Scarlet Knights Head to Oklahoma State for First Dual
Nov 17 | Wrestling
No. 16 RUTGERS (0-0) at No. 3 OKLAHOMA STATE (0-0)
Dual No. 1: at Oklahoma State (0-0)
Friday, Nov. 18 • 8 p.m. (EST)
Stillwater, Okla. • Gallagher-Iba Arena
Live Internet Stream: okstate.com (Free)
Knight Notes
• The 16th-ranked Rutgers wrestling team hits the road to face No. 3 Oklahoma State in Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The top-25 matchup is the first dual action of the season for both the Scarlet Knights and Cowboys.
• Rutgers enters the OSU dual after kick-starting its 2011-12 campaign at the Brockport/Oklahoma Invitational (Nov. 12) with a third-place finish, two individual champions and 13 total placewinners.
• In his fifth season leading the Scarlet Knights, head coach Scott Goodale is 3-1 in dual season openers.
11/27/07 at No. 15 Ohio State L, 0-37
11/23/08 vs. Clarion W, 21-15
11/8/09 at Sacred Heart W, 43-0
11/7/10 Sacred Heart W, 56-0
• RU last ventured away from home for a dual season-opener on Nov., 8, 2009, taking down Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Conn., by a score of 43-0.
Rutgers and the Oklahoma State Cowboys
• Rutgers has never faced Oklahoma State in dual action. The RU-OSU dual on Friday marks the first meeting on the mats between the two schools.
• On the national stage of the NCAA Championships, Rutgers and Oklahoma State wrestlers have clashed on an individual level three times in the Goodale era.
2011 NCAA Championships (Philadelphia, Pa.)
149 pounds - Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. Trevor Melde (RU), 8-2
2010 NCAA Championships (Omaha, Neb.)
125 pounds - Joe Langell III (RU) dec. Christopher Notte (OSU), 11-5
2009 NCAA Championships (St. Louis, Mo.)
HWT - Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. D.J. Russo (RU), 8-6
Bold indicates returning Rutgers squad member
Scouting the Cowboys
• Oklahoma State's third-ranked wrestling squad is highlighted by returning NCAA 133-pound champion Jordan Oliver. The OSU 133-pounder posted a perfect 29-0 record last season, including seven major decisions, six tech falls and 11 pins.
• Jamal Parks (149) and Alan Gelogaev (HWT) also return with All-America honors to their names for OSU. Parks finished fifth in the nation at 149 pounds in 2011, while Gelogaev placed seventh down at 197 pounds in 2010.
• OSU also returns NCAA qualifiers Jon Morrison (125), Josh Kindig (141), Dallas Bailey (165), Mike Benefiel (174) and Chris Perry (184).
Two Champions and Third Place at Brockport/Oklahoma Invitational
• The No. 14 Rutgers wrestling team crowned two individual champions and 13 total placewinners on the way to a third-place finish at the Brockport/Oklahoma Invitational on Nov. 12 in Tuttle North Gymnasium. RU recorded 163 points, placing third to efforts by Oklahoma (182) and Maryland (174.5). Army (125.5), Clarion (91), American (65), Brockport (36.5) and Buffalo (12) rounded out the team competition.
• Leading the way for Rutgers individually were redshirt juniors Mario Mason (Moorestown, N.J.) at 149 pounds and Gregory Zannetti (Edison, N.J.) at 174 pounds. Mason turned away Nick Lester of Oklahoma in the 149-pound title match by a score of 7-5. Zannetti took the 174-pound division with a 5-2 decision over Maryland's Jimmy Sheptock.
• Scoring runner-up finishes in the tournament were Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.) at 165 pounds, Dan Seidenberg (Red Bank, N.J.) at 184 pounds and Daniel Rinaldi (Lodi, N.J.) at 197 pounds.
Rutgers Wrestling Ranked 16th in Week 1 NWCA Coaches Poll
• The Rutgers wrestling team was ranked 16th in the NWCA/USA Today Division I Team Coaches Poll for Week 1 of the 2011-12 season. The Scarlet Knights return seven dual starters and six NCAA qualifiers from last season's record breaking squad. RU won a program-best 21 duals in 2010-11.
• RU (16th) was the fourth-highest ranked EIWA team in the top 25 poll, joining No. 5 Cornell, No. 8 Lehigh, No. 14 American and No. 20 Penn.
Six Scarlet Knight Wrestlers Ranked by Amateur Wrestling News
• Rutgers wrestling had six individual wrestlers ranked in AWN's Nov. 15 poll.
• Wt. - Rk., Name, Yr.
125 - 19, Joseph Langel III, R-Jr.
141 - 18, Billy Ashnault, R-Sr.
149 - 4, Mario Mason, R-Jr.
165 - 6, Scott Winston, R-Jr.
174 - 14, Greg Zannetti, R-Jr.
197 - 18, Dan Rinaldi, R-Jr.
Scarlet Knights in Intermat Rankings, Team Ranked 17th
• RU wrestling had five individual wrestlers present in Intermats' Nov. 15 ranking.
• Wt. - Rk., Name, Yr.
125 - 16, Joseph Langel III, R-Jr.
141 - 14. Billy Ashnault, R-Sr.
149 - 4. Mario Mason, R-Jr.
165 - 7. Scott Winston, R-Jo.
174 - 15. Greg Zannetti, R-Jr.
