ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy wrestling team (1-3, 1-0) returns to Annapolis for the first time since Nov. 23 to resume its dual season. The Mids will square off against Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association foe American (5-2, 0-0) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. inside Alumni Hall.

The Navy-American dual will be broadcasted for free on the Navy Athletics YouTube page and with the links provided on navysports.com. Scott Wykoff (PxP) and Jay Antonelli (Color) will provide broadcast coverage.

Notes for Traveling Fans
• Vehicular access to the Naval Academy is limited to those drivers with a Department of Defense identification card. 
• All other visitors must either park outside of the Naval Academy grounds and walk through the security gates at Gate 1 or take the complimentary shuttles from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Md., 21401). 
• The shuttles will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Enter the blue/west parking lot through gate 5 off of Taylor Avenue. 
• The cost of parking is $10.
• Visitors 18 years and older must present a government-issued identification card (driver's license / passport) to gain access to the Academy grounds, while visitors 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Projected Navy Lineup (2024-25 Overall Record / Dual Record)

125 - Nick Treaster (4-4 / 0-1) / Jack Bergmann (2-6 / 0-0)

133 - Brendan Ferretti (3-6 / 0-3) / Hunter Heflin (3-7 / 0-1)

141 - #7 Josh Koderhandt (11-3 / 4-0) / Adam Heckman (2-6 / 0-0)

149 - Kaemen Smith (5-7 / 1-2) / Nicholas Vafiadis (3-6 / 0-0)  

157 – Jonathan Ley (3-3 / 1-1) / Charlie Evans (4-6 / 0-2)

165 - Tyler Sagi (5-5 / 2-1) / Elijah Penton (1-4 / 0-0)

174 - #19 Danny Wask (10-4 / 3-1)

184 - Daniel Williams (5-5 / 1-2) / Zyan Hall (7-4 / 0-1)

197 - #32 Payton Hall (4-3 / 2-2)

285 - Alistair Larson (2-8 / 0-4) / Ben Farabaugh (2-4 / 0-0)

Road to 100 Victories

• In his last outing at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, senior team captain Josh Koderhandt (141) went 3-2 at the event to take fourth in his respective weight class. Koderhandt recorded his 90th career victory at the CKLV with an 8-7 victory over Iowa State's Jacob Frost. The Belleville, Ill., native hopes to become the 17th Midshipmen to eclipse 100-career victories.

Last Time out: at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational / Patriot Open

• Koderhandt led all Mids with a fourth-place finish on Saturday at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., on Dec. 6-7.

• Navy finished second among Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). Only Binghamton (28.5 points, 1 place winner) recorded more points than the Mids. Navy's two place winners were the most between all EIWA teams.

• Sophomore Danny Wask (174) was the second Midshipmen to secure a podium spot, taking sixth in his respective weight class. Wask defeated two ranked opponents at the CKLV, he defeated 28th-ranked Brody Baumann from Purdue 9-5 and third-ranked Cade DeVos out of South Dakota State. 

• Two wrestlers reached the podium in their respective weight classes as the Navy competed at the Patriot Open in Fairfax, Va., on Sunday, Dec. 8.

• Freshman Isaac Hampton led all Mids' with a fourth-place finish at 125 pounds for his first collegiate placement. Drawing a first-round bye, Hampton's day started with a 17-2 tech fall victory over Rider's Alex Esposito. Hampton advanced to the quarterfinals where he defeated Maryland's Tyler Garvin 4-3 for his final victory on the day.

• Sophomore Zyan Hall (184) placed sixth in his respective weight class going 3-2 overall. Hall opened his day with a 9-4 loss over PRTC's Maximus Hale 9-4. Hall battled back in the consolation rounds to earn his placement winning three-straight matches by tech falls. The Marietta, Ga., native posted a high scoring 24-8 victory over unattached Nate Campbell. Hall's run continued with victories over Drexel's George Rhodes (17-2) and Gardner-Webb's Eidson Flores (19-3) to punch his ticket to the fifth-place bout where he had to medically forfeit.

Navy Team Notes

• Navy is 1-3 in duals this season. The Mids defeated EIWA foe Drexel 29-9 on Nov. 9 at the Navy Tri Meet for its first victory of the season.

• Navy's three losses have come to 25th-ranked Pittsburgh (35-3), 25th-ranked North Carolina (23-16) and 11th-ranked Iowa State (29-9).

• Head coach Cary Kolat has used a different lineup in every dual this season. Josh Koderhandt (141), Kaemen Smith (149), Danny Wask (174), Payton Thomas (197) and Alistair Larson (285) are the only Mids that competed in all four duals.

• Koderhandt is the only Navy wrestler to win every dual bout he wrestled in, outscoring opponents 14-0 on the scoreboard. The Belleville, Ill., native enters the weekend with a 32-7 career dual record.

• Thomas enters the weekend dual well rested, the last time he touched the mat was on Nov. 23 in the Navy Classic where he went 2-1 to take third at 197 pounds. The Moore, Okla., native is 2-2 in duals with both of his victories coming with bonus points when he pinned Drexel's Ethan Wilson in the second period and majored North Carolina's Cade Lautt, 18-6.

• The Mids have competed in four tournaments since their last dual at Iowa State. Navy competed in the Navy Classic, Mat Town Open, Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Patriot Open.

• Koderhandt leads all Navy wrestlers with 11 victories this season followed by Wask with 10 victories as the only two Mids with 10+ victories.

• Wask leads the team with five victories over ranked opponents which ties his total from his freshman campaign last season.

• Tyler Sagi (165) and Thomas are tied with the most bonus point victory matches this season with two in four dual matches. Sagi and Thomas each earned a victory by fall and a major decision.

Projected American Lineup (2024-25 Overall Record / Dual Record)

125: Coen Bainey (4-3 / 4-1) / JJ Peace (6-0 / 2-0) 

133: Raymond Lopez (7-1 / 4-1)

141: Cael McIntyre (4-1 / 4-1) / Elijah White (3-4 / 0-0)

149: Gage Owen (2-5 / 2-5)

157: Jack Nies (3-4 / 3-4)

165: Kaden Milheim (4-3 / 4-3) / Austin Craft (6-2 / 0-0)

174: Caleb Campos (7-2 / 4-2) / Hunter Hohman (0-2 / 0-2)

184: Lucas White (2-3 / 2-3)

197: Liam Volk-Klos (3-2 / 3-2) / Carsten Rawls (1-1 / 1-1)

285: Will Jarrell (9-3 / 2-2) / Emmanuel Ulrich (8-3 / 1-2)

Scouting American

•Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Jason Borrelli, American enters the weekend with a 5-2 overall record and has won four-straight duals.

• Borrelli owns an 22-40 record for the Eagles. Prior to American he spent 13 seasons with Stanford where he became the program's all-time winningest coach as he compiled 122 wins.

• Graduate Will Jarrell (285) leads American with nine total victories this season. Jarrell also leads the team with 57 career victories.

• Five Eagle wrestlers - Coen Bainey (125), Raymond Lopez (133), Cael McIntyre (141), Kaden Milheim (157) and Caleb Campos (174) - have recorded four dual victories this season.

• Lopez has had a strong start to the season with five of his seven victories coming by fall. Lopez enters the weekend with a 4-0 record in dual competition.

• American's losses came to Big Ten schools against Michigan State (20-12) and Maryland (37-0).

History Against the Eagles

• Saturday's match marks the 18th meeting and the first in Annapolis since 2019.

• Navy leads the all-time series 15-2.

• The Midshipmen are 5-2 against the Eagles in Annapolis. American won the last dual in Annapolis in a 19-18 tie-breaker match in 2019.

• The inaugural match in the series was on Jan. 12, 1997, when the Mids defeated the Eagles, 30-10.

Up Next

Navy will close out the calendar year at the Soldier Salute on Sunday, Dec. 29 through Monday Dec. 30 at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.