Indiana University Athletics
Conference-Opening Match on the Big Ten Network
1/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 20, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 11 Indiana University wrestling team (11-0) begins Big Ten action this weekend, making road trips to No. 19 Wisconsin (4-6) Friday night and Northwestern (4-6-1) on Sunday afternoon. Indiana versus the Badgers will be broadcast LIVE on the Big Ten Network, starting at 8 p.m. EST. Tim Johnson and Jim Gibbons are set to provide the commentary.
No. 1 Angel Escobedo (22-0) and No. 2 Nate Everhart (24-0) put their flawless records on the line and look to take one step closer to earning a number one seed at the Big Ten Championship, a tournament Escobedo has won the past two seasons. Meanwhile, 149-pounder Matt Coughlin has an important weekend ahead of him, expected to face a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers in #2 Kyle Ruschell and #14 Andrew Nadhir.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
#11 INDIANA vs. #19 WISCONSIN
125 lbs.- #1 Angel Escobedo (22-0) vs. Drew Hammen (5-12)
133 lbs.- Matt Ortega/Geno Capezio (9-10/5-6) vs. #8 Tyler Graff (17-4)
141 lbs.- Danny Monaco/Max Ortega (10-9/15-7) vs. #20 Cole Schmitt (13-10)
149 lbs.- Matt Coughlin (15-7) vs. #2 Kyle Ruschell (19-2)
157 lbs.- #7 Kurt Kinser (17-3) vs. Greg Burke (7-13)
165 lbs.- #13 Paul Young (24-4) vs. #1 Andrew Howe (20-0)
174 lbs.- Trevor Perry (17-5) vs. Jimmy Duffy/Brendan Ard (3-14/4-4)
184 lbs.- Eric Cameron (17-8) vs. #17 Travis Rutt (8-4)
197 lbs.- Matt Powless (22-8) vs. #8 Trevor Brandvold/Jackson Hein (9-3/5-10)
285 lbs.- #2 Nate Everhart (24-0) vs. Eric Bugenhagen (10-12)
#11 INDIANA vs. NORTHWESTERN
125 lbs.- #1 Angel Escobedo (22-0) vs. Levi Mele (7-3)
133 lbs.- Matt Ortega/Geno Capezio (9-10/5-6) vs. Eric Metzler (7-6)
141 lbs.- Danny Monaco/Max Ortega (10-9/15-7) vs. Bobby Joyce (1-12)
149 lbs.- Matt Coughlin (15-7) vs. #14 Andrew Nadhir (16-4)
157 lbs.- #7 Kurt Kinser (17-3) vs. Kevin Bialka (8-9)
165 lbs.- #13 Paul Young (24-4) vs. Robert Kellogg (7-10)
174 lbs.- Trevor Perry (17-5) vs. Brian Roddy (5-4)
184 lbs.- Eric Cameron (17-8) vs. Aaron Jones (7-9)
197 lbs.- Matt Powless (22-8) vs. John Schoen (10-7)
285 lbs.- #2 Nate Everhart (24-0) vs. Marcus Shrewsbury (4-6)
Looking at the all-time series, the Hoosiers trail Wisconsin by a 28-24 tally, but own a 44-27-4 advantage over the Wildcats. The Badgers have won the last four meetings with IU while the Hoosiers are riding a three-match winning streak versus Northwestern. Indiana has won 10 of the last 11 meetings with NU; and is ahead 6-5 against UW in the same stretch.
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO
With Oklahoma State and Utah Valley each suffering defeats on Jan. 16, only two undefeated teams remain in D-I collegiate wrestling; and they both hail from the Big Ten Conference. Iowa is the nation's top-ranked squad at 14-0 while the Indiana Hoosiers also remain unbeaten, sweeping their non-conference schedule with an 11-0 mark.
BIG TEN BAROMETER
Several Hoosiers can be found in the Big Ten's statistical rankings for total wins and falls this season. Paul Young leads the way with his 11 pins, good for second in the conference and tied for 11th nationally. Angel Escobedo is also in the top-5 with his seven falls. Trevor Perry and Matt Powless have each stuck six opponents thus far, tied for 10th in the league.
Four Hoosiers have assumed spots in the top-10 for wins. Nate Everhart and Young are slotted fourth with 24 wins while Escobedo and Powless come in at sixth with 22 victories apiece.
DUAL MATCH DOMINATION
The Hoosiers have held 10 of their 11 opponents to single-digits with their second-closest match decided by an 18-point margin. In total, the Hoosiers have outscored the competition by a combined score of 402-74, good for an average winning margin of 29.8 points per match.
Three individuals have matched the team's success with 11-0 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 24 wins compared to zero defeats while 125-pounder Angel Escobedo is also undefeated with his 22-0 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 11th 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 30 pins and Kurt Kinser's 28 sticks are eighth and ninth, respectively.
Meanwhile, Paul Young is just three pins shy of cracking the top-10 as well.
Players Mentioned
