Bethlehem, PA – There is quite a buzz around this year’s edition of the Lehigh wrestling team.
As they get set to open their season Friday night, the Mountain Hawks will bring a No. 2 preseason ranking, the highest in school history, into their match with No. 6 Iowa State. Adding to the magnitude of the event, Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall will open in front of the sold-out crowd, as the team will wrestle there for the first time since Michigan last November 22.
Three Mountain Hawks are ranked in the top three at their weight, led by top-ranked Troy Letters at 165. Senior Brad Dillon and sophomore Derek Zinck are both ranked third at 174 and 157, respectively. All told, Lehigh has a wrestler ranked in eight of the ten weight classes. Iowa State is no slouch either, with seven wrestlers in the rankings, led by fourth-ranked Zach Roberson at 133. Last year the Mountain Hawks defeated
Iowa State on the road for the first time ever, 21-12, and will try to win two straight for the first time in series history. In 28 previous matches, the Cyclones hold a 24-3-1 lead. The match is set to begin at
7:00, with doors opening at 6:00. The meet will be broadcast live in the Lehigh Valley on the Sports Monster 1230 and 1160 AM, and worldwide on Lehigh's web site at www.lehighsports.com. Service Electric will air the dual at 4 pm on Saturday, and it will also be rebroadcast on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh on Sunday, November 16, at 1 pm.