Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Prepped to Host Indiana Duals on Saturday
1/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 14, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 12 Indiana University wrestling team (9-0) is hosting the Indiana Duals on Saturday inside University Gym with live blog coverage provided right here at IUHoosiers.com. The Hoosiers will hit the mats for two dual matches, taking on American University (2-5) at 10 a.m. and Cleveland State in a 2 p.m. start time. American and CSU will compete against each other at Noon.
Saturday is "Youth Wrestling Day" at U-Gym with any children in the eighth grade or younger wearing youth wrestling apparel receiving free admission to all the action.
Indiana topped the Eagles of American last year, 24-11, the only all-time meeting between the two wrestling programs. Meanwhile, Cleveland State owns a 6-3 edge in the all-time series with IU. Since Duane Goldman took over the Hoosier wrestling program, Indiana has won two of three matches against the Vikings, however.
EAGLES SOARING HIGH
American University is bringing four nationally-ranked wrestlers to Bloomington on Saturday, including two slotted in the top-5. The marquee match-up of the day is likely the 157-pound bout pitting Indiana's No. 7 Kurt Kinser vs. No. 4 Steve Fittery of American. Mike Cannon (184 pounds) is also ranked No. 4 in his weight class for the Eagles.
AU also boasts the Borschoff brothers, whom are ranked No. 12 (Kyle, 149 lbs.) and No. 19 (Jasen, 125 lbs.).
DUAL MATCH DOMINATION
Indiana has held each of their nine opponents to single-digits with their closest match decided by an 18-point margin. In total, the Hoosiers have outscored the competition by a combined score of 335-48, good for an average winning margin of over 31 points per match.
Three individuals have matched the team's success with 9-0 records of their own in dual-match competition (Escobedo, Everhart and Young).
BOOKENDS HOLDING STRONG
The top and bottom of the line-up have been flawless thus far for IU. Heavyweight Nate Everhart paces the Hoosiers with 22 wins compared to zero defeats while 125-pounder Angel Escobedo is also undefeated with his 20-0 season record.
In addition, true freshman Ryan LeBlanc has won all 14 of his matches this year while wrestling unattached.
AMONGST NATION'S ELITE
Four of Indiana's 10 regular starters are ranked in the latest Intermat national rankings. Seven different IU grapplers have cracked the top-20 at some point this season. Those currently ranked are:
Angel Escobedo- #1 at 125 lbs.
Nate Everhart- #2 at 285 lbs.
Kurt Kinser- #7 at 157 lbs.
Paul Young- #13 at 165 lbs.
As a team, Indiana is ranked 12th nationally.
FLAT TO THE MAT
A trio of current Hoosiers have each placed themselves into the top-10 for career pins in school history. Angel Escobedo is tied with Coyte Cooper (2000-04) for third all-time with 37 falls while Trevor Perry's 29 pins and Kurt Kinser's 27 sticks are tied for eighth and ninth, respectively.
Meanwhile, Paul Young is just five pins shy of cracking the top-10 as well.
Players Mentioned
