Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh heads west for weekend duals at No.14 Pittsburgh, Clarion
2/13/2013 4:30:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh heads to western Pennsylvania for a pair of weekend duals as the Mountain Hawks will visit No. 14 Pittsburgh Friday night before heading to Clarion for a Saturday clash. The Mountain Hawks split dual meets against EIWA foes at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall last Sunday, falling to Harvard for the first time since 1998 before bouncing back with a 27-16 win over Brown. Seniors Shane Welsh and Robert Hamlin and freshman Randy Cruz all went 2-0 last weekend to pace the Mountain Hawks, who will be on the road for their final three duals of the season.
With two victories last weekend against Harvard and Brown, Hamlin improved to 22-0 all-time in matches inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. With a 6-0 dual mark at Stabler Arena, Hamlin completed his home dual match career with an impressive 28-0 record. He is believed to be the eighth Lehigh wrestler since World War II to go undefeated in home duals, joining Dick Santoro '59, Jim Detrixhe '62, Kirk Pendleton '63, Mike Caruso '67, Joe Peritore '67, Jon Trenge '05 and Troy Letters '06.
Lehigh's dual at Pittsburgh will serve as a homecoming of sorts for two members of the Mountain Hawks coaching staff. Head coach Pat Santoro wrestled for the Panthers from 1985-1989, under the guidance of head coach Rande Stottlemyer. Pittsburgh's only four-time All-American, Santoro amassed a 167-13 record in four seasons for the Panthers, and won national championships at 142 in 1988 and 1989. A three-time EWL Champion, Santoro is also the Panthers' career leader with 43 falls and posted an incredible 97-3 record over his final two seasons. Volunteer assistant Drew Headley, a 2008 Pitt graduate, was a three-year captain for the Panthers, where he won two EWL titles and earned All-America honors at 133 in 2005.
When Lehigh meets Clarion, the Mountain Hawks will face a Golden Eagle team coached by three-time Lehigh All-American and 2004 NCAA Champion Troy Letters '06, who is in his first season as head coach at Clarion after serving as top assistant in 2011-12. Prior to Clarion, Letters enjoyed coaching stops at Princeton and Penn State, where he helped lead the Nittany Lions to a national title in 2011.
Pittsburgh brings an 8-5 dual record into its final home match of the season Friday night. The Panthers are looking to bounce back from a 31-7 loss to Penn State last Friday, where their only wins came from 141 and heavyweight. Pittsburgh is 4-3 in duals since placing tenth at the Midlands, with second semester wins over Eastern Michigan, Davidson, Lock Haven and West Virginia and losses to Bloomsburg and Oklahoma State in addition to the Nittany Lions. Five of Pittsburgh's probable starters are ranked by Amateur Wrestling News, led by seniors Matt Wilps (No. 3 at 197) and Zac Thomusseit (No. 7 at 285). Three sets of brothers are also listed for the Panthers, who are coached by 34th-year mentor Rande Stottlemyer.
Clarion enters the weekend at 4-8 as the Golden Eagles will host Bucknell Friday night before the Mountain Hawks visit on Saturday. The Golden Eagles went 1-1 last weekend, losing 24-18 at Ohio Friday before returning home to down Cleveland State 23-9 on Sunday. First –year head coach Troy Letters has one nationally ranked wrestler, James Fleming, who is ranked in the top five at 157. As many as six of Clarion's probable starters wrestled Lehigh in last year's dual meet at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall.
Lehigh and Pittsburgh will meet for the 58th time with the Mountain Hawks holding a 39-16-2 advantage. The Mountain Hawks have won their last seven duals in Pittsburgh dating back to 1997. Lehigh and Clarion are wrestling for just the fifth time, and the first time in Clarion since November, 1995. The Mountain Hawks are 4-0 all-time versus the Golden Eagles.
Friday night's Lehigh-Pittsburgh dual is set for a 7 p.m. start from Fitzgerald Field House while Saturday's Lehigh-Clarion match will begin at 2 p.m. from Tippin Gym. Live audio of both duals will be available on Lehighsports.com. The Pittsburgh dual can also be heard on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 while the Clarion match can be heard on WLVR-FM (91.3).
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Date:
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February 15, 2013
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Opponent:
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No. 14 Pittsburgh Panthers
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First match:
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7:00 p.m.
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Arena:
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Fitzgerald Field House (6,798)
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Location:
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Pittsburgh, Pa.
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Lehigh's record:
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7-7 overall, 3-4 EIWA
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Pittsburgh's record
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8-5 overall, 3-1 EWL
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Series:
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Lehigh leads 39-16-2
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Streak:
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Pittsburgh won last year's meeting
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Television:
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None
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Radio:
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ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Steve Lomangino
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Internet broadcast:
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Live audio at Lehighsports.com
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Behind enemy lines:
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Date:
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February 16, 2013
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Opponent:
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Clarion Golden Eagles
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First match:
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2:00 p.m.
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Arena:
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Tippin Gym (3,500)
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Location:
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Clarion, Pa.
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Lehigh's record:
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7-7 overall, 3-4 EIWA
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Clarion's record:
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4-8 overall, 2-3 EWL
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Series:
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Lehigh leads 4-0
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Streak:
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Lehigh has won all four meetings
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Television:
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None
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Radio:
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WLVR-FM beginning at 1:45 p.m. with Steve Lomangino
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Internet broadcast:
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Live audio at Lehighsports.com
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Behind enemy lines:
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