LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University wrestling team is set to host former Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) rival West Virginia on Sunday, January 6 at 2 p.m. in Thomas Fieldhouse.

Setting the stage:
The Bald Eagles are coming off a third-place finish at the second annual Brute Invitational and are 1-2 (0-0 EWL) in dual action this year.

West Virginia (1-2, 0-0 Big 12) is competing in the Big 12 Conference for the first time this year after calling the EWL home in the past.

Bobby Rehm (125), Dan Neff (141) and Mac Maldarelli (149) led the way for Lock Haven last weekend at the Brute Invite, as each placed second at their respective weight classes.

LHU is 1-2 in dual action with a win over Shippensburg (40-4) and losses to Rider (19-14) and No. 1 Penn State (42-3).

WVU is coming off a 10th place showing at the Reno Tournament of Champions (12/16/12). The Mountaineers opened the year with a 43-0 win over Johns Hopkins before losses to No. 20 Maryland (24-10) and No. 1 Penn State (44-3).  West Virginia features four nationally-ranked athletes.

Watch/Listen:
A live video stream of the LHU – WVU dual match will be available by clicking here.

The match can also be heard live and locally on a pair of radio stations including AM 1230 WBPZ and ESPN 1600 Jersey Shore/Lock Haven.

Fans can also listen online by clicking the links below.

Live audio here (AM 1230 WBPZ) – John Lipez (play-by-play) Tom Elling (analyst)

Live audio here (ESPN 1600 Jersey Shore/Lock Haven)  - Todd Bartley

Probable Lineups:

Lock Haven (1-2, 0-0 EWL)
125: So., Bobby Rehm (Lancaster, Pa/Penn Manor) 15-6
133: Fr., Matt Bryer (Cochranton, Pa./Cochranton) 17-15
141: #24, R-Fr., Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) 17-5
149: Jr., Mac Maldarelli (Merrick, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) 12-7
157: R-So., Aaron Fry (Muncy, Pa./Muncy) 9-12
165: So., Aaron McKinney (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) 20-16
174: Fr., Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 8-8
184: Jr., Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) 15-8
197: R-Fr., Phil Sprenkle (Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown) 10-11
285: R-Sr., Harry Turner (Howell, N.J./Howell) 15-9
Head Coach: Robbie Waller (fourth season)
Assistants: Scott Moore, Brad Pataky, Matt Bonson

West Virginia (1-2, 0-0 Big 12)
125: #29, Sr., Shane Young (Jeannette, Pa.) 5-1
133: #26, Jr. Colin Johnston (Eight Four, Pa.) 5-5
141: #18, Jr. Nathan Pennesi (Latrobe, Pa.) 15-6
149: So., Brutus Scheffel (Oakland, Md.) 9-8
157: Fr., Jason Luster (Pittsburgh) 3-5
165: So., Dominic Prezzia (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 5-7
-OR Fr., Ross Renzi (Burke, Va.) 6-7
174: Fr., Bubba Scheffel (Oakland, Md.) 5-1
184: #23 Jr., Lance Bryson (Shoaf, Pa.) 8-5
197: Fr., A.J. Vizcarrondo (Philadelphia) 4-5
285: Sr., Phil Mandzik (Bradenton, Fla.) 8-8
Head Coach: Craig Turnball
Assistants: Greg Jones, Danny Felix, Brandon Rader

*season record listed as 1/2/13
*rankings - Gregg Henry's/WrestlingReport
*lineups are tentative & subject to change

LHU storylines, streaks & sidebars:
- Lock Haven will be looking for its first win in seven tries over West Virginia. The Mountaineers won 7-of-10 bouts a year ago on the way to a 28-12 win. Lock Haven trails 14-20 all-time in a series that dates back to 1979. The Haven's last win over WVU came in 2005.
- LHU is coming of a third-place showing at the Brute Invitational. A trio of wrestlers took second for Lock Haven (Rehm, Neff & Maldarelli).
- Dan Neff is ranked No. 24 at 141. The redshirt-freshman is 17-5 on the year.
- Lock Haven finished 4th at the 2012 PSAC Championships. All 10 Bald Eagles placed and LHU crowned a pair of individual champs.
- Brute marked the fifth tournament of the year for the Bald Eagles.
- No. 20 Jake Kemerer (157) was second at the PSAC Championships and third at the Nittany Lion Open.
- Lock Haven had nine-place winners at the Mat Town Open including Cody Wheeler (133) & Harry Turner (285), who were second overall in the talented early-season field.
- The second-place finish at Mat Town marked the second time this season Harry Turner took second at a tournament. Turner, a redshirt-senior was also second at the Binghamton Open. Turner was fifth at Brute.
- Lock Haven is 1-2 in dual action this year. The Bald Eagles are ranked 49th in the Takedown Wrestling Media Dual Impact Index.
- Aaron McKinney leads LHU with 20 wins on the year (20-16). Matt Bryer, Dan Neff and Jake Kemerer (#20 at 157) all have 17 wins for Lock Haven.
- Dan Neff is a perfect 3-0 in dual action this year. Bobby Rehm & Harry Turner are both 2-1.

Keep an eye on 141:
The 141-bout should be a good one on Sunday as it features No. 24 Dan Neff and No. 18 Nathan Pennesi.

Neff, a redshirt-freshman is 17-5 for the Bald Eagles, while Pennesi, a junior is 15-6 for WVU.

Neff competed unattached for the Bald Eagles last year and went 16-0, winning the Clarion Knight Point Open, the Wilkes Open and the Shorty Hitchcock Memorial Classic.

Pennesi earned his second consecutive trip to the NCAA championships last spring.

The two have never met on the mats.

Free Youth Clinic:
The Bald Eagles will host a free youth wrestling clinic on Sunday, January 6, prior to the Bald Eagles dual match with West Virginia.

The clinic will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Thomas Fieldhouse.

The youth clinic is open to wrestlers of all ages and free with the purchase of a ticket to the match.

Lock Haven takes on WVU at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices for individual matches are -
$10 - Adults
$5 - Senior Citizens
$3 - Student/Children
Children (under 5) – FREE
LHU Students – FREE w/ID

How's Waller sees it:
“The Mountaineers bring a strong squad to Thomas Fieldhouse.  We will need to bring a lot of intensity and our best seven minutes at each weight to come out victorious,” said LHU head coach Robbie Waller. “ It's going to be an exciting match.”

Catch all the 2012-13 action:
As always, every home dual match will be streamed live on the internet at www.GoLHU.com.

The West Virginia (1/6/13) and Clarion (2/1/13) duals will be broadcast live and locally on AM 1230 WBPZ. Click here to listen.

The West Virginia, Pittsburgh (1/26/13), Clarion and Bucknell (2/8/13) matches will also be broadcast live on ESPN Williamsport/ESPN Jersey Shore/Lock Haven (104.1 FM & 1050 AM/Locally on ESPN 1600). Click here to listen.

*Broadcast schedule to change as season goes on, please check www.GoLHU.com for all the latest news (links/times) for broadcast information.

Up next:
Lock Haven will return to action on Sunday, January 13 at the University of Pittsburgh. Lock Haven will take on Davidson and Eastern Michigan. 

Stay informed:
For all the latest Bald Eagle wrestling news, visit www.GoLHU.com.

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