- Full Match Notes (.pdf)
| Junior All-American Phil Davis |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 14, 2006 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers, ranked No. 8 nationally, will open up the 2006-07 season at the Pennsylvania Duals on Sunday, Nov. 19. Action takes place at Lock Haven University, in LHU??s Thomas Field House beginning at 10 a.m. It will be a busy weekend for the Nittany Lions as over 21 wrestlers will head to East Stroudsburg the day before for the ESU Open. Six of those grapplers will be wrestling attached. In addition, head coach Troy Sunderland, and All-Americans Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) and James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.) will leave Lock Haven after the NIttany Lions wrap up action and head to the airport for a flight to Dallas where the duo will compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic.
Sunderland??s squad will face intra-state foe Clarion to kick off the day??s action at 10 a.m. in Thomas Field House. Other 10 a.m. duals include host Lock Haven facing York, Edinboro battling Millersville and Lehigh facing Pitt-Johnstown. Penn State will take on Pitt-Johnstown at 12 p.m. in its second dual of the day. Other noon bouts include Edinboro tangling with Lehigh, LHU facing Clarion and York battling Millersville At 2 p.m., a battle of ranked foes will ensue as the Nittany Lions will tangle with the Fighting Scots. Lock Haven faces Lehigh, Clarion battles Millersville and UPJ tangles with York as well. Day-long passes cost $15 and can be ordered by calling the LHU Athletics Department at 570-893-2102.
The Nittany Lion will send four ranked grapplers to the mats for the Pa. Duals. Junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) is No. 1 at 125, sophomore Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) is No. 8 at 133, junior All-American Yonushonis is No. 3 at 174 and sophomore national finalist Davis is No. 1 at 197. Penn State will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 3, when Rec Hall welcomes the 2006 Nittany Lion Open. The Penn State tradition begins at 8:30 a.m.
Admittance to wrestle-offs is free. Season and single-match tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Penn State ticket office at 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533 for more information. Fans can also get tickets at GoPSUsports.com. This year??s season ticket prices are $24 for adults and $18 for students. Single dual prices are $5 per event for adults and $3 per event for youth. All of Penn State??s matches can be heard locally on WBLF 970 AM and at GoPSUsports.com.
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts the Nittany Lion Open on Sunday, Dec. 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
ON THE AIR
TV - None
Radio - All Penn State wrestling events during the regular season around the state. Hosted by Jeff Byers, voice of Penn State wrestling, and Troy Sunderland, head wrestling coach, the thirty-minute call in show airs at 5:30 p.m. nearly every Thursday night night throughout the season. The show, which will feature in-depth interviews with Coach Sunderland and other guests throughout the season, will give Nittany Lion wrestling fans a chance to call in and ask the coach questions.
WBLF 970 AM will also broadcast the entire season of Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling. In addition, a full state-wide Continuing a long-standing tradition of full season coverage, each of Penn State??s dual matches and four major tournaments will be carried by the station. Jeff Byers, long-time voice of Nittany Lion wrestling, will be at each event to call the action. In addition to the full schedule of duals, WBLF will air the finals the Nittany Lion Open as well as the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Championships o. Nittany Lion wrestling fans have been treated to a full season of radio coverage for over 25 years. This year, the Sports Jam Network is teaming with Penn State to create statewide coverage of PSU wrestling. Check page 7 of the notes for more.
FIELD SET FOR PA. DUALS AT LOCK HAVEN ON NOV. 19
As the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers prepare for Nov. 12??s Wrestle-Offs in Rec Hall, head coach Troy Sunderland??s crew now knows who it will meet as the regular season opens. No. 8 Penn State will be taking part in the 2006 Pennsylvania Duals, hosted by Lock Haven University on Sunday, Nov. 19, beginning at 10 a.m. Two other ranked teams will invade Lock Haven as part of the eight-school event.
The Nittany Lions will face intra-state foe Clarion to kick off the day??s action at 10 a.m. in Thomas Field House. Other 10 a.m. duals include host Lock Haven facing York, Edinboro battling Millersville and Lehigh facing Pitt-Johnstown. Penn State will take on Pitt-Johnstown at 12 p.m. in its second dual of the day. Other noon bouts include Edinboro tangling with Lehigh, LHU facing Clarion and York battling Millersville
At 2 p.m., a battle of ranked foes will ensue as the Nittany Lions will tangle with the Fighting Scots. Lock Haven faces Lehigh, Clarion battles Millersville and UPJ tangles with York as well. Day-long passes cost $15 and can be ordered by calling the LHU Athletics Department at 570-893-2102.
DAVIS TO MEET RINALDI IN NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC; YONUSHONIS TO FACE HERRINGTON
Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.), the No. 1 ranked 197-pounder in the nation, has finalized his spot in the prestigious National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic. Senior James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.), the No. 3 ranked 174-pounder in the nation, has been asked to join teammate Davis and wrestle in the event as well.
The event will take place in the Dallas Convention Center Arena on Monday, Nov. 20. Davis, a junior and a 2006 national runner-up, will face Cornell??s Jerry Rinaldi in one of the event??s marquee match-ups. While Davis is ranked No. 1 in every major pre-season poll, Rinaldi enters the exhibition bout ranked No. 2 by the NWCA.
The duo knows each other very well as Davis downed Rinaldi 7-4 in the national semifinals last season. Davis also nipped Rinaldi 3-0 in a regular season dual in Rec Hall. Two years ago, Davis beat Rinaldi 8-5 during his freshman campaign in a dual at Cornell during the regular season. The duo then faced off in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Championships with Davis posting an impressive 7-1 win over Rinaldi on his way to earning seventh place and his first of two All-America medals.
Yonushonis got the invite when No. 1 Ben Askren of Missouri opted out of the event. Yonushonis will face No. 2 Matt Herrington of Penn in the 174-pound match-up. With Davis and Yonushonis making the trip, Penn State joins Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Minnesota and Penn as teams with more than one grappler taking part. Yonushonis, a senior captain for Penn State, is a returning All-American, having finished eighth at nationals in Oklahoma City last March. The Philipsburg native went 24-9 last season, including a 14-2 dual match mark. He has a 53-44 career record as a three-year starter for head coach Troy Sunderland.
The duo met last season at nationals with Herrington coming away with a win by fall in the consolation quarterfinals. Herrington went on to place fifth and Yonushonis placed eighth. Yonushonis and Herrington did not wrestle in the dual match between the two schools last season.
The potential full field features 20 of the country??s best grapplers. At 118, Oklahoma??s Sam Hazewinkle will face Cornell??s Troy Nickerson. Penn??s Matt Valenti will tangle with Oklahoma State??s Coleman Scott at 125. Northwestern??s Ryan Lange will meat Michigan State??s Andy Simmons at 141. Minnesota??s Dustin Schlatter will face Oklahoma??s Matt Storniolo at 149. Brian Stith of Arizona State will meet Iowa State??s Trent Paulson at 157. Oklahoma State??s Johnny Hendricks will meet Mark Perry of Iowa at 165. Ben Askren of Missouri faces Matt Herrington of Penn at 174. Northwestern??s Jake Herbert will meet Minnesota??s Roger Kish at 184. Minnesota??s Cole Konrad will face Harvard??s Bode Ogunwole at HWT. The field is subject to change and not all bouts are finalized.
NITTANY LIONS SENDING LARGE CONTINGENT TO POCONOS FOR ESU OPEN
Six Nittany Lions will wrestle attached at the East Stroudsburg Open on Saturday while another 15 will wrestle at ESU unattached. Wearing their Blue and White singlets in the Poconos will be Tim Haas at 133, Jon Clemens at 157, Nathan Galloway at 157, Jack Decker at 174, Brian Cantalupi at 184 and Mike Ward at 184. The following wrestlers will wrestle unattached at ESU: 125 - Eric Caschera; 133 - Chris Robbins; 141 - Mike Eagan and Ben Mandelbraut; 149 - Bubba Jenkins and Christian Harr; 157 - Craig Owsiany and Josh Rohler; 165 - Mike Lorenzo and Dave Rella; 184 - David Klug; 197 - Eric Burnett; HWT - Nathan Andrews, Joe Farina and Brendan Herlihy.
OVER 2,000 FANS WITNESS EXCITING WRESTLE-OFFS
Thirty-four members of Penn State??s No. 8 wrestling team took to the mats for the 2006 version of Nittany Lion Wrestle-Offs on Nov. 12 in Rec Hall. Head coach Troy Sunderland and 2,000 fans watched as one of the nation??s top was showcased in the annual intra-squad tournament. Mark McKnight (125), Jake Strayer (133), Bryan Heller (141), Dan Vallimont (149), Jason Lapham (157), Mark Friend (165), James Yonushonis (174), Phil Bomberger (184), Chad Unger (197) and Aaron Anspach (HWT) claimed individual titles. Phil Davis did not wrestle at 197.
ERWIN, PATAKY AND TIGHE FAIR WELL AT MSU OPEN
Red-shirts David Erwin, Brad Pataky and Stefan Tighe each placed at the 2006 MSU Open in East Lansing, Mich., the weekend of Nov. 12. Erwin, wrestling at 184, went 4-1 and placed third at the event. Pataky, wrestling at 125, went 4-2 and finished fourth. Tighe, a HWT transfer from Nebraska, went 5-2 and placed fifth.
NITTANY LION WRESTLING SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Season tickets are on sale now for the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team. This year??s season ticket prices are $24 for adults and $18 for youth. Single dual prices are $5 per event for adults and $3 per event for youth. Contact the Penn State ticket office at 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533 for more information or visit GoPSUsports.com. Penn State students get in free to all duals.
The season ticket package kicks in with Penn State??s home dual vs. in-state rival Lehigh on Friday, Dec. 8. Lock haven visits Rec Hall on Friday, Dec. 15, for a 7 p.m. tussle as well. Four Big Ten duals will close out the home season. The Nittany Lions welcome resurgent Ohio State on Friday, Jan.26, for a 7 p.m. battle. Penn State then hosts Illinois, last year??s Big Ten runner-up, on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. Northwestern invades Happy Valley on Friday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. The home slate concludes with a bang when the Iowa Hawkeyes come to Rec Hall for a 12 p.m. tussle on Sunday, Feb. 4.
The Nittany Lion Open, which is held in Rec Hall on Sunday, Dec. 3, is not part of the season ticket package. Tickets for the 2006 NLO can be purchased at the Rec Hall Ticket Center on the day of the event. In addition to the home season ticket packages and individual dual tickets, fans can speak with the ticket office about the process for purchasing tickets for the 2007 Big Ten Championships and the 2007 NCAA Championships. Big Tens are being hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., on March 3-4. The NCAA Championships will be held at the Palace at Auburn Hills in Detroit on March 15-17.
PATAKY AND ERWIN FARE WELL AT SUNKIST OPEN
Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) and David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) both fared well at the 2006 Sunkist Open, hosted by Arizona State this past weekend. Former Nittany Lion Adam Smith also did well at the prestigious event in Tempe.
Pataky, a 125-pounder last season and most likely red-shirting for Penn State this season, opened the bracket at 55 kg (121 lbs.) with a loss before reeling off five straight wins to advance to the consolation finals. Despite the loss in the conso finals, Pataky went 5-2 and finished fourth at the event. In the process, the Clearfield native pinned a defending NCAA national champ and a former NCAA national runner-up. Erwin, a 165-pounder last year for Penn State and most likely red-shirting as well, went 4-2 at 84 kg (185 lbs). He collected three pins in the process and his fourth victory was a technical fall. Smith, recently hired as Penn State??s director of wrestling operations, placed sixth at 55 kg. The ??04 Penn State graduate won his first three bouts to advance to the semifinals. He went 3-3.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED NO. 8 IN USA TODAY/NWCA POLL (10/23)
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is ranked at No. 8 in the USA Today/ Intermat/NWCA Preseason Poll. The team poll is voted on by Division I coaches weekly while the individual rankings are voted on by members of the National Wrestling Media Association.
Penn State??s No. 8 ranking is due in large part to the lofty rankings of its two returning All-Americans. Junior Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.), a two-time All-American, is ranked No. 1 at 197 after his national runner-up performance last season. Senior James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.), who was an All-American in 2006 with an eighth place finish, is ranked No. 3 at 174.
Joining Davis and Yonushonis in the rankings are a number of other talented Lions. Sophomore Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) is ranked No. 8 at 133; senior Nathan Galloway (State College, Pa.) checks in ranked No. 11 at 157 pounds; junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) is ranked No. 11 at 125 heading into the new campaign.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED NO. 9 IN W.I.N. MAGAZINE POLL (10/23)
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the guidance of veteran head coach Troy Sunderland, is ranked No. 9 in the 2006-07 W.I.N. Magazine pre-season rankings. Junior Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) is No. 1 at 197 pounds to lead six ranked individuals.
Senior James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.) is ranked No. 4 at 174 pounds. Yonushonis went 24-9 last year and made good on his first trip to nationals with an eighth-place, All-America finish. Yonushonis is 53-44 for his career. Junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) is ranked No. 9 at 125 pounds; sophomore Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) is ranked No. 9 at 133; senior Nathan Galloway (State College, Pa.) is ranked No. 17 at 157 pounds and senior Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.) is ranked No. 19 at HWT.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED NO. 7 IN WRESTLINGMALL.COM POLL (10/23)
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the guidance of veteran head coach Troy Sunderland, is ranked No. 7 in TheWrestlingMall.com??s preseason top 20. Junior national finalist Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) leads a cast of seven ranked grapplers in the renowned wrestling source??s early listings.
Davis, a finalist at 197 in the 2006 NCAA Championships and the defending Big Ten Champion, is ranked No. 1 at 197 once again. Joining Davis with a lofty preseason ranking is returning All-American James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.), who is ranked No. 3 at 174 yet again. Sophomore Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.), who advanced to the NCAA ??Round of 12?? last year, is ranked No. 7 at 133 while junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) is No. 9 at 125. The duo of talented grapplers gives Penn State four wrestlers listed in TWMs top ten. Senior Nathan Galloway (State College, Pa.) is ranked No. 13 at 157 pounds and went 2-2 at nationals last year. Classmate Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.) is ranked No. 18 at HWT and true freshman Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) is ranked No. 20 at 165.
Anspach, Davis and Yonushonis Named Captains
Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling head coach Troy Sunderland has announced that veteran wrestlers Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.), Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) and James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.) have been named team captains for the 2006-07 season.
??These three wrestlers are great leaders and team members,?? Sunderland said. ??They each have worked hard for what they have achieved in their careers and we expect great things from each one this year. More importantly, they expect great things from themselves and this team. Their leadership will be a vital key to our success this season.??
Anspach is a fifth-year senior who went 14-8 last year as a part-time starter for the Lions, splitting time with eventual qualifier Joel Edwards at heavyweight. Anspach has a 21-11 career record and a 3-2 dual match mark. His top performance in 2005-06 was a fifth place showing at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions. He heads into this year ranked as high as No. 18 in national polls.
Davis, a junior, is a two-time All-American who was the 2006 Big Ten Champion at 197. He turned that stellar performance into a spot in the NCAA finals at 197. Davis ended last year with a 25-4 mark. A freshman All-American the year before, Davis has a 62-14 career record, is 12-3 all-time in Big Ten duals and has a 15-1 record in matches decided by a fall. Davis is ranked No. 1 in all three national polls heading into the new campaign.
Yonushonis returns for his senior campaign after earning All-American honors in 2005-06. The fifth-year senior placed eighth at 174 last year in Oklahoma City, capping off a break-out season that saw him go 24-9 overall. A three year starter for Penn State, Yonushonis has a 53-44 career record, including 97 career dual points. Yonushonis is ranked as high as No. 3 in the national polls heading into the year.
Four of Nation??s Top Wrestlers Sign National Letters of Intent with Penn State
Four of the nation??s top high school wrestlers have signed national letters of intent to attend Penn State and continue their collegiate wrestling careers with the Nittany Lion wrestlers. Fresh off two straight years of highly-ranked recruiting classes, head coach Troy Sunderland is once again putting together a talented class.
Tim Darling (Nazareth, Pa.), ranked No. 2 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News at 152 pounds, is a two-time Pennsylvania state champion from Nazareth High School. A four-year starter for head coach Dave Crowell, Darling also placed third at states as a freshman. He is the son of Bob and Kathi Darling and will be making a run at his third state title this season. He enters his senior year with a 123-10 career record.
Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 2 nationally by AWN at 140 pounds, is a two-time New Jersey state champion. A superb wrestler for Souther Regional High School and head coach John Stout, Molinaro is working towards a third state title this year. He is the son of Frank and Michele Molinaro and sports a 109-4 career record at SRHS.
Jared Platt (Randolph, N.J.), ranked No. 2 nationally by AWN at 215 pounds, is the defending national prep champion. Wrestling at the Blair Academy for head coach Jeff Buxton, Platt was also the runner-up at Junior Nationals. He is the son of John and Tracey Platt and sports a 93-10 career record.
Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked NO. 2 nationally by AWN at 275 pounds, is a two time Ohio state champion from St. Peter Chanel High School. Wade was runner up at Junior Nationals and Cadet Nationals as well. Wade will be going for a third state title for head coach Graham Goghill. He is the son of Kevin and Trish Wade and sports a 104-25 career record.
??We??re pleased and excited to welcome four of the top wrestlers in the country and their families to the Penn State wrestling family,?? Sunderland said. ??It??s a tribute to the hard work of the assistant coaches and our support staff that we have once again attracted such outstanding young men to our program. These young men and their families felt a strong connection to our team and saw the commitment that Penn State has to wrestling in our new facilities. These four wrestlers want to win multiple team and individual titles here at Penn State and those goals mesh perfectly with the goals of their future teammates.??