1/11/2002 - Wrestling
Mids Prep for Road Test Against Rutgers
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy wrestling team will look to snap a three-match losing streak Saturday when the Mids travel to Piscataway, N.J., to take on Rutgers at 2 p.m. The Mids are also seeking their second win of the season over an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opponent.
"We are looking forward to competing again because each time you compete, it gives you the opportunity to evaluate your training and test your skills," Navy head coach Bruce Burnett said. "We are coming off a rough weekend, and the coaching staff will see how the guys rebound in a tough situation by wrestling Rutgers on the road. They have a good team, so we will have to wrestle solid from top to bottom."
Navy (4-4) dropped three matches at the Lonestar Duals in Dallas, Texas last weekend, falling to Northwestern (27-13), third-ranked Oklahoma (29-9) and 22nd-ranked Wisconsin (35-3).
Team captain Mark Conley (Sr./Exton, Pa.) moved up to No. 3 in the 141-pound weight class in Intermat's latest national rankings. Conley won all three of his matches at the Lonestar Duals without giving up a point and is 23-2 overall this season.
Junior Steve Kovach (Parkesburg, Pa.) is 19-4 overall in the heavyweight division for the Mids and won two of his three matches in Texas. He is currently the top-ranked heavyweight in the EIWA this season.
Mike Bigrigg (197 pounds) and Jim Letchford (174 pounds) are ranked fifth in the EIWA's latest individual rankings, while Sam Gray (125) and Luke Lazzo (165) are ranked sixth, respectively. As a team, Navy is ranked eighth, while Rutgers is fifth.
Rutgers (1-4) picked up its first victory of the season Wednesday evening, defeating East Stroudsburg, 30-3.
The Scarlet Knights are led by senior Tom Tanis, ranked 19th nationally in the 184-pound weight class. Tanis is the defending EIWA champion at 184 pounds.
Andrew Uhrlass (125) and Ryan McGrath (197) are ranked fourth in the EIWA, while Greg Austin is ranked fifth in the 149-pound weight class.
Navy leads the overall series, 13-2, despite dropping a 21-15 decision to Rutgers last year in Annapolis.
