeyes while Colt Sponseller is No. 7 at 165. Mike Pucillo is No. 10 at 184, Dave Rella is No. 12 at 174 and Corey Morrison is No. 20 at heavyweight. Four potential bouts are in the offing between ranked grapplers (at 149, 165, 184 and HWT). The Nittany Lions own the all-time series lead against the Buckeyes by a slim 13-10 edge.
The Nittany Lions hit the road once again for two Big Ten duals. Penn State will visit No. 1 Iowa on Friday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m. and then trek to No. 14 Wisconsin on Sunday for a 2 p.m. dual. Penn State returns home the following weekend when Northwestern to Rec Hall on Friday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., and Michigan on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. Single event tickets for Nittany Lion wrestling cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $4 in advance and $5 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM), 3WZ (95.3 FM) and on GoPSUsports. com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
TODAY'S POSSIBLE LINE-UP As of January 20, 2010
#13 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-3-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 #12 Brad Pataky Jr. Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield 17-5
133 Bryan Pearsall Fr. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 2-14
141 Adam Lynch Sr. Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg 5-8
149 #5 Frank Molinaro So. Barnegat, N.J./Southern Regional 21-1
157 #5 Cyler Sanderson Sr. Heber City, Utah/Wasatch 19-2
165 #8 Dan Vallimont Sr. Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp. 18-3
174 Justin Ortega Fr. Oxford, Pa./Oxford 6-10
184 #12 David Erwin Sr. Urbana, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 19-5
197 Clay Steadman So. McKean, Pa./General McLane 8-7
David Crowell So. Easton, Pa./Nazareth 17-9
285 #11 Cameron Wade So. Twinsburg, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel 12-5
#19 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (5-3, 0-0 Big Ten)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 John Deneen Jr. Marengo, Ill./Fox Lake Grant 6-6
133 Daryl Thomas Fr. Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville 12-9
141 #11 Ryan Prater Jr. Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central 9-4
149 #20 Eric Terrazas So. Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North 11-0
157 Conrad Polz Fr. Orlan Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg 12-9
165 Joe Barczak Jr. Fox Lake, Ill./Fox Lake Grant 10-6
174 #14 Jordan Blanton So. Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton 12-3
184 #2 John Dergo Sr. Morris, Ill./Morris 20-2
197 #10 Patrick Bond Sr. Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge 14-8
285 Marty Smith So. Quincy, Ill./Quincy 10-9
OR Pat Walker Fr. Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East 11-10
#3 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 Nikko Triggas Fr. Moraga, Calif./Campolindo 19-12
133 Ian Paddock Fr. Warsaw, N.Y./Warsaw 15-6
141 #3 Reece Humphrey Sr. Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North 20-2
149 #3 Lance Palmer Sr. Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward 17-1
157 Tony Jameson Fr. Youngstown, Ohio/Austin Finch 3-2
165 #7 Colt Sponseller Jr. Glenmont, Ohio/West Holmes 17-3
174 #12 Dave Rella Sr. Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit 15-6
184 #10 Mike Pucillo Sr. Strongsville, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit 13-4
197 C.J. Magrum Fr. Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor 12-8
285 #20 Corey Morrison Sr. Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights 14-7
Tags: Adam Lynch, Brad Pataky, Bryan Pearsall, Cael Sanderson, Cameron Wade, Clay Steadman, Cyler Sanderson, Dan Vallimont, Dave Rella, David Crowell, David Erwin, Frank Molinaro, Justin Ortega
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