Indiana University
Cleveland State Open
Cleveland State Open Next on the Docket for Indiana Wrestling
12/9/2021 9:54:00 AM | Wrestling
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Indiana wrestling team returns to the mats with a trip to the Cleveland State Open. This is the first event IU will bring a full lineup to an event since wrestling at the Mountaineer Invite on November 14th.
THE OPEN
- Saturday's event will see 10 of IU's traditional 11 starters. Graduate student Brock Hudkins (133) will miss the event and IU will not bring anyone in the 133 lb. weight-class.
- Redshirt junior Graham Rooks won the 2018- 2019 Cleveland State Open at 149.
- The Hoosiers will enter four wrestlers at 157 lbs., the most of any one class.
- Four freshman will wrestle unattched including Alec Freeman, Robert Major, Jake Evans and Zack Rotkvich.
- Graduate student Garrett Hoffman (197) will make his season debut after recovering from injury.
- Sophomore Jacob Moran will be the lone IU representative at 125.
THE OPPONENTS:
- IU will wrestle against the likes of Kent State, Central Michigan, Cleveland State. Wrestlers from Michigan, Clarion and Ohio State will also compete.
HOT START:
- On the opening weekend of the season, IU swept matches in nine of the ten weight classes.
- Redshirt sophomore D.J. Washington (184) opened the season with two pins while graduate student Brock Hudkins (133) and junior Nick Willham (197) also grabbed a victory by fall.
-Sophomore Jacob Moran (125) started his campaign with back-to-back technical falls.
- IU's 40-3 win over Bellarmine and SIUE on Nov. 7, 2021, was the largest margin of victory (+37) in a dual match since beating Cleveland State 46-6 (+40) on Dec. 11, 2016.
MOUNTAINEER INVITE SUCCESS:
- IU wrestled in the Mountaineer Invite on the campus of Appalachian State on Nov. 14 with great results.
- D.J. Washington took first place at 174 while Brock Hudkins was runner-up at 133.
- Junior Cayden Rooks, Nick Willham and Jacob Moran all won third place finishes.
D.J's DOMINANCE:
- D.J. Washington has taken the nation by storm to begin the year. After moving up to the 184-lb. weight class, Washington has pinned all five of his opponents on the season so far.
RIGHT IN THE RANKINGS:
- Five IU wrestlers have featured in either InterMat or FloWrestling rankings this season.
- Four of them are ranked by both outlets.
- D.J. Washington claims IU's highest ranking (12, InterMat)
THE 2019 CLASS:
- IU's recruiting class from 2019 has had a profound impact on this year's lineup already. Cayden Rooks, D.J. Washington, Jacob Moran, Nick Willham and redshirt sophomore's Matt Ortiz and Nick South are all starters for IU.
- Those six have combined for 23 wins so far this season.
TEAM LEADERS:
- Redshirt sophomore D.J. Washington (184), graduate student Brock Hudkins (133), junior Cayden Rooks (141), junior Nick Willham (197) and sophomore Jacob Moran (125) are off to tremendous starts this year.
- The five have combined for a 22-3 record to start the season. They also have a combined 13 bonus-point victories.
FRESHMAN SUCCESS:
- While wrestling unattached, Robert Major reached the final of the Lindenwood Open's Freshman/Sophomore bracket at 165 lbs.
- He also reached the final of the Michigan State Open's Freshman/Sophomore Division at 165 lbs.
- At the Ohio Intercollegiate Open, Jake Evans won the Freshman/Sophomore Division at 184 lbs.
Players Mentioned
