Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Geared Up for Michigan State Open
11/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 7, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University wrestling team returns to the mats Saturday (Nov. 9) at the Michigan State Open, competing in a one-day tournament for the second consecutive weekend to start the 2013-14 season. MSU Open action starts at 9 a.m. ET inside the Jenison Field House. The finals and medal matches are slated for an approximate 6 p.m. start.
Live results can be found at www.TrackWrestling.com. In addition, Hoosier fans can get Indiana updates via Twitter by following the official IU Wrestling account: @IUWrestling1.
Division-I schools registered for the Michigan State Open include (Intermat rankings used): Campbell, #13 Central Michigan, Columbia, #49 Eastern Michigan, #13 Edinboro, #35 Indiana, #31 Michigan State, #43 Navy, Northern Illinois, #30 Ohio, #11 Ohio State and #49 Purdue.
Nearly 20 Hoosiers are expected to compete in either the open division tournament or the freshman/sophomore division bracket. Both are double-elimination format, placing the top-six at each weight class.
Redshirt junior Taylor Walsh and redshirt senior Ryan LeBlanc own previous success in this event with Walsh capturing the 149-pound open title as a redshirt freshman and LeBlanc placing third at 174 pounds in the 2011 MSU Open, the last time Indiana participated in the event.
NEWS & NOTES
• IU associate head coach Nick Simmons returns to his old stomping grounds this weekend. He was a four-time All-American for Michigan State and still owns the school's all-time record with 46 pins. The former Spartan racked up 138 collegiate wins, good for second place in MSU history.
• Four Hoosiers placed at the season-opening Clarion Open last week, including the 157-pound champion Taylor Walsh. Ethan Raley also reached the finals in his weight class, finishing as the 141 lbs. runner-up. In addition, Luke Sheridan and Ryan LeBlanc placed third at 184 and 165 pounds, respectively.
• During his title run last week, Taylor Walsh pinned four opponents to bring his career falls total to 25. Just beginning his junior campaign, he is only six pins shy of cracking Indiana's all-time top-10 (31). The school record is 47 falls by Viktor Sveda (1998-2002).
• Indiana returns five NCAA qualifiers from a season ago in Joe Duca (125 lbs.), Taylor Walsh (157 lbs.), Ryan LeBlanc (165 lbs.), Luke Sheridan (184 lbs.) and Adam Chalfant (285 lbs.). All five returners are also nationally ranked entering the weekend: #9 Taylor Walsh, #9 Adam Chalfant, #18 Ryan LeBlanc, #32 Luke Sheridan and #33 Joe Duca.
• Intermat ranked Indiana's 2013 recruiting class inside their top-20 nationally.
Players Mentioned
