Indiana University Athletics
IU Opens B1G Slate Saturday Live On BTN
1/2/2014 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 2, 2014
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana Wrestling opens Big Ten season with a top-25 match-up in Evanston as the 23rd-ranked Hoosiers (7-1) return to Welsh-Ryan Arena Saturday (Jan. 4) to take on #13 Northwestern (5-1). Both teams spent last weekend competing in Welsh-Ryan Arena during the NU-hosted Midlands.
Watch the B1G battle live on the Big Ten Network, airing at 4:34 p.m. ET/3:34 p.m. CT. Tim Johnson and Jim Gibbons are on the call with Shane Sparks manning matside duties.
ADDITIONAL MATCH COVERAGE
Live Stats
Twitter Updates
PROBABLE LINEUPS
125 lbs - Joe Duca, r-Jr. (8-6) vs. Garrison White, So. (9-8)
133 lbs - Chris Caton, Fr. (11-9) or Kyle Springer, Fr. (4-3) vs. #29 Dominick Malone, So. (12-5)
141 lbs - #30 Ethan Raley, r-So. (23-7) vs. #31 Pat Greco, r-Jr. (11-6)
149 lbs - Eric Roach, r-So. (14-6) vs. #5 Jason Tsirtsis, r-Fr. (15-2)
157 lbs - #5 Taylor Walsh, r-Jr. (25-1) vs. Dylan Marriott, r-Jr. (8-6)
165 lbs - #23 Ryan LeBlanc, r-Sr. (27-6) vs. #9 Pierce Harger, r-Jr. (15-3)
174 lbs - Nate Jackson, r-Fr. (7-6) or Matt Irick, r-Fr. (7-10) vs. #9 Lee Munster, r-Jr. (4-1)
184 lbs - #15 Luke Sheridan, Jr. (22-5) vs. Jacob Berkowitz, So. (11-6)
197 lbs - Garret Goldman, r-So. (10-10) vs. #16 Alex Polizzi, r-Jr. (15-3)
295 lbs - #8 Adam Chalfant, r-Sr. (15-1) vs. #2 Mike McMullan, r-Jr. (3-0) or Robert Coukos, r-Fr. (2-10)
HISTORY WITH THE WILDCATS
Saturday will be the 80th dual match between Indiana and Northwestern all-time. The Hoosiers own a 45-30-4 advantage in the series. NU has taken the last three meetings while Indiana has won six of the last 10 and 11 of the last 15 duals.
FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS
The Hoosiers return to Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill., just five days after competing in the 51st Midlands hosted by Northwestern. A trio of Hoosiers placed in the prestigious annual event, led by Taylor Walsh's 157-pound finals appearance. Ethan Raley (141 lbs) posted a fifth-place finish while Ryan LeBlanc came in seventh at 165 pounds.
PIN KING - Taylor Walsh
• Has already set the all-time IU record with 22 pins (previous record: 19 by Rod Chambelin in 1981)
• 22 pins lead the nation
• Ranks 2nd in school history with 43 career falls 47, Viktor Sveda; 1998-2002)
• Pinned at least four foes in all four tournaments
• Recorded a 15-bout consecutive pinning streak
NATIONALLY-RANKED HOOSIERS
Five Hoosiers are ranked amongst the country's elite this week:
#5 Taylor Walsh (157 lbs)
#8 Adam Chalfant (285 lbs)
#19 Luke Sheridan (184 lbs)
#23 Ryan LeBlanc (165 lbs)
#30 Ethan Raley (141 lbs)
BIG TEN DOING BIG THINGS
As a conference, the Big Ten is a combined 58-10 in 68 non-conference duals during the 2013-14 campaign, good for a 85.3 winning percentage. Ten B1G schools can be found in the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll Top-25 and Intermat's Top-25 this week.
STOCKPILING WINS
The first four slots of the Big Ten's overall wins list are filled by Hoosiers. Ryan LeBlanc not only leads the conference with 27 wins, but also paces all of Division-I wrestling (his 10 major decisions are also tops in the country). LeBlanc is followed in the B1G overall wins rankings by teammates Taylor Walsh (25), Ethan Raley (23) and Luke Sheridan (22).
FRIENDLY CONFINES OF U-GYM
• IU is 7-1 in home dual matches
• IU's 46-0 blanking of VMI is its first D-I shutout since besting Clarion 49-0 on Jan. 18, 2009
• IU's 52-0 win over Manchester is its largest margin of victory since topping Manchester 58-0 during the 2008-09 season
• Walsh, LeBlanc, Sheridan and Chalfant have yet to lose at home this season
KEYSTONE CLASSIC RUNNER-UPS
Hoosier Wrestling placed second at the 2013 Keystone Classic, besting three Top-25 teams in the final standings. Indiana's strong performance came on the b ack of four individual finalists, including tournament champions Ethan Raley (141 lbs) and Taylor Walsh (157 lbs).
In addition, runner-ups Luke Sheridan (184 lbs) and Adam Chalfant (285 lbs) also reached the finals. Joe Duca (125 lbs) and Ryan LeBlanc (165 lbs) each placed fifth in their respective weight classes.
SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE
Hoosier wrestling is active in the social media world. Up-to-the-minute news, team notes, live match results and much more can be found by following @IUWrestling1 on Twitter. In addition, `like' the team's official Facebook page by searching "Indiana University Wrestling."
Four-time IU All-American & national champion Angel Escobedo's pursuit for Olympic Gold in Rio (2016) can be tracked on the Twitterverse as well, follow @driven2dominate.
Players Mentioned
