100th Lehigh-Penn State dual set for Friday at Stabler Arena
12/8/2011 3:41:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – One of college wrestling's oldest and greatest rivalries celebrates its 100th edition as No. 10 Lehigh hosts No. 5 Penn State Friday night at Stabler Arena. The Mountain Hawks have followed a 0-2 start with five straight dual wins, including a come-from-behind 21-15 win over Penn Sunday at the Palestra. In addition to being Lehigh's most-often wrestled rival, Penn State is the defending National Champion, with four returning All-Americans. Friday's featured bout is a rematch of the national finals from last March at 184 between Lehigh's No. 1 ranked Robert Hamlin, and defending national champion and third-ranked Quentin Wright of Penn State.
While sophomore Stephen Dutton remains out of the Lehigh lineup, the Mountain Hawks will send out a quartet of wrestlers ranked in the top ten nationally, including seniors Zach Rey, Brandon Hatchett and Joe Kennedy, plus Hamlin. Kennedy comes into Friday's match after a 6-2 win over Penn's Micah Burak in a battle of top ten grapplers at 197.
Lehigh has won its last five duals after starting the season 0-2. The Mountain Hawks have posted dual victories over Clarion, Arizona State, Purdue, North Carolina and Penn. During that time just two Mountain Hawks have gone 5-0 in duals. Hamlin is one, as he is the only Mountain Hawk regular not to lose yet this season. The other is freshman Mason Beckman who clinched the win over Penn with a 3-2 decision in the final bout of the dual. Like Lehigh, Beckman has won five in a row after a 0-2 start. He will face a tough test on Friday, taking on Penn State's Nico Megaludis in a battle of highly-touted true freshmen.
Penn State captured its second NCAA team championship and it's first since 1953 by taking the title in Philadelphia last March. The Nittany Lions come in to tonight's dual with a 1-1 dual record, opening up with a win over Bloomsburg, before dropping a 23-14 decision to Minnesota in their Big Ten dual opener. Last weekend, Penn State hosted the Nittany Lion Open, crowning champions in six of ten weight classes. Penn State boasts ranked wrestlers at eight weight classes, including two top-ranked wrestlers and five top-five grapplers. Returning NCAA finalists Frank Molinaro and David Taylor are ranked No. 1 at 149 and 165 respectively, while NCAA Champion Quentin Wright is ranked No. 3 at 184. The Nittany Lions also feature some top young talent, with ranked freshmen Nico Megaludis (No. 10 at 125), Dylan Alton (No. 10 at 157) and Morgan McIntosh (No. 12 at 197) in Penn State's probable starting lineup.
Lehigh has wrestled Penn State more often than any other opponent in school history as tonight's dual marks the 100th meeting in the series, which dates back to 1911. Penn State edged Lehigh 21-17 in last year's meeting at Rec Hall, while the Mountain Hawks won the previous two meetings in the series. Today's dual marks the fourth straight occasion that the Lehigh-Penn State dual in Bethlehem will be held at Stabler Arena and not Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall.
Friday's match gets underway at 7 p.m. from Stabler Arena. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Lehighsports.com or at the Stabler Arena box office on Friday night. With a crowd of over 5,000 expected, fans are encouraged to arrive early on Friday night to avoid traffic and long lines at the entrance to Stabler Arena.
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Date:
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December 9, 2011
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Opponent:
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No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions
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First match:
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7:05 p.m.
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Arena:
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Stabler Arena (5,600)
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Location:
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Bethlehem, Pa.
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Lehigh's Record:
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5-2 overall, 1-0 EIWA
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Penn State's Record
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1-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten
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Series:
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Penn State leads 62-34-3
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Television:
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Service Electric Dial Position 50 with Doug Heater and Kyle Berger
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Radio:
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ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 with Bob Matthews and Gary Brownell beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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Internet broadcast:
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Lehighsports.com
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Behind enemy lines:
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Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Wednesday, March 12
Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Thursday, February 20
Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Wednesday, December 04
Season Preview: Wrestling
Wednesday, October 30
