No. 10 Lehigh set to tangle with Cowboys and Sooners

11/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Wrestling

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh will have its toughest early season test this weekend as the Mountain Hawks head to Oklahoma to tangle with a pair of top-five teams in Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. The Mountain Hawks, ranked tenth in the latest USA Today/NWCA poll, improved to 5-1 on the dual season with a convincing win over Rutgers their last time out. Lehigh will face top ranked and three-time defending national champion Oklahoma State on Friday night in Stillwater, and then will travel to Norman to face an equally tough Oklahoma team on Saturday. The Sooners are currently ranked fourth nationally after a third place finish a year ago.

 

The Mountain Hawks dropped two spots in the latest polls, but still have seven wrestlers ranked individually, including senior Troy Letters who recently regained his top spot at 165. On Friday night Letters, the 2004 national champion is expected to battle last year’s national champion, second ranked Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State. Fellow senior Cory Cooperman has a pair of tough potential match-ups ahead. The third ranked 141 pounder is scheduled to face Cowboy All-American Daniel Frishkorn on Friday night and then top-ranked and two-time national champion Teyon Ware of Oklahoma on Saturday.

 

Oklahoma State has won 33 NCAA team championships including the last three in a row. The Cowboys return six All-Americans including four returning national champions. Oklahoma State opened its dual season on Sunday with a 21-15 win at Michigan State. Bouts were split 5-5 but the Cowboys got four bonus wins to top a tough Spartan team.

 

Oklahoma opens its dual season on Wednesday night against Central Oklahoma. The Sooners opened the season ranked second nationally and dropped two spots in the latest rankings. Eight of OU’s probable starters are ranked nationally, led by Ware at 141 and second ranked juniors Sam Hazewinkel at 125 and Joel Flaggert at 197.

 

Lehigh has historically struggled in duals against foes from the state of Oklahoma. The Mountain Hawks have defeated Oklahoma twice, including a win last year, but have never defeated the Cowboys in a dual in seven tries. Lehigh is 0-4 against the Cowboys under Greg Strobel, and 1-3 against the Sooners with Strobel at the helm.

 

This weekend’s action gets underway on Friday night when Lehigh will face Oklahoma State at 8:00 pm EST. The Mountain Hawks will then face the Sooners on Saturday night, also at 8:00 pm. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 as well as online at lehighsports.com with streaming powered by Yahoo! Sports.

 

 

Date:

December 2, 2005

Opponent:

No. 1 Oklahoma State Cowboys

First Match:

8:00

Arena:

Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)

Location:

Stillwater, Okla.

Lehigh’s Record:

5-1 overall, 1-0 EIWA

Oklahoma State’s Record

1-0 overall, 0-0 Big 12

Series:

Oklahoma State leads 7-0

Streak:

OSU has won all seven meetings

TV:

none

Radio:

ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 with Steve Lomangino

at 7:45 pm EST

Internet Broadcast:

lehighsports.com

Behind Enemy Lines:

http://www.okstate.com

 

 

Date:

December 3, 2005

Opponent:

No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners

First Match:

8:00

Arena:

Howard McCasland Field House (2,000)

Location:

Norman, Okla.

Lehigh’s Record:

5-1 overall, 1-0 EIWA

Oklahoma’s Record:

0-0 overall, 0-0 Big 12

Series:

Oklahoma leads 2-12

Streak:

Lehigh won the last meeting

TV:

None

Radio:

ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 with Steve Lomangino

at 7:45 pm EST

Internet Broadcast:

lehighsports.com

Behind Enemy Lines:

http://www.soonersports.com

 

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