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Cavaliers Travel to Maryland Friday, Host Two Duals Saturday
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team competes three times this weekend, beginning with a 6 p.m. ACC dual at Maryland on Friday at Comcast Pavilion in College Park. UVa then will play host to Duke at noon Saturday, followed by a 1:30 p.m. matchup with Appalachian State. Both Saturday bouts will be contested at Memorial Gymnasium; admission is free.
Live statistics for all three matches will be available at VirginiaSports.com. Maryland also will provide a pay-per-view web broadcast, which can be accessed at the top of this page.
Prior to the Duke match, Virginia will hold Senior Day ceremonies and honor its three departing wrestlers, Jack Danilkowicz (Green Oaks, Ill.), Dave Ebbott (Blue Bell, Pa.) and Chris Henrich (Sr., Lansdale, Pa.).
Virginia is 15-6 (2-1 ACC) in dual action this season after dropping a 20-12 dual at No. 7 Virginia Tech last Saturday. Derek Valenti (Jr., Newton, N.J.) posted the Cavaliers’ biggest win of the day with a 7-2 upset of ninth-ranked Brian Stephens. Because of that performance Valenti was awarded ACC Wrestler of the Week honors. Valenti now has won five straight matches this year.
Three Virginia wrestlers are listed in the latest InterMat individual national rankings – Henrich (No. 4 at 174), No. 18 Jon Fausey (R-Fr., Dalmatia, Pa.) at 184 and No. 17 Mike Salopek (R-So., North Huntingdon, Pa.) at 197. All three captured wins at Virginia Tech last weekend. Henrich has won 11 straight bouts, while Fausey is riding a five-match win streak.
In addition, Matt Snyder (R-So., Lewistown, Pa.) is ranked No. 17 at 125 pounds in the latest Amateur Wrestling News rankings.
Maryland (11-4, 1-1 ACC) boasts four wrestlers who are ranked in the latest InterMat rankings and is particularly strong at the middleweights. Jon Kohler is ranked No. 16 at 141, while the Terrapins middle of the lineup is tough with No. 14 Kyle John at 157, No. 3 Josh Asper at 165 and No. 19 Mike Letts at 174. Letts is ranked as high as No. 8 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News.
Duke is 1-3-1 (0-2 ACC) in dual action this year. The Blue Devils have a pair of 20-match winners in their lineup – 26-7 Bret Klopp at 174 pounds and 22-11 Diego Bencomo at 184.
Appalachian State is 6-9-1 this season following a 27-10 loss to Chattanooga last Sunday. ASU will compete at VMI Friday night prior to traveling to UVa. Two Mountaineers currently are listed in the InterMat rankings – No. 20 Kyle Blevins at 165 pounds and No. 20 Austin Trotman at 184.
After winning 22-11 in Charlottesville last season, Maryland owns a 39-20 edge in the series and has won four straight duals against UVa. The Cavaliers lead the series with Duke (52-6-2) and Appalachian State (5-2). UVa won 38-3 at Duke and 28-12 at Appalachian State last season.
Virginia wraps up the regular-season portion of its schedule next week with a pair of intrastate road tilts. The Cavaliers travel to George Mason next Thursday (Feb. 17), then head to Old Dominion on Sunday (Feb. 17).
UVa will play host to the 2011 ACC Wrestling Championship on March 5 at John Paul Jones Arena.