COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland men's wrestling team (4-6, 1-3 Big Ten) will be back in action for a pair of Big Ten Dual matches at No. 20/22 Indiana on Friday January 15 and No. 20 Purdue Sunday, January 17.

• Indiana Live Video Coverage via BTN Plus - 7:00 pm ET
• Purdue Live Video Coverage via BTN Plus - 1:00 pm ET
• Follow coverage via Twitter (@TerpsWrestling)

Setting the staGe 

• Maryland is coming off a 1-1 weekend in Big Ten dual match competition, which included the program's first head-to-head B1G victory as a member of the conference over Michigan State on January 10. Maryland dropped a 26-12 decision to No. 23/21 Minnesota in its first match of the weekend on January 8.
• It was a day of firsts for the Terps in their win over the Spartans, which included the first Big Ten dual match victories for freshman Wade Hodges (141), redshirt-freshman Garrett Wesneski (197) and freshman Youssif Hemida (285).
• Redshirt-sophomore Tyler Goodwin (133) and freshman Jaron Smith (184) also tabbed their first dual win against Big Ten opponents, as the pair secured victories against Minnesota. Goodwin was named the Cliff Keen Wrestling Outstanding Wrestler of the Match via the BTN broadcast after pinning the Gophers' Sam Brancale at 4:27. Smith went 2-0 on the weekend with wins over Chris Pfarr (Minnesota) and Shwan Shadia (Michigan State).
• Redshirt-senior Lou Mascola (157) also went 2-0 on the weekend, and now leads the team in both dual match victories (8) and Big Ten wins (4). Fellow redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) picked up his second dual win against Michigan State, and is now 5-1 overall on the year.    
• Alexander and Mascola (157) both remain ranked top 20 in the latest InterMat Wrestling NCAA Division I Rankings. Mascola is slated 19^th, while Alexander is currently the No. 13 wrestler in his weight class nationwide.     
• The Terps took 21^st in the field at the 53^rd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships hosted by Northwestern December 29-30.
• Redshirt-sophomore Dawson Peck (285) placed sixth in the field in the heavyweight division at the event, while capturing the Midlands Most Falls Award with a tournament-best four pins. Peck finished 5-3 overall at the two-day tournament, which featured some of the top wrestlers from around the country.
• Peck entered elite company in Maryland wrestling history after his Midlands performance, becoming just the seventh Terrapin to place at the event in back-to-back seasons. Other former Terps who have pulled off the feat include: Tom Reese (1986 & 87), Phil Brown (1986 & 87), David Land (1992 & 93), Hudson Taylor (2008 & 2009), Steve Bell (2008 & 09) and Jimmy Sheptock (2011, 12 & 13).
• Peck was also just the second Terp to win the Midlands Most Falls Award, after Hudson Taylor also earned the honor in 2008 with four pins. Taylor finished seventh overall in the 197-pound weight class that year. Peck now boasts a team-best eight falls on the season.
• The Terps also turned in some solid performances at the Dave H. Lehman Franklin & Marshall Open on December 30. Redshirt freshmen Ryan Diehl (149) and true freshman David-Brian Whisler (184) won their respective brackets at the event, while Maryland went 56-33 overall on the day.
• Redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) was sharp against Nebraska in his 2015-16 dual match debut, picking up a 6-2 decision over then-No. 9 Eric Montoya.
• Maryland also had some standout performances at the Nittany Lion Open on December 6 in State College, Pa. Geoffrey Alexander (133) was in action for the first time this season after missing the first month of the season due to injury. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native was dominant, winning his two matches by technical fall and major decision. Dawson Peck (285) also went undefeated at the event, posting two pins and a 3-2 decision over NC State's Mike Kosoy.
• Redshirt-junior Billy Rappo (125) continues to lead the Terps in total victories this season, now 15-7 on the year. Rappo is also tied for second on the team with Adam Whitesell (141) in falls with five.
• Freshman Brendan Burnham (165) delivered the Terps' biggest surprise in Iowa City on November 20 when he took out the Hawks' Burke Paddock, 9-5. Burnham is now 6-6 on the season and is 2-1 in Big Ten duals.   

maryland probables

scouting indiana

(Indiana Wrestling Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)

• Indiana enters the weekend 4-1 (1-1 Big Ten) on the year, and are currently ranked No. 20 (Intermat)/No. 22 (NWCA) in the nation. The Hoosiers will attempt to rebound after a loss to No. 1/No.1 Penn State on January 10, but won their previous four including a criteria victory over then-No. 20 Minnesota December 11.  
• The Hoosiers produced the latest Big Ten Wrester of the Week in 174-pounder Nate Jackson.  The 11^th-ranked wrestler defeated No. 1 Bo Nickal of Penn State with a 7-6 decision in Sunday's dual against the Nittany Lions. He jumped to the No. 6 spot in the latest Intermat rankings, and now sports a record of 22-2 record on the year.
• Hoosier heavyweight Garret Goldman picked up the other win for Indiana against the Nittany Lions, earning the first pin of his collegiate career in a win over Jan Johnson.
• Freshman Elijah Oliver (125) has made an immediate impact in his first collegiate season, currently sporting a 21-5 overall record and 4-1 mark in dual matches.
• Also projected to wrestle for Indiana: Alonzo Shepherd (133), Cole Weaver (141), Luke Blaton (149), Jake Danishek (157), Bryce Martin, Alex Gregory or Eric Roach (165), Nate Jackson or Wyatt Wilson (174) Matt Irick or Norman Conley (184), Jake Masengale (197). 

SCOUTING Purdue

(Purdue Wrestling Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)

• Purdue enters the weekend 5-2 (0-1 Big Ten) on the season, and will first match up with Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. before hosting the Terps on January 17. The Boilermakers put together a four-game dual match win streak before falling to No. 1 Penn State 42-3 on January 8.
• Purdue checked in at No. 20 in the latest NWCA Poll released this week. 
• The Boilermakers are led by No. 7 ranked 165-pounder Chad Welch, who sports a team-best 19 wins and 5-1 dual match record. The redshirt-senior is a two-time NCAA qualifier and also leads the team in falls (6) this year.
• Chad's twin brother Doug is projected to wrestle at 157, carrying a 5-2 dual record and 8-6 overall mark into the weekend. The youngest brother on the squad, redshirt sophomore Luke Welch (133), also sports a 5-2 dual match record (10-8 overall) on the year.
• Also projected to wrestle for Purdue: Ben Thorton (125), Luke Welch or Cody Pae (133), Danny Sabatello or Kyle Ayersman (141), Alex Griffin (149), Doug Welch (157), Chad Welch or Peter Andreotti (165), Jacob Morrissey (174), Tanner Lynde (184), Drake Stein (197), Tyler Kral or Jacob Aven (285). 

last meetings

• Indiana and Maryland will meet for the first time ever in head-to-head competition on Friday.
• The Terps and Boilermakers last met on November 24, 2012. The then-16th ranked Terrapins came from behind to top Purdue 20-19 at Journeymen/Asics Northeast Duals.  

next up

• Terps wrestling will also have several attached and unattached entries at the Shorty Hitchcock open hosted by Millersville University on January 16. Maryland will split its time between non-conference and B1G competition next weekend when the team travels to face in-state rival Navy (Jan. 22) in Annapolis before hosting Wisconsin (Jan. 24).   

 -Terps-