Indiana University Athletics
#9 Wolverines and Spartans Up Next For Indiana
1/12/2012 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 12, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Hoosier Wrestling (6-2) is slated for a double dip of Big Ten duals this weekend, heading to the state of Michigan for matches against the #9 Wolverines (3-2) and the Spartans of Michigan State (2-3).
All of Indiana's wrestling action this week can be viewed nationally. Friday's dual at Michigan is being streamed live at BigTenNetwork.com (fee); and Sunday's contest vs. Michigan State will be shown on the Big Ten Network, tape delayed on Monday (Jan. 16) at 1 p.m. EST.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
INDIANA
125 lbs. - Zach Zimmer (8-7)
133 lbs. - Joe Duca (6-11)
141 lbs. - Matt Ortega (18-9) or Mitchell Richey (5-4)
149 lbs. - Taylor Walsh (19-6)
157 lbs. - Ryan Konz (5-9)
165 lbs. - Preston Keiffer (5-4)
174 lbs. - Ryan LeBlanc (21-5) or Cheney Dale (5-11)
184 lbs. - Luke Sheridan (9-9)
197 lbs. - #4 Matt Powless (21-3)
285 lbs. - Adam Chalfant (0-1)
MICHIGAN
125 lbs. - Grant Pizzo (4-10)
133 lbs. - #17 Zac Stevens (14-5)
141 lbs. - #2 Kellen Russell (18-1)
149 lbs. - #11 Eric Grajales (10-3) or Mike Hillock (10-6)
157 lbs. - Brandon Zeerip (10-8)
165 lbs. - #17 Dan Yates (16-4) or Dave Johnson (8-5)
174 lbs. - #5 Justin Zeerip (15-1)
184 lbs. - Hunter Collins (6-5) or Chris Heald (6-7)
197 lbs. - #15 Max Huntley (13-6)
285 lbs. - #15 Ben Apland
MICHIGAN STATE
125 lbs. - Eric Olanowski (3-3)
133 lbs. - Brandon Fifield (9-9)
141 lbs. - Brian Gibbs (14-9)
149 lbs. - #18 Dan Osterman (17-7)
157 lbs. - #13 Anthony Davis (12-4)
165 lbs. - David Cheza (10-3)
174 lbs. - Curran Jacobs (16-5)
184 lbs. - John Rizqallah (7-5)
197 lbs. - Nick McDiarmid (12-6)
285 lbs. - Steve Andrus (14-8) or #11 Mike McClure (11-5)
RECENT HISTORY
The Hoosiers are riding a five-match winning streak against Michigan State, dating back to 2005. Meanwhile, Indiana and the Wolverines have split the last four meetings.
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN
The BCS National Championship game isn't the only rematch this week as several Hoosiers are slated to face opponents they've already battled against earlier this season.
Taylor Walsh is likely to see a familiar face in both duals. He has split a pair of meetings with Michigan's Eric Grajales and topped MSU's Dan Osterman back in November.
Ryan LeBlanc and Luke Sheridan both seek a bit of revenge after suffering narrow defeats to their projected Spartan adversaries. LeBlanc fell, 7-5, to Curran Jacobs while Sheridan came up one point short, 4-3, against John Rizqallah in open tournament action.
HEAVYWEIGHT HOOSIER ADDED
Native Hoosier Adam Chalfant (Winchester, Ind.) enrolled in classes and joined the IU Wrestling team for the spring semester after spending last season at Harper College in Illinois. At Harper, Chalfant posted a 24-2 mark and finished third at the JUCO Nationals as the HC Hawks won the non-scholarship National Championship.
In his Hoosier debut, Chalfant went toe-to-toe with the 2011 Big Ten Champion, Blake Rasing. After the Hawkeye executed a four-point move in the opening minute of the bout, Chalfant outscored him 4-2 the remainder of the match, ultimately falling 6-4.
EIGHT UP, EIGHT DOWN
Matt Powless and Taylor Walsh have started all eight duals; and have had their had raised in victory after each of those duals. Ryan LeBlanc is also perfect in dual competition this season, going 7-0 thus far (sat out the Ohio state bout match due to injury).
GOLDMAN SEEKING WIN #250
Duane Goldman, the all-time winningest coach in school history, will reach a milestone with IU's next dual victory. It will be the 250th of his career. His career coaching record is 249-129-5 (.657). Coincidentally, his 200th win came against one of this weekend's opponents, Michigan State.
POWLESS APPROACHING TOP TEN
Returning All-American Matt Powless has racked up 110 wins thus far in his career, putting him just one victory away from IU's all-time top ten. Powless is also in range of surpassing assistant coaches Pat DeGain (115) and Joe Dubuque (114); and volunteer coach Brandon Becker (119) on the all-time wins list.
Matt Ortega and Taylor Walsh are within striking distance of the record books as well. Ortega's 24 career pins place him seven away from cracking the top-10 while nine falls for Walsh are four shy of the single-season top-10.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
A year after Matt Powless led the country with 13 major decisions in 2010-11, Taylor Walsh is making a run to finish in the NCAA top-10 for pins this season. Walsh's nine falls slot him ninth nationally and tied for most in the Big Ten.
Several Hoosiers are also amongst the Big Ten's leaders in conference statistical rankings:
• Big Ten Wins: LeBlanc/Powless - 21 wins, t-3rd; Walsh - 19 wins, 9th
• Big Ten Major Decisions: LeBlanc/Ortega/Powless - 6 MDs, T-5th
Players Mentioned
