UMD to Face Navy, Host Wisconsin this Weekend

1/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

By: Maryland Athletics

Inclement Weather Notice

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland men's wrestling team (4-8, 1-5 Big Ten) will split time between the road and XFINITY Center this weekend with starting with an away match at Navy (7-1, 3-1 EIWA) on Friday, January 22 at 4:00 pm. The Terps then host Big Ten counterpart Wisconsin (1-4, 0-3 Big Ten) on Sunday, January 24 which will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network at 11:00 am.

Wisconsin Live Video Coverage via BTN - 11:00 am ET
Follow coverage via Twitter (@TerpsWrestling)

Setting the staGe

Maryland dropped both of its Big Ten duals last weekend, falling to now No. 21 (NWCA)/16 (InterMat) Indiana and No. 20 Purdue on the road.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Diehl and redshirt junior Shyheim Brown both posted undefeated records in the 149-pound weight class to highlight Maryland's day at the Shorty Hitchcock Invitational hosted by Millersville University on January 16. Diehl now sports a 13-4 record on the season, and has rattled off nine consecutive victories while Brown holds an 11-1 mark.
Maryland wrestling secured the program's first head-to-head B1G victory as a member of the conference over Michigan State on January 10. The Terps won seven bouts, including the final three of the match to get the historic 26-10 win. Check out video from behind the scenes.
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 on January 8. Goodwin notched another win against Purdue, picking up an 11-7 decision to move to 7-2 on the year. Smith is now 3-2 in the Big Ten, and notched his third fall as a Terp at Indiana.
Redshirt-senior Lou Mascola (157) went 1-1 on the weekend, and continues to lead the team in both dual match victories (9) and Big Ten wins (5). Fellow redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) picked up his third B1G dual win against Michigan State, and is now 6-1 overall on the year.
Alexander remains ranked top 20 in the latest InterMat Wrestling NCAA Division I Rankings, currently the No. 16 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.
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.
Redshirt-junior Billy Rappo (141) continues to lead the Terps in total victories this season, now 15-8 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.

maryland probables

125: Michael Beck or Jhared Simmons
133: Geoffrey Alexander or Tyler Goodwin
141: Alfred Bannister or Billy Rappo
149: Wade Hodges or Ryan Diehl
157: Lou Mascola
165: Brendan Burnham or Tyler Manion
174: Josh Snook or Derrick Evanovich
184: Jaron Smith
197: Garrett Wesneski
285: Dawson Peck or Youssif Hemida

scouting navy

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

Navy enters Friday's matchup 7-1 on the season and 3-1 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, with the team's lone loss coming in current No. 6/No.9 Lehigh on January 9.
The Midshipmen have won their past two duals, and are coming off a 21-17 comeback victory over American on January 16. Navy also took down Drexel 25-14 on January 15, who the Terps dispatched earlier this season on December 5.
Navy is led by sophomore Jadaen Bernstein (174) and senior Matthew Miller (184), who checked in at No. 18 and No. 15 (respectively) in the latest InterMat Wrestling rankings. Bernstein is 24-8 overall on the year and unbeaten in duals (5-0), while Miller is 20-6 (4-0) and has won seven out of his last eight matches.
Projected to wrestle for Navy: Brant Leadbeter or Cody Lambert (125), Zack Davis (133), Nicholas Gil (141), Corey Wilding or Casey Cowan (149) Drew Daniels or Jonathan Carrera (157), John Keck or Michael Coleman (165), Jadaen Bernstein or Ryan Harman (174), Mathew Miller or Robert Mannier (184), Michael Woulfe (197) and Nick Mabry or Austin Faunce (285).

SCOUTING wisconsin

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

Wisconsin enters the weekend 1-4 in dual matches and 0-3 in Big Ten competition, and will face Rutgers on January 22 before traveling to College Park on Sunday.
The Badgers will be looking for their first in-conference win this weekend, previously dropping duals to Penn State (36-7), Nebraska (29-11) and Iowa (31-3). Wisconsin's lone win came over UW-Whitewater of Division III on November 12.
The 133-pound bout should make for one of the premiere matchups of the weekend, as Wisconsin boasts the current No. 7-ranked wrestler in the nation in redshirt junior Ryan Taylor. Taylor was a 2015 All-American and the Big Ten runner up at 133 pounds, and is 1-2 after missing time early on in the season. Fellow redshirt junior Issac Jordan holds the No. 3 spot nationwide in the 165-pound class, and remains undefeated (15-0) this season. Jordan is the reigning Big Ten Champion and captured 2015 All-American honors.
Projected to wrestle for Wisconsin: Johnny Jimenez (125), Ryan Taylor or Jens Lantz (133), Luke Rowh or Gabriel Grahek (141), Andrew Crone (149), TJ Ruschell (157), Isaac Jordan (165), Ricky Robertson (174), Ryan Christensen (184), Eric Peissig or Nic Veling (197) and Brock Horwath (285).

last meetings

The Midshipmen edged the Terps 20-18 when the teams met last season at XFINITY Center, winning four out of the final five matches to seal the win.
Wisconsin came out ahead 28-12 when the teams met last season in Madison for Maryland's inaugural Big Ten match.

maryland wrestling: on the rise

Check out the "Maryland Wrestling: On the Rise" video feature via Umteprs.com including interviews from Kerry McCoy and some of your favorite Terps: Video

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