LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The nationally-ranked Lock Haven University wrestling team is hitting the road for a pair of weekend duals which includes a Saturday (Jan. 27) night Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) showdown at Rider. The Bald Eagles will close the weekend on Sunday (Jan. 28) at Columbia.
The No. 23 Bald Eagles will take on No. 19 Rider at 7 p.m. on Saturday in an important EWL dual. LHU enters the weekend at 9-1 overall, which is Lock Haven's best start in 16 years. Lock Haven is 2-0 in EWL action, while Rider is 3-0 in league action. The Broncs are 9-2 overall.
Lock Haven leads the all-time series with Rider, 16-8, but the Bald Eagles haven't topped Rider since December 7, 2002. The Broncs have won seven straight over LHU including all four as EWL matches. Rider joined the EWL for the 2013-14 season. Last year, Rider won 20-14.
Rider's lineup features six wrestlers who were ranked in the first edition of the NCAA coaches' panel rankings, released last week. Highlighting the list was 165-pounder Chad Walsh, who is ranked No. 4. Walsh, a two-time All-American and No. 8
Chance Marsteller will lock up in the dual's marquee bout.
Marsteller enters the weekend at 30-1 overall. For Marsteller, 20 of his 30 wins on the season have come by way of the bonus-point variety, including eight tech falls.
Following the Saturday-night showdown at Rider, Lock Haven will travel to Columbia for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday. It will mark the first ever dual-meet between Lock Haven and Columbia. Columbia is LHU's 150
th all-time collegiate dual opponent. The Lions had three wrestlers ranked in last week's NCAA rankings.
Lock Haven in the national rankings:
Lock Haven held strong and is ranked No. 23 in this week's USA Today/NWCA Division Coaches poll. LHU was ranked No. 23 last week. This week, Lock Haven was ranked No. 18 in InterMat's Dual Meet Rankings:
- Rider: No. 19 USA Today/NWCA poll, No. 19 InterMat Dual Meet Rankings, No. 23 InterMat Tournament Rankings
Bald Eagles in the national rankings:
The trio of
Ronnie Perry,
Chance Marsteller and
Thomas Haines remained nationally ranked this week.
InterMat
- 149: Perry, No. 17
- 165: Marsteller, No. 6
- 285: Haines, No. 13
NCAA releases coaches' panel rankings (Jan. 18):
The NCAA released its first edition of the coaches' panel rankings on January 18 and five Bald Eagle wrestlers were listed. The rankings are an important part of the NCAA Tournament selection process.
141:
Kyle Shoop, No. 24
149:
Ronnie Perry, No. 16
165:
Chance Marsteller, No. 8
184:
Corey Hazel, No. 31
285:
Thomas Haines, No. 13
Shoop, Marsteller among nation's leaders in tech falls:
This week (Wed, Jan. 24),
Kyle Shoop and
Chance Marsteller found themselves in a familiar spot, atop the rankings for Division I tech falls. Shoop is tied for the lead in Division I tech falls with eight vs. DI opponents, but he's officially listed at No. 2 based on time (33.54). Marsteller is officially No. 4 in the rankings on time (7 TFs, 32:41). In all, Shoop has 10 tech falls on the season and Marsteller enters the weekend with eight, but for the NCAA award standings each week, only tech falls vs. DI opponents count.
March toward 100:
Ronnie Perry, LHU's only senior (R-Sr.), sits on 92 career wins entering the weekend. He will look to become just the 20
th wrestler in school history to reach the 100 career win mark.
Shoop has eyes on a school record:
Sophomore (R-So.)
Kyle Shoop has already racked up 20 career tech falls, which has him eyeing Brad Lloyd's career record of 28 (1984-89).
Bald Eagles love bonus points:
On the season, the Bald Eagles have recorded 57 majors, 54 tech falls and 29 pins. More than half of Lock Haven's 264 total team wins this season have come by way of major, tech fall or fall.
Bald Eagle stat leaders:
WINS: Chance Marsteller, 30
DUAL WINS:
Ronnie Perry & Marsteller, 10
MAJORS: Perry, 8
TECH FALLS: Kyle Shoop, 10
PINS: Marsteller, 7
Bald Eagles projected weekend lineup:
125: Fr.
Luke Werner (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) 19-9
133: R-So.
DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) 19-11
141: #24 R-So.
Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) 25-8
149: #16 R-Sr.
Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) 20-3
157: R-So.
Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) 16-6
165: #8 R-Jr.
Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale (Oklahoma State) 30-1
174: So.
Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) 23-12
184: #31 R-So.
Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) 18-6
197: R-Fr.
Trey Hartsock (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) 13-12
285: #13 R-Jr.
Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco (Ohio State) 13-4
- Jr.
Derek Dragon (Harvey's Lake, Pa./Lake Lehman) 4-8
Rider's projected weekend lineup:
125: #28 J.R. Wert, 10-4
133: #30 Anthony Cefolo, 12-6
141: #29 Tyson Dippery, 12-3
149: Gary Dinmore, 12-8
157: #18 B.J. Clagon, 7-7
165: #4 Chad Walsh, 16-0
174: Dean Sherry, 12-6 | Wayne Stinson, 6-5
184: #32 Michael Fagg-Daves, 10-8
197: Ethan Laird, 11-8
285: Mauro Correnti, 10-7 | Ryan Cloud, 11-5
Columbia's projected weekend lineup:
125: Spencer Good, 1-9
133: Alec Kelly, 4-8
141: JP Ascolese, 5-13 | Val Miele, 3-2
149: Jacob Macalolooy, 14-8
157: #15 Markus Scheidel, 9-1
165: Laurence Kosoy, 8-10
174: #33 Tyrel White, 15-8
184: Andrew Psomas, 8-12
197: Michael Bulkin, 5-11
285: #14 Garrett Ryan, 20-4
*rankings in projected lineups = NCAA coaches' panel (Jan. 18)
Up next:
The Bald Eagles now set their attention to what will be a busy week next week. Lock Haven will open a three-match homestand with EWL rival Edinboro on Thursday (Feb. 1) at 7 p.m. The Bald Eagles will host Cleveland State on Saturday (Feb. 3) at 2 p.m. in EWL action, before closing a busy week at home on Sunday (Feb. 4) vs. No. 11 Cornell at 1 p.m. on Senior Day.
