Jan. 5, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Five members of the top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team trekked to the Franklin and Marshall Open as unattached wrestlers. Four of those five unattached grapplers placed at the one day event.
Sophomore Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 5 at 149, blazed through his weight class, going 5-0 with three pins, a tech fall and a major to win the title. Andrew improves his unblemished record to 13-0. Sophomore Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 5 at 157, was equally impressive, going 5-0 with three pins and a major to win his weight class. Dylan improves to 12-2 on the year.
True freshman Wes Phipps (Grove City, Pa.) had an outstanding tournament. Phipps rebounded from a quarterfinal loss at 184 to take fourth place. Phipps went 4-2. Red-shirt freshman Rex Lutz (Easton, Pa.) posted a 3-2 mark with a pin at 165 and placed eighth. Junior Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) competed at 174, going 2-2.
Penn State is coming off yet another Southern Scuffle Championship on Jan. 1-2 in Chattanooga. The Nittany Lions return to action on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013, when Michigan State invades Rec Hall for a 2 p.m. meeting. Penn State's full season of home duals is sold out but limited Standing Room Only tickets are available for select dual meets. For information on which duals have a limited number of SRO tickets available and to purchase tickets, fans can call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office windows from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 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 2012-13 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.