Ranked Scarlet Knights - Dec. 9
Dec 10 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Five members of the Rutgers wrestling team remain ranked this week by Intermat, The Open Mat or WIN Magazine.
As a team, Rutgers stayed at No. 23 in the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. The Scarlet Knights were also ranked No. 25 in Intermat's Dual Rankings and No. 23 in Intermat's Tournament Rankings.
Breaking into the rankings for the first time in his career was redshirt sophomore 174-pounder Phil Bakuckas (Hammonton, N.J.), while redshirt freshman 141-pounder Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) continued to trend upwards on the national scene.
Redshirt junior Anthony Perrotti (Roseland, N.J.) is No. 8/10/10, respectively, at 157 pounds. Perrotti placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last weekend, losing only to the unanimous No. 2 wrestler in his weight class, James Green (Nebraska). He is 11-2 on the season.
Ashnault climbed to No. 11/7/11 at 141 pounds, his highest ranking of the season. The South Plainfield HS product placed fourth at the Cliff Keen Invitational, dropping his first match against No. 1 Logan Stieber (Ohio State) and a thrilling third-place match to No. 4/4/4 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota). He is 11-2 this season.
Bakuckas earned the first national recognition of his young career with the Scarlet Knights. He was ranked No. 19 by Intermat and No. 14 by The Open Mat following a solid showing in Las Vegas. Despite finishing one match shy of placing, Bakuckas defeated then-No. 15 George Pickett (Cornell), and lost a pair of one-point decisions against No. 14 Davonte Mahomes (Michigan) and No. 12 Mark Martin (Ohio State). He has a team-best 14-2 record to start the season.
Redshirt sophomore Billy Smith (Wantage, N.J.) remained ranked this week, coming in at No. 9/NR/12.
Junior Ken Theobold (Toms River, N.J.) fell out of the Intermat and The Open Mat rankings, but stayed No. 19 by WIN Magazine.
| R-Fr. Anthony Ashnault - 141 Pounds (11-2, 7-0 Duals) | |||
| Intermat | The Open Mat | WIN Magazine | |
| Preseason | 18 | NR | NR |
| Nov. 11 | 16 | 19 | 20 |
| Nov. 18 | 16 | 15 | 19 |
| Nov. 25 | 16 | 15 | 19 |
| Dec. 2 | 16 | 12 | 15 |
| Dec. 9 | 11 | 7 | 11 |
| Jr. Ken Theobold - 149 Pounds (11-3, 5-1 Duals) | |||
| Intermat | The Open Mat | WIN Magazine | |
| Preseason | NR | NR | NR |
| Nov. 11 | 19 | NR | 20 |
| Nov. 18 | 19 | NR | 18 |
| Nov. 25 | 18 | NR | 17 |
| Dec. 2 | 18 | NR | 17 |
| Dec. 9 | NR | NR | 19 |
| R-Jr. Anthony Perrotti - 157 Pounds (11-2, 6-1 Duals) | |||
| Intermat | The Open Mat | WIN Magazine | |
| Preseason | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| Nov. 11 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Nov. 18 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Nov. 25 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Dec. 2 | 8 | 11 | 11 |
| Dec. 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| R-So. Phillip Bakuckas - 174 Pounds (14-2, 7-0 Duals) | |||
| Intermat | The Open Mat | WIN Magazine | |
| Dec. 9 | 19 | 14 | NR |
| R-Jr. Billy Smith - 285 Pounds (3-0, 3-0 Duals) | |||
| Intermat | The Open Mat | WIN Magazine | |
| Preseason | 9 | 8 | 13 |
| Nov. 11 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Nov. 18 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Nov. 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Dec. 2 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Dec. 9 | 9 | NR | 12 |
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling) and Instagram (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
