UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- No. 1 Penn State (13-1, 7-1) will host No. 5 Oklahoma State (8-4) in a much anticipated non-conference dual meet on Sunday, Feb. 16. The dual, in an already sold out Rec Hall, marks the first time Oklahoma State has visited State College since 1996 and begins at 2 p.m. The dual will be the 18th-straight home sell-out for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions will carry the 2014 Big Ten Regular Season (Dual Meet) Co-Championship with them into the match-up with Oklahoma State. Penn State is 13-1 overall and posted yet another 7-1 record in Big Ten dual meets. The Nittany Lions outscored their Big Ten competition 262-56 (and those numbers do not include Penn State's 24-12 non-conference win at Iowa). Penn State went 64-16 in Big Ten dual meets (and 7-3 in the dual at Iowa). This year's dual meet co-title is the second in the last three seasons for Penn State ( 2012 and 2014; Iowa won the title outright last season).
Penn State is being led by a balanced and deep line-up. Junior Nico Megaludis is 21-2 overall and ranked No. 2 nationally at 125. Red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon carries a 13-10 record with him along with a No. 16 ranking at 133. True freshman Zain Retherford remains unbeaten with a 24-0 mark and a No. 2 ranking at 141 while red-shirt freshman Zack Beitz is 11-8 and ranked No. 17 at 149. Junior Dylan Alton sports a 15-1 record and is ranked No. 6 at 157 while senior David Taylor is undefeated, 24-0 overall, and ranked No. 1 at 165. Junior Matt Brown owns a 23-2 record at 174 and is ranked No. 4 while senior Ed Ruth is 23-1 and ranked No. 2 at 184. Morgan McIntosh is soaring with a 23-2 record and is ranked No. 3 at 197 while junior Jimmy Lawson is 16-4 and ranked No. 12 at 285. With Lawson out for this weekend's dual, junior Jon Gingrich steps in at heavyweight and owns a 19-5 record. Also seeing plenty of time in the Penn State line-up this year has been sophomore Jordan Conaway, who is 15-5 at both 133 and 125; junior Andrew Alton, who is 8-1 at 149; and senior James Vollrath, who is 11-7 at 157.
Oklahoma State enters the dual meet ranked No. 5 in the Intermat rankings (TPI). The Cowboys are at Clarion on Saturday, Feb. 15, and enter the weekend with an 8-4 overall record. Head coach John Smith's squad is being led by No. 2 Chris Perry, who is 20-1 at 174. Perry and Brown met in last year's NCAA title bout at 174, setting up a rematch of the 2-1 tie-breaker victory for Perry. Sophomore Alex Dieringer is 22-1 and ranked No. 3 at 157 while senior Jon Morrison is 19-1 and ranked No. 4 at 133. Tyler Caldwell owns a 19-2 mark and is ranked No. 5 at 165 while junior Josh Kindig is 15-7 and No. 9 at 149 (giving Oklahoma State five wrestlers ranked among the top ten). Sophomore Eddie Klimara sports a 14-8 mark and is No. 13 at 125. Senior Blake Rosholt is 10-7 and No. 16 at 197 while sophomore Austin Marsden is 17-6 and No. 16 at 285. Freshman Anthony Collica checks in with a 23-6 mark and a No. 19 ranking at 141.
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 12-5-1. The Cowboys won the last meeting between the two teams, a 24-13 victory at the Virginia Duals on 1/9/10. Oklahoma State won the last meeting in State College, a 26-7 victory on 2/16/96. Penn State's last victory over the Cowboys was in Stillwater, a 21-18 victory on 12/9/07.
The Nittany Lions close out the dual meet season on Sunday, Feb. 23, when they host intra-state rival Clarion at 2 p.m. in sold out Rec Hall. The day will also serve as Senior Day.
Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
THIS WEEKNo. 1 Penn State (13-1, 7-1 B1G dual co-champs) will host No. 5 Oklahoma State (*8-4) in an anticipated non-conference dual meet on Sunday, Feb. 16. The dual, in an already sold out Rec Hall, begins at 2 p.m. The dual will be the 18th-straight home sell-out for Penn State. *Oklahoma State is at Clarion on Saturday, Feb. 15, post-press.UP NEXTThe Nittany Lions close out the dual meet season on Sunday, Feb. 23, when they host intra-state rival Clarion at 2 p.m. in sold out Rec Hall. The day will also serve as Senior Day.
ON THE AIRTV - NONELive Web Video - GoPSUsports.com via All-Access. | BTDNRadio - Full season live on WRSC (103.1 FM/1390 AM) State College; WBPZ 1230 AM Lock Haven; 1370 WWCB Corry; WLAK (103.5 FM) Huntingdon; WMRF (95.7 FM) Lewistown; WIEZ (670 AM) Lewistown. Also live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package as are select home duals.
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (13-1, 7-1 B1G dual co-champs)WT NAME EL HT/HS REC125 #2 Nico Megaludis Jr. Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional -- 21-2133 #16 Jimmy Gulibon Fr. Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area -- 13-10Jordan Conaway So. Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford -- 15-5141 #2 Zain Retherford Fr. Benton, Pa./Benton -- 24-0149 #17 Zack Beitz Fr. Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata -- 11-8Andrew Alton Jr. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain -- 8-1157 #6 Dylan Alton Jr. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain -- 15-1James Vollrath Sr. Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South -- 11-7165 #1 David Taylor Sr. St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham -- 24-0174 #4 Matt Brown Jr. West Valley City, Utah/Cyprus -- 23-2184 #2 Ed Ruth Sr. Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township -- 23-1197 #3 Morgan McIntosh So. Santa Ana, Calif./Calvary Chapel -- 23-2285 Jon Gingrich Jr. Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle Area -- 19-5OUT #12 Jimmy Lawson Jr. Tom's River, N.J./Manchester Township -- 16-4#5 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (*8-4) / trend it at #PSUwrOKSTWT NAME EL HT/HS REC125 #13 Eddie Klimara So. Joliet, Ill./Providence Catholic -- 14-8133 #4 Jon Morrison Sr. Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sanburg -- 19-1141 #19 Anthony Collica Fr. Solon, Ohio/Solon -- 23-6149 #9 Josh Kindig Jr. Auburn, Pa./Blue Mountain -- 15-7157 #3 Alex Dieringer So. Port Washington, Wis./Port Washington -- 22-1165 #5 Tyler Caldwell Sr. Wichita, Kan./Goddard -- 19-2174 #2 Chris Perry Sr. Stillwater, Okla./Stillwater -- 20-1184 Jordan Rogers Fr. Spokane, Wash./Mead -- 18-10OR Nolan Boyd Fr. Edmond, Okla./Deer Creek -- 26-9OR Kyle Crutchmer Fr. Tulsa, Okla./Union -- 19-5197 #16 Blake Rosholt Sr. Ponca City, Okla./Ponca City -- 10-7285 #16 Austin Marsden So. Crystal Lake, Ill./Central -- 17-6* Oklahoma State is AT Clarion on Saturday, 2/15