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Arizona State Wrestling News Articles
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- Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ
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Sun Devil Wrestling Names Lee Pritts as Assistant Coach
- Pritts is regarded as one of the top recruiters in the nation and brings 14 years of coaching experience to the program.
- Sept. 4, 2012
- TEMPE -The Arizona State University wrestling program has named fourteen-year coaching veteran Lee Pritts as its newest assistant coach, ASU head coach Shawn Charles announced today.
- Considered one of the top recruiters in the country, Pritts joins the Sun Devils after spending the past two seasons in Raleigh with the North Carolina State program. He will coach alongside Charles and fellow assistant coach Brian Stith for the upcoming 2012-13 season.
- Prior to his time at NC State, Pritts spent nine years and two stints at the University of Missouri. He also worked three years as an assistant at Old Dominion.
- "We are proud to announce that we are hiring Lee Pritts to the team to help us build the program into one of the prominent ones in the country," Charles said. "He is probably one of the top five recruiters in the country, is constantly identifying talent and Arizona State has one of the best backdrops to recruit kids to. It is really just a perfect match."
- Pritts forged a reputation as one of the top recruiters in the country during his first stint at Missouri (1998-2004). He built on that reputation at Old Dominion and again in his second stint at Missouri. His recruiting skills paid immediate dividends at NC State.
- With Pritts spearheading NC State's recruiting efforts, the Wolfpack brought in a 14-man class two seasons ago that was a consensus top-10 class consisting of numerous high school All-Americans and/or multiple-time state champions. The Sun Devils look forward to seeing what that recruiting prowess can bring to the desert.
- "I'm excited and this is an unbelievable opportunity. I worked with Shawn at Missouri and I can't wait to work with him again," Pritts said. "It's a special place here in Tempe with an unbelievable atmosphere."
- "Not only is the athletic department successful on the field or on the mat, but the university graduates just about 80 percent of its student-athletes and that's something that really impressed me."
- Pritts began his career as an assistant to Tigers head coach Brian Smith and helped to turn around the Tiger wrestling program, recruiting some of the best high school athletes in the nation and molding them into NCAA All-Americans.
- In 2004, Pritts left Missouri and became an assistant coach at Old Dominion University, where he helped build two top-10 recruiting classes. During his three-year tenure at ODU, the Monarchs sent nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. In 2008, James Nicholson, whom Pritts helped to recruit, became the first Monarch All-American in 13 years.
- Pritts returned to Missouri at the start of the 2007-08 campaign and in three years helped coach seven Tigers to a total of 10 All-America honors. During that stint at Missouri, Pritts actually coached alongside Charles.
- During the summer of 2009, Pritts coached Tiger heavyweight Dominique Bradley to a FILA Junior World Freestyle Championship title. Earlier in the year, Bradley took gold at the FILA Junior World Team Trials held in Colorado Springs, Colo., earning a spot on the United States Junior Freestyle National Team.
- During his time as a coach, Pritts has put together quite the resume of prospects, many of whom have gone on to successful careers beyond their times at the collegiate level. Among those:
- *Max Askren (184)- three-time All-American (2008, 2009, 2010), NCAA champion (2010), Co-Founder if Askren Brothers Wrestling
*Scott Barker (184-197)- two-time All-American (2002, 2003), NCAA runner-up (2003)
- *Matt Pell (184-165)- two-time All-American (2005, 2007), Coach
*Ben Askren (174)- two-time NCAA champion (2006, 2007), four-time All-American (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), Olympian, MMA (Bellator), Coach
*Raymond Jordan (184)- two-time All-American (2008, 2009), Coach
*Jeremy Spates (149)- All-American (2004), Assistant Coach at Cornell University
*Tyron Woodley (165)- All-American (2003, 2005), Strikeforce
*Kenny Burleson (157)- All-American (2004)
*Michael Chandler (157)- All-American (2009), Bellator Lightweight Champion
*Darrius Little (141)- All-American (2012)
*Mark Ellis (HWT)- NCAA Champion (2009), All-American (2009, 2010), Missouri Coach- Pritts attended Eastern Michigan University, where he wrestled at 118 pounds. He was a two-time team captain and made three appearances in the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors in 1996. In addition to his collegiate accomplishments, Pritts qualified for the 2000 Olympic Trials.
- Pritts was coached by Smith during his high school career at Western High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- A native of Fort Lauderdale, Pritts is married to the former Krista Kapeller and has two children, Briggs, age 7, and Kelbi Gracin, age 4.
- Former ASU Wrestler Eddie Urbano Passes Away
- Aug. 26, 2012
- TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling program is sad to announce the death of historic wrestler Eddie Urbano, who passed away this weekend in Tucson, Ariz.
- Urbano was a two-time All-American at Arizona State at 150 pounds in 1984 (3rd) and 1985, when he became just ASU's second NCAA Champion in school history and the first since Curley Culp in 1967.
- Urbano was the first NCAA Champion for legendary ASU coach Bobby Douglas, and set the groundwork for the team's first and only NCAA Championship in 1988. Urbano was a two-time Pac-12 Champion at 150 pounds as well.
- "The Sun Devil Nation and wrestling community at large is greatly saddened by the sudden death of Eddie Urbano," ASU head coach Shawn Charles said. "Eddie was an outstanding wrestler, a great coach and an awesome friend. He will be greatly missed."
- Urbano started a stream of talented wrestlers making their way to ASU from Tucson as he posted a career record of 105-17-1 with the Sun Devils. Those 105 victories rank Urbano 17th on ASU's all-time wins list despite only competing for three years as a Sun Devil. He finished his career with 52 dual victories, good for 11th in ASU's all-time record books.
- As a senior, he helped ASU win the Pac-10 team title and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Urbano was inducted into the Arizona State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Urbano also earned a junior college national title during his time competing at Pima Community College in Tucson.
- Urbano will be remembered for his passion and commitment to Arizona State wrestling, and as former collegiate and roommate Mike Davies points out, an award-winning smile.
- "The first thing you would notice about him was that, it was ear to ear...a genuinely happy smile," Davies remembers. "He was so full of life and fun to be around. This is a really sad day for ASU Wrestling."
- Davies recalls Urbano as a guy that went out of his way to help others out and to be a mentor. Davies credits Urbano for pushing him and making him a better wrestler in their year they spent rooming together, as well as for introducing him to real Mexican food.
- "I was from Cleveland, so my idea of Mexican food was Taco Bell," Davies said. "The first week we lived together, Eddie had his grandmother (a Mexican native) bring up some homemade food and I have been hooked ever since."
- Fellow teammate and eventual Olympian Gary Bohay was another who remembers Urbano by his iconic smile and uplifting personality and passion to the sport.
- "Wrestling was his life and he just worked so hard to be successful," Bohay said. "He was a huge competitor and a wrestling junkie. His NCAA championship really catapaulted ASU to national prominence."
- Former ASU Wrestler Robles to be Inducted to National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Robles will be honored this weekend in Stillwater, Okla., with the Medal of Courage Award.
- May 31, 2012
- **Information taken from official USA Wrestling release**
- STILLWATER, Okla. - Two World champions, a successful coach and wrestler, and the heaviest athlete in Olympic history will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum on June 1-2, 2012 in Stillwater.
- "We are fortunate to have such a rich heritage of wrestling in the United States and the Class of 2012 certainly perpetuates this sport's extraordinary legacy," said <http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/smith_leeroy00.html>Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "I am excited that our Hall of Fame gets to honor such a prestigious and diverse group."
- The Medal of Courage, given to a wrestler who has overcome insurmountable challenges, is being awarded to <http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/robles_anthony00.html>Anthony Robles. Robles, who was born with one leg, earned three NCAA All-American honors while claiming the 2011 NCAA title at 125 pounds for Arizona State University. He is now pursuing a motivational speaking career with the Washington Speakers Bureau.
- Medal of Courage
- ANTHONY MARC ROBLES
- If there was ever a reason to believe in the power of courage, look no further than <http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/robles_anthony00.html>Anthony Robles. Not only will Robles be recognized as a great wrestler, but he will be remembered as one of the most inspirational athletes in all of sport.
- Robles, who was born without his right leg, never allowed his perceived disability get in the way of future wrestling success. Content to walk with crutches or to hop on one leg, Robles ripped off his prosthetic leg at the age of three. He continued to prove that life is about what you can do, not what you can't.
- At the age of 14, while living in Mesa, Ariz., Robles found wrestling. Although Robles called himself the worst wrestler on the team, it was the start of a career that captured the nation's imagination. Through the support of his family and coaches, Robles turned himself into a champion wrestler.
- By the time he graduated high school, Robles had won two Arizona state championships-combining for a 96-0 record during his junior and senior seasons at Mesa High School. He finished his high school career with a 129-15 record.
- Few colleges gave him a chance to excel at the next level. Robles, however, proved them wrong. Enrolling at Arizona State in 2006, Robles would string together a memorable wrestling career during his four years of competition. As a freshman 125 pounder in 2008, he just missed becoming an All- American, finishing just short of the medal stand.
- For the next three seasons Robles would be a force in the 125 pound class. He placed fourth as a sophomore and seventh as a junior before capping his career with a title and the Outstanding Wrestler Award at the 2011 NCAA tournament as a senior. Robles went 36-0 during his final year, compiling a career collegiate record of 122-23.
- Robles was also recognized nationally for his feats of courage, including the prestigious "Jimmy V" Award for Perseverance, and the Best Male Athlete with a Disability at the 2011 ESPY's.
- ASU Wrestling Wraps Up Regular Season With Win At Home
Sun Devils drop Stanford, 22-15, to finish with a 3-2 Pac-12 Conference record.
- Feb. 5, 2012
- TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling team wrapped up the 2011-12 regular season with a win over conference rival Stanford, 22-15, at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Sunday.
- The Sun Devils (7-10, 3-2 Pac-12) earned victories in six of the 10 weight classes on Senior Day, pulling away from the Cardinal (8-7, 3-2 Pac-12) to win its second consecutive dual and build some momentum heading into the championship season.
- Kevin Radford started a string of three consecutive victories to start the dual with a 5-3 decision over Mark Phillips to give ASU the 3-0 lead.
- The victory prefaced redshirt freshman Chace Eskam's first career victory in an exciting bout at 197 pounds against Stanford's Alan Yen. Yen had a late escape in the third to tie the match at five and send it to overtime. In the sudden death overtime, the match was largely a stalemate until Eskam got position late and scored a takedown for the win to put ASU up 6-0.
- At heavyweight, junior Levi Cooper kept fans on their feet as he and Stanford Dan Scherer also headed to overtime. After a scoreless sudden death period, Cooper was able to ride out Scherer in the first 30-second overtime and scored a quick escape in the second for the 3-2 victory and a 9-0 edge in the dual.
- At 125 pounds, senior David Prado competed in his final dual at Wells Fargo Arena, falling to Matt Sencenbaugh but was able to hold the Cardinal to just a decision in the 8-1 loss as Stanford brought it to 9-3.
- Fellow redshirt freshman Nathan Hoffer kept the momentum going as he dominated Alex Manley to the tune of a 9-1 major decision for his 17th victory of the season and giving the Sun Devils the 19-3 edge through six matches.
- Redshirt freshman Shane McGough worked his magic at that point, pinning Stanford's Jordan Bryan at the buzzer of the second frame. The win put ASU back on top 15-3 at the midway point. It was McGough 16th victory of the season and his seventh pin, leading all Sun Devils. McGough has scored 11 of his 16 victories with bonus points this year and his fourth pin in front of the home crowd.
- Joel Smith, also a redshirt freshman, put the dual away with a 10-5 decision over Josh Lauderdale to put ASU up by 19 with three duals left.
- ASU dropped three major decisions to close out the match at 157, 165 and 174 pounds - the last of which saw Eric Starksfall to top-ranked Nick Amuchastegui in both seniors final dual competitions of their careers - but because the Sun Devils were able to pull away early, the match was never in question.
- The Sun Devils will now have about three weeks off to prepare for the Pac-12 Championships, set to take place in Boise, Idaho, beginning on Feb. 26.
- 184
Kevin Radford (Arizona State) won by decision over Spence Patrick (Stanford) 5-3. 3 0
197Chace Eskam (Arizona State) won by decision over Alan Yen (Stanford) 7-5. 6 0
285Levi Cooper (Arizona State) won by decision over Dan Scherer (Stanford) 3-2. 9 0
125Matt Sencenbaugh (Stanford) won by decision over David Prado (Arizona State) 8-1. 9 3
133Shane McGough (Arizona State) won by pin over Jordan Bryan (Stanford) 4:59. 15 3
141Nathan Hoffer (Arizona State) won by major decision over Alex Manley (Stanford) 9-1. 19 3
149Joel Smith (Arizona State) won by decision over Timmy Boone (Stanford) 10-5. 22 3 157Garrett Schaner (Stanford) won by major decision over Hans Rasmusson (Arizona State) 9-1. 22 7
165 Bret Baumbach (Stanford) won by major decision over Rush Hall (Arizona State) 9-1. 22 11
174 Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by major decision over Eric Starks (Arizona State) 9-0. 22 15
- ASU-Stanford Dual Rescheduled to Noon PT on Sunday
In an effort to accommodate the fans in providing the best home atmosphere possible, Sunday's Senior Day has been rescheduled to Noon.
- Feb. 1, 2012
- TEMPE - In an effort to increase fan support for the Arizona State University wrestling team's final home competition of 2012, the Sun Devil wrestling match against Stanford at Wells Fargo Arena on Sunday, Feb. 5, has been rescheduled from 2 p.m. MT to Noon MT.
- The competition was rescheduled in order to allow for fans to able attend the final home dual of the season for Arizona State and celebrate Senior Day while still being able to accommodate for Super Bowl festivities. Super Bowl XLVI kicks off at 4:29 p.m. MT.
- The Stanford dual will begin at Noon PT and will last approximately two hours.
- "We encourage our fans to come out and support our senior Devils in their final dual in the Maroon and Gold," said head coach Shawn Charles. "The dual is also important as we try to build momentum heading into the championship season and all fan support we can have behind our student-athletes on Sunday will be greatly appreciated."
- Sunday's dual will mark the final event of the regular season for the ASU wrestling team (6-10, 2-2 Pac-12) before the squad heads into the championships season. The dual will wrap up the home careers of Sun Devil seniors Eric Starks, a 2011 NCAA Championship participant, and David Prado, a four-year competitor at 125 pounds.
- Sun Devil Wrestling Ends Skid, Drops Bakersfield on the Road
ASU scored five victories with bonus points Sunday as the Sun Devils defeated CSU Bakersfield, 24-17.
- Jan. 29, 2012
- BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Arizona State University wrestling team ended an eight-dual losing skid Sunday, dropping CSU Bakersfield, 24-17, in the final conference road dual of the season for the Sun Devils at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, Calif.
- ASU (6-10, 2-2) split the matches in the dual at five apiece with the Roadrunners, but logged each of its victories with bonus points to hold on for the final margin. It was a refreshing sight for a team that has come so close in numerous duals this season only to see bonus points from the other squad keep the Sun Devils without a W in the record column.
- Senior Eric Starks got things rolling for ASU at 174 pounds with a 15-6 major decision over Brady Garner to put ASU up 4-0 right off the bat.
- Redshirt freshman Kevin Radford scored his fourth consecutive victory at 184 pounds as he also scored a 15-4 major decision over Reuben Franklin to give ASU to 8-0 edge early.
- After a CSUB decision at 197 pounds, Levi Cooper got back into the win column with a pin at the first-period buzzer over Frankie Hurtado in the heavyweight bout for his 21st victory of the season, leading all Sun Devils.
- Leading 14-3 at that point, CSUB got a major decision at 125 pounds with Tyler Iwamura defeating Lucio Murrilo in the true freshman's first ever collegiate contest, 9-0.
- Frank Lomas earned a decision over Shane McGough at 133 pounds to bring the Roadrunners back within 14-10.
- Redshirt freshmen Nathan Hoffer quickly put an end to that run with a pin in 2:14 over Dalton Kelley at 141 pounds and Kyle McIntosh added a major decision over Erik Martinez at 149 pounds, 10-1, to effectively put the match away for the Sun Devils.
- The Sun Devils will return home next weekend for the final dual of the 2012 season as the squad will face Stanford on Sunday, Feb. 5 for Senior Day, beginning at 2 p.m. PST
Arizona State 24, CSU Bakersfield 17
- 174: Eric Starks (AS) def. Brady Garner, 15-6
- 184: Kevin Radford (AS) def. Reuben Franklin, 15-4
- 197: AC Brown (CSUB) def. Chace Eskam, 8-3
- 285: Levi Cooper (AS) pins Frankie Hurtado @2:59
- 125: Tyler Iwamura (CSUB) def. Lucas Murillo, 9-0
- 133: Frank Lomas (CSUB) def. Shane McGough, 8-4
- 141: Nathan Hoffer (AS) pins Dalton Kelley, @2:14
- 149: Kyle McIntosh (AS) def. Erik Martinez, 10-1
- 157: Anthony Box (CSUB) def. Joel Smith, 12-7
- 165: Adam Fierro (CSUB) def. Rush Hall, 10-2
- ASU Wrestling Falls to Cal Poly on the Road, 26-11
McGough logs 15th victory of the season with tech fall, his 11th bonus point win of the year.
- SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Arizona State University wrestling team dropped its eighth consecutive dual on Friday night, falling to Cal Poly, 26-11, at Mott Gym in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
- Redshirt freshman Shane McGough got back to his winning ways against the Mustangs, scoring a tech fall over Michael Clemmensen at the 5:20 mark by a score of 18-3. With the win, 11 of McGough's 15 victories this season have now come by bonus points.
- Fellow freshman Kevin Radford earned his third consecutive victory for the Sun Devils (5-10, 1-2 Pac-12) with a 6-5 decision over Sean Dougherty to not the score at three after two bouts. Cal Poly (5-5, 3-2 Pac-12) would take over from there though, winning six of the eight remaining matchups.
- Redshirt freshman Joel Smith got the Sun Devils lone other win at 149 pounds with a 5-3 decision of Kyle Chene.
- The Sun Devils were competing without the team's leader in wins as Levi Cooper sat out his first competition of the season on Friday.
- ASU will be back in action for its final road dual of the season on Sunday as the team squares off against Pac-12 foe CSU Bakersfield in Bakersfield, Calif., with the match set to begin at 2 p.m. PT.
- Cal Poly 26, ASU 11
- 174 Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly) won by decision over Eric Starks (Arizona State) 5-3. (3-0)
- 184 Kevin Radford (Arizona State) won by decision over Sean Dougherty (Cal Poly) 6-5. (3-3)
- 197 Ryan Smith (Cal Poly) won by major decision overChace Eskam (Arizona State) 15-5 (7-3)
- 285 Kelan Bragg (Cal Poly) won by decision over Michael Hawkins (Arizona State) 6-1. (10-3)
- 125 Britain Longmire (Cal Poly) won by major decision over Dalton Miller (Arizona State) 14-5. (14-3)
- 133 Shane McGough (Arizona State) won by tech fall over Michael Clemmensen (Cal Poly) 5:20 18-3. (14-8)
- 141 Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) won by major decision over Nathan Hoffer (Arizona State) 11-0. (18-8)
- 149 Joel Smith (Arizona State) won by decision over Kyle Chene (Cal Poly) 5-3. (18-11)
- 157 Gianpier Yanez (Cal Poly) won by major decision over Kyle McIntosh (Arizona State) 13-1. (22-11)
- 165 Dominic Kastl (Cal Poly) won by major decision over Rush Hall (Arizona State) 12-3. (26-11)
- ASU Drops Dual to Top-Ranked Oklahoma State, 33-6
Hoffer scores upset victory over 12th-ranked wrestler in the country at 141 pounds.
- Jan. 20, 2012
- STILLWATER, Okla. - The Arizona State University wrestling team faced its first true road test of the season on Friday, falling to the top-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 33-6, at the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.
- The Sun Devils, who had only taken part in tournaments or neutral site duals this season, dropped to 5-8 on the season with the loss and are now 0-1 in true road contests.
- The Cowboys (7-0, 2-0 Big 12) roster, which packed with nine starters who are currently ranked in the top-18 in the nation at their respective weight class, was just too much for the youth of Arizona State. ASU (5-8, 1-1 Pac-12) started seven true or redshirt freshmen in front of the crowd of 2,088 at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
- Nathan Hoffer, one of those redshirt freshman, looks to have overcome a tough early winter and showed why he'll be someone to keep an eye on in the coming years with an upset of 12th-ranked Josh Kindig at 141 pounds to bring ASU back to within 9-3 after losing the first two matches by bonus-points.
- Hoffer overcame an early takedown by Kindig before adding two takedowns and a two-point nearfall in the first to take the 7-3 lead after one and never looked back en route to a 10-4 decision.
- At 149 pounds, redshirt freshman Joel Smith gave No. 2 Jamal Parks all he could handled for the better part of two of the three periods as he led 3-2 at one point and only a two-point nearfall at the buzzer dropped him behind 6-3 heading into the third frame. Unfortunately, Parks was able to take over from there in dropping Smith in a 15-5 major decision, though the Sun Devil frosh showed a lot of character in the bout after having missed the better part of the past month with injury.
- ASU's Hans Rasmusson was able to keep No. 12 Albert White to just a decision at 157 pounds, falling 7-3, but OSU's No. 18 Dallas Bailey would go on to drop true freshman Rush Hall in a 19-4 technical fall in the ASU youngster's first ever collegiate match at 165 pounds.
- No. 5 Chris Perry defeated ASU senior Eric Starks in an 11-1 major decision before redshirt freshman Kevin Radford got ASU back on the board with a 13-9 decision over Zach White at 184 pounds to bring the score to 25-6.
- Redshirt freshman Chace Eskam dropped a technical fall to OSU's No. 10 Blake Rosholt in just the third collegiate dual of his career at 197 pounds before No. 3 Alan Gelogaev topped ASU's ninth-ranked Levi Cooper at heavyweight, 6-1, to wrap up the match for the Cowboys.
- ASU will have tomorrow off before heading to the second part of their Oklahoma road trip on Sunday, where the seem will take on the #11 Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Okla., at 2 p.m. CST.
- Sun Devil Wrestling Eliminated from Va. Dual With Loss to NDSU, 23-19
Cooper picks up his 20th win of the season but it is not enough for ASU in Hampton, Va.
HAMPTON, Va. - The Arizona State University wrestling team was eliminated from competition at the 32nd Annual Virginia Duals on Saturday morning, falling to North Dakota State, 23-19, in the first round of the consolation bracket in Hampton, Va.
- The Sun Devils (5-7, 1-1 Pac-12) split the 10 matches with the Bison, but struggled again with bonus-point losses, which proved to be the difference in the match.
- Like yesterday's dual with Old Dominion, ASU fell behind early after #14 David Sparkle pinned the Sun Devils' David Prado in 1:59 to give NDSU the 6-0 edge to kick things off.
- But also fitting the form of yesterday, redshirt freshmen Shane McGough, Nathan Hofferand Joel Smith all won their bouts at 133, 141 and 149, respectively to take the lead back, 9-6.
- The Bison responded with a #10 Stephen Monk tech fall over Hans Rasmusson at 157 pounds before Tyler Johnson pinned ASU's Victory DeJesus to open things up.
- Eric Starks, returning to the mat this weekend for the first time in nearly two months, answered with a major decision over Joe Garner for his first victory since Nov. 26 - the last competition before a leg injury sidelined the senior.
- With the score tight at 17-13, ASU was unable to come up with victories from redshirt freshmen Kevin Radford and Tommy Burriel at 184 and 197 pounds as both dropped close decisions and effectively eliminated the Sun Devils from contention.
- Nonetheless, Levi Cooper earned his 20th win of the season in the heavyweight matchup, pinning Evan Knutson in 1:46 to get to the final dual score of 23-19.
- The Virginia Duals are a double elimination tournament and thus ASU was eliminated from the competition with the loss after dropping a tough dual to Old Dominion yesterday.
- ASU will continue the dual schedule in the coming week with a tough road trip that will see the team square off against top-ranked Oklahoma State on Friday in Stillwater, Okla., at 7 p.m. CST before facing #12 Oklahoma on Norman, Okla., on Sunday at 2 p.m. CST.
- 125 Trent Sprenkle (North Dakota State U) over David Prado (Arizona State) Pin 1:59 0 6 133 Shane McGough (Arizona State) over Justin Solberg (North Dakota State U) Dec 13-9 3 6 141 Nathan Hoffer (Arizona State) over Tyler Diamond (North Dakota State U) Dec 7-1 6 6 149 Joel Smith (Arizona State) over Mark Erickson (North Dakota State U) Dec 6-5 9 6 157 Steven Monk (North Dakota State U) over Hans Rasmusson (Arizona State) TF 18-0 9 11 165 Tyler Johnson (North Dakota State U) over Victor De Jesus (Arizona State) Pin 1:44 9 17 174 Eric Starks (Arizona State) over Joe Garner (North Dakota State U) Maj 10-2 13 17 184 Mac Stoll (North Dakota State U) over Kevin Radford (Arizona State) Dec 10-6 13 20 197 John Gusewelle (North Dakota State U) over Tommy Burriel (Arizona State) Dec 5-4 13 23 HWT Levi Cooper (Arizona State) over Evan Knutson (North Dakota State U) Pin 1:46 19 23
- Sun Devil Wrestling Drops Tough One to Old Dominion, 20-19
ASU will face the loser of Nebraska-North Dakota State tomorrow in the consolation bracket at the 32nd Virginia Duals
- Jan. 13, 2012
- HAMPTON, Va. - The Arizona State University wrestling team dropped a tough loss in the opener of the 32nd Annual Virginia Duals on Friday, falling to Old Dominion, 20-19, at the Hampton Coliseum.
- Things got started on a tough note for the Sun Devils at 125 pounds as senior David Prado would lose a major decision in the opening match, 13-2, to put the Sun Devils behind by four to start the dual.
- Redshirt freshman Shane McGough had the answer at 133 pounds, recording his fourth win in his last five matches with a pin of Scott Festejo in 2:36. The pin was his third in his last four wins and put ASU back up 6-4.
- Nathan Hoffer built on the lead with his 13th victory of the season against Justin LaValle courtesy of a 12-8 decision and fellow redshirt freshman Joel Smith kept the run going in his first action on the mat in several weeks, taking down Brennan Brumley in a 6-5 decision to put ASU up 12-4 through four matches.
- The wheels started to come off a but at that point in the upper middle- and lower heavyweights as the Monarchs ripped off wins in the next four matches, including a major decision by John Nicholson over Victor DeJesus at 157 pounds and a Tristan Warner pin over Hans Rasmusson at 165 pounds and ASU fell behind 20-12.
- Tommy Burriel turned the ship around at 197 pounds, getting a 14-4 major decision for his third consecutive win and bringing ASU within four heading into the heavyweight bout.
#10 Levi Cooper was able to shut out Matt Tourdot, but with a final score of 6-0 and only earning a decision, the Sun Devils came a point shy in the final tally, 20-19.
- The loss dropped ASU to 5-6 on the season in dual meets and they will move to the consolation side of the Virginia Duals bracket. The team will face the loser of the Nebraska vs. North Dakota State dual, which is set to take place this afternoon, tomorrow morning.
- ASU Wrestling Falls in Tough Conference Dual, 32-18
McGough, Graham log pins as Sun Devils give a gritty performance at home against the Beavers.
- Jan. 8, 2012
- TEMPE -- The Arizona State University wrestling team dropped its first conference dual of the season Sunday against the 15th-ranked Oregon State Beavers (5-1, 4-0 Pac-12), 32-18, at Wells Fargo Arena.
- Redshirt freshman Shane McGough and true freshman Jacob Graham showed the grit of the wrestling program after both won their matches with a pin.
- McGough's pin came in at the 2:10 second mark with his pin against 17th-ranked Garrett Drucker; tying the match at 6-6 after Sun Devil David Prado was pinned in the prior match.
- For McGough, it was his 11th win on the season and eight of those wins have now come with bonus points.
- McGough's pin was followed by a tech fall in favor of the Beavers at 141, Beaver pins at the 149 and 157 weight classes and a major decision for the Beavers at 165 as the Sun Devils fell behind 26-6 with four matches remaining.
- Graham ensured that the team wouldn't go easily into the night as he went into his match against Ty Vinson. Trailing by six and with riding time against him, Graham fought off Vinson's advantage position and flipped the reversal, catching the Beaver out of position as he took him down with at the 5:48 mark to decrease the Beavers lead.
- Trailing 26-12, Kevin Radford stepped up at 184 pounds and ripped off a decision of his own against John Tuck, 7-3, before Tommy Burriel took to the mat against Beaver's Taylor Meeks at 197 in a match that had the crowd and coaches out of their seats as the Sun Devils (5-5, 1-1 Pac-12) tried to make the comeback as they trailed just 26-15 at that point.
- Burriel was victorious for his 12th victory of the year as he won in a 7-5 decision over Taylor Meeks, but trailing by eight with just one bout left, the Sun Devils were effectively eliminated from winning the dual.
- Fifth-ranked Clayton Jack took down ASU's #16 Levi Cooperat the 3:26 mark for the sixth pin of the day on the dual and giving the Beavers the 32-18 victory.
- The Arizona State University wrestling team hits the road the next three weeks, beginning with the Virginia Duals next weekend. The Sun Devils next home match comes February 5th against Stanford.
- 125 Pat Rollins (Oregon State) won by pin over David Prado (Arizona State) 1:41. 0 6
133Shane McGough (Arizona State) won by pin over Garrett Drucker (Oregon State) 2:10. 6 6
141Michael Mangrum (Oregon State) won by tech fall over Kalin Goodsite (Arizona State) 6:48 24-7. 6 11
- 149Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon State) won by pin over Kyle McIntosh (Arizona State) 1:20. 6 17
157Roger Pena (Oregon State) won by pin over Victor DeJesus (Arizona State) 2:26. 6 23
165Cody Weishoff (Oregon State) won by decision over Hans Rasmusson (Arizona State) 9-2. 6 26
- 174Jacob Graham (Arizona State) won by pin over Ty Vinson (Oregon State) 5:48. 12 26
184Kevin Radford (Arizona State) won by decision over John Tuck (Oregon State) 7-3. 15 26
197Tommy Burriel (Arizona State) won by decision over Taylor Meeks (Oregon State) 7-5. 18 26
- 285Clayton Jack
- Sun Devil Wrestling Set for Pac-12 Showdown
- The Sun Devil wrestling team will take on #15 Oregon State on Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena in a battle for conference bragging rights.
TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling team will host #15 Oregon State on Sunday, Jan. 8 at Wells Fargo Arena in a battle for conference bragging rights. Arguably the top two teams in the conference, Sunday's dual promises to be a solid battle that will future several student-athletes with the ability to make a run at the NCAA Championships. The Beavers bring a 4-1 record to Tempe, Ariz., and have won the past five competitions between the two teams though ASU holds to overall series edge, 18-16. Events are set to get underway at 2 p.m. MST and a ive webcast of the dual will be available at foxsportsarizona.com.
OPENING WHISTLE
- * ASU remains unranked on the season
- * Oregon State has won the past five duals between the two teams
- * Levi Cooper leads the team with 18 victories on the season and just one dual loss
- * Levi Cooper upset the top-ranked returning NCAA Champion in Zach Rey of Lehigh at the Northeast Duals
- * Head Coach Shawn Charles is in his third season as head coach
- * Redshirt freshman Shane McGough has logged seven of his 10 victories this year with bonus points (4 falls, 3 majors)
- * The Sun Devils return one All-American this season in heavyweight Levi Cooper
- * Cooper (HWT) is the only Sun Devil ranked by all of the major ranking services
- * Fifteen Sun Devils have experienced their first collegiate action this season, representing the mass majority of competitors thus far.
IN THE RANKINGS - TEAM
- The Sun Devils entered the season unranked for the first time since the 2008-09 season. This comes despite finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships last year, though the loss of national champions Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins and the very young team the Sun Devils will be fielding are likely to blame for their omittance. The team did not receive any votes in the most recent NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll.
FOLLOW LIVE!
- You can view a live video stream of the Oregon State dual at www.foxsportsarizona.com or follow along with a live play-by-play at trackwrestling.com. The broadcast will begin at approximately 2 p.m. MST.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- Seven opponents on ASU's 2011-12 schedule can be found within the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll that was released earlier this week, including #2 Oklahoma State, who the Sun Devils are set to face in Stillwater on Jan. 20. Other top 25 teams on this year's slate include #9 Oklahoma, #15 Oregon State. Arizona State fell to #12 Lehigh, #23 Binghamtom and#14 Nebraska earlier this season, though they did beat Penn who, while unranked now, was #20 at the time.
IN THE RANKINGS - INDIVIDUAL
- Returning All-American Levi Cooper is the only Sun Devil consistently ranked by all of the major ranking services, and did himself a huge favor in upsetting former No. 1 Zach Rey at the Northeast Duals. The victory rocketed Cooper from the mid-teens in most rankings to the top-10 across the board, peaking at No. 4 by The Open Mat. However, his sixth-place finish and injury at the Las Vegas invite hurt him in the polls as he has dropped to No. 14 in the Amateur Wrestling News Rankings and out of the top-10 in all other ranking systems. Cooper hasn't won back-to-back duals since the Reno Tournament of Champions and will have a tough match this weekend with Oregon State's defending Pac-12 champion Clayton Jack. However, he remains a sold top-15 wrestler and has shown he can go with the big dogs at any point.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION: Oregon State
- In what might be a battle of the top-two Pac-12 squads on Sunday, Arizona State has a 18-16 all-time record against Oregon State but the Beavers have been winners of the past five duals. ASU is 9-7 when facing Oregon State at home but have dropped the past two contests, including a 35-5 drubbing in 2010. The Beavers are currently ranked 15th in the post recent NWCA Coaches Poll and are paced by #3 Michael Mangrum at 141 pounds and #5 Clayton Jack in the heavyweight category. Five of Oregon State's starters are ranked in the top-20 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News.
A LOOK BACK: Iowa State
- Shane McGough and Tommy Burriel logged bonus-point victories but ASU was unable to upend the Cyclones of Iowa State who won their eighth-straight against the Sun Devils 25-14. The tides turned in the dual when Nathan Hoffer, up 5-3 halfway through his 141 matchup against Luke Goettl found himself out of position and was pinned to give ISU at least a nine-point swing and the 10-4 advantage early on in the competition. ASU showed it's heart though as Kyle McIntosh, Burriel and Levi Cooper all won their matches to keep the score respectable thought the team dropped to 5-4 on the dual season.
- ASU Wrestling Drops Home Dual to Iowa State, 25-14
McGough, Burriel log bonus-point victories as squad comes up just short.
- Jan. 3, 2012
- TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling team dropped its second consecutive home dual Tuesday night to Iowa State, 25-14, at Wells Fargo Arena.
- Redshirt freshmen Shane McGough and Tommy Burriel both logged bonus-point wins but it wasn't enough as the Cyclones (1-8, 0-3 Big 12) won their eighth-consecutive dual against the Sun Devils (5-4, 1-0 Pac-12). ASU has not been able to topple Iowa State since 2004 as the Cyclones improved to 25-6 in the all-time series and the team earned its first dual victory of the year.
- Twelfth-ranked Ryak Finch got things started at 125 pounds for the Cyclones with a major decision over ASU's redshirt freshman Dalton Miller, 11-3, to put ISU up 4-0. McGough had the answer at 133 pounds as he dominated Shayden Terukina from start to finish for a 15-4 major decision of his own to tie the match at four.
- Things went a bit sour at that point for Arizona State as redshirt freshman Nathan Hoffer found himself leading the match, 5-3, at 141 pounds before Luke Goettl was able to get position and pin Hoffer, dropping the Sun Devils behind by six through three matches.
- Redshirt freshman Kyle McIntosh was able to respond with his second career dual victory at 149 pounds, getting a takedown at the buzzer to defeat Lucas Swalla and bring ASU back within three.
- The Cyclones proceeded to overpower Arizona State from there, however, winning the next four bouts at 157, 165, 174 and 184. Notable about the spree, however, was that no Sun Devil wrestling as those weights was the original starter this season as injuries and inconsistency have reared their heads.
- Effectively eliminated after being down 25-7 with just two matches left, the Sun Devils showed their fight as Burriel used a late takedown in the 197 bout to earn the major decision over Richard Shafer, 11-3, before ASU's All-American heavyweight Levi Cooper won the match finale, 4-1, against Matthew Gibson for his 18th win of the season.
- ASU will have the next couple days to recover before a big home dual against #16 Oregon State on Sunday afternoon as the two teams battle for Pac-12 bragging rights. Events will begin at 2 p.m. MST and a live webcast of the event will be available at www.foxsportsarizona.com. For continued coverage of Sun Devil wrestling, be sure to check out TheSunDevils.com.
- 125 Cory Finch (Iowa State) won by major decision over Dalton Miller (Arizona State) 11-3. 0 4
133Shane McGough (Arizona State) won by major decision over Shayden Terukina (Iowa State) 15-4. 4 0
141Luke Goettl (Iowa State) won by pin over Nathan Hoffer (Arizona State) 4:57. 4 10
149 Kyle McIntosh (Arizona State) won by decision over Lucas Swalla (Iowa State) 5-3. 7 10
157 Michael Moreno (Iowa State) won by decision over Victor DeJesus (Arizona State) 6-5. 7 13
165Andrew Sorenson (Iowa State) won by tech fall over Hans Rasmusson (Arizona State) 6:32 23-5. 7 18
174 Michael England (Iowa State) won by major decision over Jacob Graham (Arizona State) 12-2. 7 22
184Boaz Beard (Iowa State) won by decision over Kevin Radford (Arizona State) 10-5. 7 25
197Tommy Burriel (Arizona State) won by major decision over Richard Shafer (Iowa State) 11-3. 11 25
285Levi Cooper (Arizona State) won by decision over Matthew Gibson (Iowa State) 4-1. 14 25
- ASU Wrestling to Host Triple-Header on Thursday
- The Sun Devil wrestling team will welcome Boise State and Nebraska to the annual Sun Devil Duals on Thursday afternoon in Wells Fargo Arena.
- TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling team will welcome conference rival Boise State and perennial powerhouse Nebraska to Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday afternoon as the team hosts the annual Sun Devil Duals. Events are set to get underway at 11 a.m. MST on Thursday, Dec. 29, as Boise State will face Nebraska in the first of three duals scheduled for the afternoon. Following that match, Arizona State will take to the mat against the Broncos a 1 p.m. MST and turn around and square off with the Cornhuskers at 3 p.m. MST. You can view a live video stream of the event at www.foxsportsarizona.com or follow along with a live play-by-play at trackwrestling.com.
OPENING WHISTLE
- * ASU remains unranked on the season
- * ASU will face off against Boise State in a dual format for the first time since 2003
- * ASU has not beat Nebraska since 2002
- * Levi Cooper upset the top-ranked returning NCAA Champion in Zach Rey of Lehigh at the Northeast Duals
- * Head Coach Shawn Charles is in his third season as head coach
- * Redshirt freshman Nathan Hoffer has posted three of his 10 victories this year by pin and is on a six-dual winning streak
- * The Sun Devils return one All-American this season in heavyweight Levi Cooper
- * Cooper (HWT) is the only Sun Devil ranked by all of the major ranking services
- * Fourteen Sun Devils have experienced their first collegiate action this season, representing the mass majority of competitors thus far.
GETTING BOWLED OVER
- Thursday's event was originally slated to get underway as a primtime function, but due to the Insight Bowl being hosted at Sun Devil Stadium the following day and the need to use the facilities at Wells Fargo Arena for the Bowl preperation, adjustments were made to have the event start at an earlier time.
IN THE RANKINGS - TEAM
- The Sun Devils entered the season unranked for the first time since the 2008-09 season. This comes despite finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships last year, though the loss of national champions Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins and the very young team the Sun Devils will be fielding are likely to blame for their omittance. The team did not receive any votes in the most recent NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll.
FOLLOW LIVE!
- ou can view a live video stream of the event at www.foxsportsarizona.com or follow along with a live play-by-play at trackwrestling.com. Please note that only the ASU duals will be streamed live and not the Nebraska-Boise State dual that will kick off the event.
- STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- Seven opponents on ASU's 2011-12 schedule can be found within the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll that was released earlier this week, including No. 2 Oklahoma State, who the Sun Devils are set to face in Stillwater on Jan. 20. Other top 25 teams on this year's slate include No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 16 Oregon State, and No. 14 Nebraska. Arizona State fell to #12 Lehigh and #25 Binghamtom earlier this season, though they did beat Penn who, while unranked now, was #20 at the time.
IN THE RANKINGS - INDIVIDUAL
- Returning All-American Levi Cooper is the only Sun Devils consistently ranked by all of the major ranking services, and did himself a huge favor in upsetting former No. 1 Zach Rey at the Northeast Duals. The victory rocketed Cooper from the mid-teens in post rankings to the top-10 across the board, peaking at No. 4 bu The Open Mat. However, his sixth-place finish and injury hurt him in this weeks polls as he dropped to No. 14 in the Amateur Wrestling News Rankings and out of the top-10 in all other ranking systems. However, he remains a sold top-15 wrestler and has shown he can go with the big dogs at any point.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION: Boise State
- Despite competing in the same conference as the Broncos, the two teams have not squared off in a dual since 2003. Arizona State is perfect in the series and brings an 8-0-0 record against Boise State to the table on Thursday in the early afternoon match. This isn't the Boise State of year's past though as the Broncos have risen to becoming on of the conference elite, winning their sixth Pac-10 title last season en route to a top-25 finish at the NCAA Championships. This year's team is a bit younger though but will give an equally young ASU team a run. Twelvth-ranked George Ivanov (157) and #11 Jake Swartz (184) will be the two to watch when these teams face off, especially as they are both slated to face redshirt freshmen in Derek Felton and Kevin Radford, respectively. This will be the first Pac-12 match of the season for the Sun Devils.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION: Nebraska
- Two of the nation's most storied wrestling programs will face off for the 16th time in the afternoon cap as Arizona welcome #14 Nebraska to Wells Fargo Arena following the Boise State matchup. The Cornhuskers have historically been one of the top teams in the nation and have won four straight against the Sun Devils, dating back to 2002. Nerbraska leads the series between the two teams, 14-4-1. Nebraska enters the competition with five student-athletes currently ranked in Amateur Wrestling News' top-10. That list includes No. 10 heavyweight Tucker Lane, who defeated ASU's returning All-American, Levi Cooper, at the Las Vegas Invitational earlier this season.
A LOOK BACK: Reno Tournament Of Champions
- The Sun Devils took 13th overall at the Reno Tournament of Champions in their last outing, led by Levi Cooper's fourth-place finish. Victor De Jesus should flashes of the two-time NJCAA champion that he began at ASU as in finishing fourth overall. Kalin Goodsite, not competing as part of the Sun Devil starting lineup, also scored a sixth place finish as did Jake Meredith, who returned to the mat for the first time this season as an unattached competitor.
- ASU Wrestling Takes on Iowa State at Home on Tuesday
Sun Devils look for first victory against the Cyclones since 2004.
- Jan. 2, 2012
- TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling team will welcome the New Year on Tuesday as the squad hosts Iowa State in a home dual at Wells Fargo Arena, beginning at 7 p.m. MST.
- Arizona State (5-3, 1-0 Pac-12) is looking to bounce back from a bittersweet showing at the Sun Devil Duals last weekend where the team earned its first conference win of the season against Boise State before dropping the afternoon cap to #14 Nebraska in a dual that didn't see a single Sun Devil wrestler win an individual match.
- The Cyclones (0-8) are looking to earn their first dual victory of the season and, like the Sun Devils, feature a prominently young roster. Iowa State is expected to start six freshmen and two sophomores on Tuesday and feature just one senior on the starting lineup in #4 Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds.
- Iowa State has dominated the history between the two programs, going 24-6-0 in a series that dates back to 1969. Iowa State has won the past seven contests against the Sun Devils, who haven't beat the Cyclones since 2004.
- The Sun Devils have already surpassed their dual win total from the 2010-11 season and are looking to stay in the positive and build some momentum as the team looks ahead to Sunday's huge conference contest against #16 Oregon State.
- Arizona State will likely go with eight freshmen or redshirt freshmen in the dual against Iowa State, a young group that is led by Nathan Hoffer's 12-5 record (7-1 in duals). Redshirt junior #14 Levi Cooper paces the team with 17 wins and is looking to continue building towards repeating his All-America performance of last season.
- Tuesday's dual will be available for live viewing at www.foxsportsarizona.com by following the Sun Devil links to the video page. The broadcast will commence at 7 p.m. with play-by-play provided by Scott Powell.
- Sun Devil Wrestling Splits Matches Against Boise State, Nebraska at Sun Devil Duals
Sun Devil Wrestling Splits Matches Against
Boise State, Nebraska at Sun Devil Duals
- TEMPE - It was a day of highs and lows for the Arizona State University wrestling team as the squad returned to the dual season with a win over conference rival Boise State followed by the worst loss in school history against Nebraska as the team wrapped up competition at the Sun Devil Duals on Thursday afternoon in Wells Fargo Arena. Full recaps of both duals are below:
- Arizona State vs. Boise State
- Arizona State won its first six matches against Boise State University to put the dual away early, jumping to a 21-0 lead and never looking back in the first of a double-header at the Sun Devil Duals.
- Tommy Burriel got things started for ASU as he handled Derek Toney at the 197-weight class, 11-4, to put the Sun Devils up early. #14 Levi Cooper followed with his 17th victory of the season over J.T. Felix, 5-2, and ASU went up by six early.
- Dalton Miller looked to be down and out at 125 against Isaac Romero before pulling off an exciting comeback. Leading 3-2 heading into the third period, Miller fell victim to a Romero reversal to fall behind 4-3 with just under a minute left. With seconds ticking down and the match looking like a loss, Miller pulled out his own reversal with just five seconds left to take the 5-4 lead and win the match.
- Redshirt freshman Shane McGough kept the momentum going at 133 pounds, dominating Shawn Jones in the first period before putting him away with a pin at the 2:45 mark. Nathan Hoffer improved to 7-0 in duals with his own victory at 141 pounds, earning the decision over #18 Josh Strait.
- Redshirt freshman Kyle McIntosh kept up the winning ways, using an impressive come-from-behind victory at 149 pounds to knock off Steve Hernandez, 8-7, and put ASU 21-0.
- The Sun Devils would drop the matches at 157, 165 and 174 pounds - all by decision - before Kevin Radford earned the victory at 184 pounds courtesy of a medical forfeit to give ASU a 27-9 victory and improve the team to 5-2 on the dual season.
- ASU is now 9-0-0 all time against the Broncos and earned their first win of the conference season in the process.
- Nebraska 42, Arizona State 0
- An overtime loss by #14 Levi Cooper in the second match set the tone for the entire competition as Arizona dropped its third dual of the season to Nebraska, 42-0.