1/14/2005 - Wrestling
Navy Wrestling Set For Showdown With No. 5 Lehigh
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Navy vs. Lehigh Dual Meet Notes
Sam Gray is ranked 19th at 133 pounds and sports an 18-6 record heading into Saturday's meet with Lehigh. |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The 20th-ranked Navy wrestling team hosts its first dual meet of the season on Saturday, when the No. 5-ranked Lehigh Mountain Hawks come calling to Alumni Hall. The Mountain Hawks own a 10-1 record heading into Friday's dual with No. 11 Cornell, and figure to contend for the NCAA title come March. The Midshipmen improved to 6-2 following their 35-6 triumph over Maryland on Thursday night.
"What an opportunity we have this weekend," said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett. "Lehigh was preseason No. 2 in the country and figures to contend with Oklahoma State for the national championship. They have a solid program and a solid team and we are going to have to wrestle close to our best to beat them."
The Mountain Hawks could wrestle as many as seven ranked wrestlers in tomorrow's meet, including five in the top 10. The cream of the crop is 165-pounder Troy Letters, who has battled injuries all year, but is ranked No. 1 by all four major polls. It is not known whether or not he will be in the lineup. Other ranked Mountain Hawks include Matt Ciasulli (133; 6th), Cory Cooperman (141; 4th), Derek Zinck (157; 8th), Travis Frick (174; 16th), Jon Trenge (197; 3rd) and Paul Weibel (HWT; 18th).
"We have been preparing for these two meets (Lehigh Saturday and the Maryland meet) all week and have worked hard and trying hard to eliminate our mistakes," added Burnett. "We aren't at 100 percent, but this is where we are at. This is all practice for later in the year. But you want to win in practice too. We just really want to challenge and compete and make it hard for them to do the things they like to do."
The Mids sport a formidable lineup themselves, boasting five wrestlers in the nation's top 20. The leader is senior Nate Gulosh (Stow, Ohio), who enters with a No. 13 national ranking at 141 with an 18-5 record. Tanner Garrett (Tulsa, Okla.) has a 21-2 mark at heavyweight and a No. 15 ranking. John Cox (Grand Haven, Mich.) is 23-5 with a ranking of 15th at 149 pounds. Sam Gray (Essex, Vt.) is 19th at 133 and Thayer Paxton (Meyersdale, Pa.) is 20th at 197.
"If we do things well and eliminate our mistakes and make them uncomfortable, we can win this meet," said Burnett. "It will take a total team effort and focus from every weight. We hope to rise to the occasion and perform very well on Saturday."
The Naval Academy Athletic Association is hosting a two-for-one ticket opportunity. Fans are able to see both the men's basketball game at 2:00 p.m., against Lehigh as well as that night's wrestling meet for just $10. Both events will be in Alumni Hall. Free shuttles will be running from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium starting at 1:00 p.m. This ticket offer will be available only on game day at Alumni Hall beginning at 1:00 p.m. For more information, contact the Navy ticket office at 1-800-US4NAVY.
Following the Lehigh meet, the Mids will host East Stroudsburg next Saturday, Jan. 22, at 7:00 p.m., in Halsey Field House.
# GO NAVY #
