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Nov. 15, 2012

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 17 Virginia wrestling team returns to the mat Friday when it competes in the UTC Duals in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Cavaliers will wrestle Cumberland at 2 p.m. and fourth-ranked Iowa at 5 p.m. at Chattanooga’s Maclellan Gym.

Live video for both Virginia matches is available at the link located at the top of the page. Video is $8.95 per match or $20.95 for the full day.

Virginia is off to a 5-0 start in the dual season following a pair of wins last weekend at the Movember Duals in Boiling Springs, N.C., over George Mason (41-3) and host Gardner-Webb (36-3). The Cavaliers won nine of 10 bouts in each dual. Both of Virginia’s opponents Friday will be opening their dual schedules this weekend.

Iowa will pose a much bigger challenge and is the highest-ranked opponent on the Virginia schedule since a match against then-No. 2 Iowa State on Feb. 18, 2007, in Charlottesville.

Virginia’s lineup features seven wrestlers who are ranked by the various media services, including four by InterMat. Matt Snyder (R-Sr., Lewistown, Pa.) is ranked fifth nationally at 125 pounds by InterMat. Nick Sulzer (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) stands eighth at 165 in the InterMat rankings, while Jon Fausey (R-Jr., Dalmatia, Pa.) is ninth at 174. 2011 All-American Derek Valenti (R-Sr., Newton, N.J.) is ranked No. 10 nationally at 149 by InterMat.

Three Cavaliers moved into the rankings this week. Stephen Doty (R-Jr., St. Louis, Mo.) is now ranked at 184 pounds No. 19 by Amateur Wrestling News, while Jedd Moore (R-Sr., Mount Vernon, Ohio) holds a No. 20 ranking at 157. Joe Spisak (R-So., Boiling Springs, Pa.) is ranked No. 18 at 133 pounds, although he will bump up to 141 for the first time Friday.

Virginia freshman George DiCamillo (Highland Heights, Ohio), who has won each of his first two open tournaments this year, is scheduled to wrestle in his first UVa dual Friday at 133 pounds. DiCamillo is 9-0 in the young season.

Iowa will provide an early litmus test for Virginia. The Hawkeyes boast ranked wrestlers at eight of 10 weight classes and four returning All-Americans, including top-ranked Matt McDonough at 125 pounds and Derek St. John at 157. McDonough, the reigning and two-time national champion at 125, will face Snyder in a top-5 matchup. St. John was the 2012 NCAA runner-up at 157. Iowa also has reigning All-Americans Tony Ramos (133) and Bobby Telford (285) in its lineup.

Cumberland is ranked No. 18 nationally at the NAIA level. Jake Williams (third at 133), Jared McKinley (13th at 141), Steven Sandefer (seventh at 149) and Cody Linton (16th at 184) are all ranked individually in the NAIA Wrestling Coaches’ Preseason Top 20 Poll.

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, UVa returns to action Sunday, Nov. 25, when it opens ACC competition at Virginia Tech.

Probable Lineups
Virginia

125: No. 5 Matt Snyder (4-0) or Nick Herrmann (2-0)
133: George DiCamillo (9-0)
141: Jimmy Nehls (2-0) or Joe Spisak (4-0)
149: No. 10 Derek Valenti (4-0)
157: Jedd Moore (4-0) or Blaise Butler (6-0)
165: No. 8 Nick Sulzer (4-0)
174: No. 9 Jon Fausey (4-0) or Dusty Floyd (3-2)
184: Stephen Doty (4-0) or Zach Nye (1-0)
197: Mike Salopek (3-1)
285: Patrick Gillen (1-1)

Iowa
125: No. 1 Matt McDonough, Sr. (0-0) or Matt Gurule, So. (0-0)
133: No. 3 Tony Ramos, Jr. (0-0)
141: No. 14 Mark Ballweg, Sr. (0-0) or Ethan Owens, So. (0-0)
149: Brody Grothus, Fr. (0-0)
157: No. 1 Derek St. John, Jr. (0-0)
165: No. 4 Mike Evans, So. (0-0) or Walt Gillmor, So. (0-0)
174: No. 8 Grant Gambrall, Sr. (0-0)
184: No. 8 Ethen Lofthouse, Jr. (0-0) or Jeremy Fahler, So. (0-0)
197: Tomas Lira, Jr. (0-0)
285: No. 6 Bobby Telford (0-0)

Cumberland
125: Zach Shelton, Sr. (0-0)
133: Jake Williams, So. (0-0)
141: Jared McKinley, Fr. (0-0)
149: Steven Sandefer, Jr. (0-0)
157: Shane Brown, Fr. (0-0)
165: Kirk Johnson, Fr. (0-0)
174: Zeke Hunt, Jr. (0-0)
184: Cody Linton, So. (0-0)
197: Joe Gallegos, Fr. (0-0)
285: Tyler Smith, So. (0-0)

**Virginia/Iowa individual rankings according to InterMat

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