Friday, February 9
Tempe, Ariz.
9:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
Arizona State
Mountain Hawks return from layoff with visit to No. 8 Arizona State
2/7/2018 3:26:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
Match Notes | Video | Audio
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a weekend off from dual competition, No. 11 Lehigh kicks off the stretch run with a visit to No. 8 Arizona State Friday at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The Mountain Hawks are looking to get back on track after dropping two of their last three duals, including a 20-17 setback at then-No. 10 Virginia Tech on Jan. 26. Lehigh is expected to have top 10-ranked juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch back in the lineup after missing time due to injury. The Mountain Hawks and Sun Devils both feature seven nationally-ranked wrestlers with the possibility of as many as five matches between ranked opponents. The featured bout could be at 174 where fifth-ranked junior Jordan Kutler is slated to meet No. 1 Zahid Valencia.
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With just three duals remaining, Lehigh is expected to get top 10-ranked juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch back for the stretch run. Both grapplers wrestled one bout at the Feb. 3 Edinboro Open before forfeiting out. Preisch had been out since suffering an injury in Lehigh's 41-6 win at Penn on Dec. 10, while Parker had been sidelined since going 3-2 at the Southern Scuffle. Parker and Preisch are a combined 8-2 in duals for the Mountain Hawks this season. Lehigh is also expected to get junior Cortlandt Schuyler, who was injured Jan. 21 at Army West Point, back at 149 before the postseason.
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Seven Mountain Hawks appear in the latest rankings by InterMat and The Open Mat, while eight are ranked by Amateur Wrestling News and six are ranked by FloWrestling. Four Mountain Hawks: senior Darian Cruz, juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch and sophomore Jordan Kutler, are all ranked in the top 10 by all four outlets, with Cruz ranked no lower than second in any of the four polls. Freshmen Jordan Wood and Luke Karam are also ranked across the board. Junior Gordon Wolf appears in two polls. Junior Cortlandt Schuyler is ranked only by The Open Mat while freshman Chris Weiler recently entered the Amateur Wrestling News rankings at 197.
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With a 5-0 showing at the Southern Scuffle, senior Darian Cruz became the 16th member of Lehigh's 100-win club. With five wins post-Scuffle, Cruz is up to 109 wins, ranking seventh on Lehigh's career wins list. Cruz needs two wins to tie Steve Cassidy '95 for sixth place. Jon Trenge '05 holds Lehigh's career wins record at 133. Cruz will bid to become Lehigh's 17th three-time All-American and its first two-time national champion since Darryl Burley (1979, 1983). The last Lehigh wrestler to win NCAA titles in consecutive seasons was Mark Lieberman, who did so in 1978 and 1979. Against Arizona State, Cruz could face Ryan Millhof, who denied him a possible third All-America medal with sudden-victory decision in the round of 12 in 2016.
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Eighth-ranked Arizona State has won its last 10 duals after opening its season with losses to No. 3 Michigan and No. 2 Ohio State. The Sun Devils finished third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fourth at the Midlands Championships, and won the prestigious Virginia Duals last month. In its most recent dual action, Arizona State won 24-14 at Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 24. Like Lehigh, Arizona State sent a contingent to the Edinboro Open. Seven Sun Devils appear in the latest InterMat rankings, led by Zahid Valencia, who is ranked No. 1 at 174. Former US National Team head coach Zeke Jones is in his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater.
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Lehigh and Arizona State will meet for the seventh time with the Mountain Hawks riding a three-dual win streak to take the lead in the series. These teams last met at the 2011 Journeymen Northeast Duals, with the Mountain Hawks winning by a 24-10 score. Both of Arizona State's wins came at NWCA National Duals, including a win on criteria in 2002. Lehigh is visiting Tempe, Ariz. for the third time after claiming wins in Nov. 1999 and Jan. 2007.
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Friday's match is set for a 9 p.m. EST/7 p.m. MST start from Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The match will be streamed on the Sun Devil Wrestling Facebook page and on Pac 12.com. Audio coverage will be available on ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley (1230/1320/1160-AM) and ESPNLV.com.
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Lehigh returns to Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall next weekend to close out the regular season with a pair of duals. The Mountain Hawks will host Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. before welcoming Pat Santoro's alma mater, Pitt for a 2 p.m. dual on senior day, Sunday, Feb. 18.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a weekend off from dual competition, No. 11 Lehigh kicks off the stretch run with a visit to No. 8 Arizona State Friday at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The Mountain Hawks are looking to get back on track after dropping two of their last three duals, including a 20-17 setback at then-No. 10 Virginia Tech on Jan. 26. Lehigh is expected to have top 10-ranked juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch back in the lineup after missing time due to injury. The Mountain Hawks and Sun Devils both feature seven nationally-ranked wrestlers with the possibility of as many as five matches between ranked opponents. The featured bout could be at 174 where fifth-ranked junior Jordan Kutler is slated to meet No. 1 Zahid Valencia.
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With just three duals remaining, Lehigh is expected to get top 10-ranked juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch back for the stretch run. Both grapplers wrestled one bout at the Feb. 3 Edinboro Open before forfeiting out. Preisch had been out since suffering an injury in Lehigh's 41-6 win at Penn on Dec. 10, while Parker had been sidelined since going 3-2 at the Southern Scuffle. Parker and Preisch are a combined 8-2 in duals for the Mountain Hawks this season. Lehigh is also expected to get junior Cortlandt Schuyler, who was injured Jan. 21 at Army West Point, back at 149 before the postseason.
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Seven Mountain Hawks appear in the latest rankings by InterMat and The Open Mat, while eight are ranked by Amateur Wrestling News and six are ranked by FloWrestling. Four Mountain Hawks: senior Darian Cruz, juniors Scott Parker and Ryan Preisch and sophomore Jordan Kutler, are all ranked in the top 10 by all four outlets, with Cruz ranked no lower than second in any of the four polls. Freshmen Jordan Wood and Luke Karam are also ranked across the board. Junior Gordon Wolf appears in two polls. Junior Cortlandt Schuyler is ranked only by The Open Mat while freshman Chris Weiler recently entered the Amateur Wrestling News rankings at 197.
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With a 5-0 showing at the Southern Scuffle, senior Darian Cruz became the 16th member of Lehigh's 100-win club. With five wins post-Scuffle, Cruz is up to 109 wins, ranking seventh on Lehigh's career wins list. Cruz needs two wins to tie Steve Cassidy '95 for sixth place. Jon Trenge '05 holds Lehigh's career wins record at 133. Cruz will bid to become Lehigh's 17th three-time All-American and its first two-time national champion since Darryl Burley (1979, 1983). The last Lehigh wrestler to win NCAA titles in consecutive seasons was Mark Lieberman, who did so in 1978 and 1979. Against Arizona State, Cruz could face Ryan Millhof, who denied him a possible third All-America medal with sudden-victory decision in the round of 12 in 2016.
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Eighth-ranked Arizona State has won its last 10 duals after opening its season with losses to No. 3 Michigan and No. 2 Ohio State. The Sun Devils finished third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fourth at the Midlands Championships, and won the prestigious Virginia Duals last month. In its most recent dual action, Arizona State won 24-14 at Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 24. Like Lehigh, Arizona State sent a contingent to the Edinboro Open. Seven Sun Devils appear in the latest InterMat rankings, led by Zahid Valencia, who is ranked No. 1 at 174. Former US National Team head coach Zeke Jones is in his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater.
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Lehigh and Arizona State will meet for the seventh time with the Mountain Hawks riding a three-dual win streak to take the lead in the series. These teams last met at the 2011 Journeymen Northeast Duals, with the Mountain Hawks winning by a 24-10 score. Both of Arizona State's wins came at NWCA National Duals, including a win on criteria in 2002. Lehigh is visiting Tempe, Ariz. for the third time after claiming wins in Nov. 1999 and Jan. 2007.
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Friday's match is set for a 9 p.m. EST/7 p.m. MST start from Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The match will be streamed on the Sun Devil Wrestling Facebook page and on Pac 12.com. Audio coverage will be available on ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley (1230/1320/1160-AM) and ESPNLV.com.
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Lehigh returns to Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall next weekend to close out the regular season with a pair of duals. The Mountain Hawks will host Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. before welcoming Pat Santoro's alma mater, Pitt for a 2 p.m. dual on senior day, Sunday, Feb. 18.
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| Date: | February 9, 2018 |
| Opponent: | No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils |
| First match: | 9 p.m. (EST)/7 p.m. (MST) |
| Arena: | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Location: | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Lehigh's record: | 9-3 overall, 7-1 EIWA |
| Arizona State's record: | 10-2 overall, 3-0 PAC 12 |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 4-2 |
| Streak: | Lehigh has won the last 3 duals |
| Television: | None |
| Radio: | ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley (1230/1320/1160-AM) with Steve Lomangino beginning at 8:45 p.m. (ET) |
| Internet broadcast: | Video on Sun Devil Wrestling Facebook Page/Pac 12.com Audio at ESPNLV.com |
| Behind enemy lines: | http://www.thesundevils.com |
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Players Mentioned
125
/ Men's Wrestling
141
/ Men's Wrestling
174
/ Men's Wrestling
133
/ Men's Wrestling
184
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
184/197
/ Men's Wrestling
165/174
/ Men's Wrestling
285
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