Rutgers Wrestling Ready For Southern Swing
Jan 16 | Wrestling
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Rutgers wrestling team (15-4), already with its highest win total since going 17-4-1 in 1991-92, looks to pick up more victories in a southern trip this weekend that features ACC foes Virginia and Virginia Tech and Southern Conference opponents UNC Greensboro and Virginia Military Institute. RU will take on UVa and UNCG in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday and VT and VMI in Blacksburg, Va. on Sunday.
Rutgers has been led by freshman Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.), who is ranked at 157-pounds in multiple national polls, including No. 12 by WrestlingReport, No. 13 by W.I.N. Magazine, No. 15 by USA Today/InterMat/National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA) and No. 17 by Amateur Wrestling News (AWN).
The freshman leads the team and ranks third in the nation with 28 wins. He also is tied for third nationally with eight major decisions. Jackson is coming off a 3-0 day in RU's quad-meet sweep of US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Army and Boston. He picked up two extra-point victories, including a technical fall over the Black Knights' Rudy Chelednik that sparked Rutgers' comeback in its 20-18 win over its conference foe.
Redshirt sophomore David Greenwald (Union, N.J.), who recently moved from 141 to 149-pounds, is first in the nation with 17 pins. Senior Matt Pletcher (Eastampton, N.J.) at 165 and redshirt sophomore DJ Russo (Netcong, N.J.) in the heavyweight class are tied for ninth-place nationally with 22 wins apiece.
Virginia (5-5) features five wrestlers in the InterMat individual rankings this week: Chris Henrich (10th at 174), Rocco Caponi (17th at 184), Brent Jones (19th at 197), Jedd Moore (20th at 157) and Nick Nelson (20th at 141). The Cavaliers and the Scarlet Knights each defeated Clarion this season, UVa 28-9 on Jan. 9, RU 21-15 on Nov. 23. RU is 1-2 all-time against Virginia, but has not faced the Cavaliers since Feb. 11, 1995, a 25-12 road loss.
UNC-Greensboro (2-7) has won two consecutive dual matches after dropping its first seven. Both Rutgers and the Spartans lost to No. 8 Lehigh this season, the Scarlet Knights 27-6 on Dec. 20 and UNCG 36-6 on Nov. 29. This marks the first meeting between the two programs.
Virginia Tech (9-0) features two wrestlers in the latest Intermat individual rankings, freshman Jarrod Garnett (13th at 125) and sophomore Chris Diaz (17th at 141). The Hokies and the Scarlet Knights each defeated Brown this season, VT 36-9 on Jan. 3 and RU 21-12 on Jan. 9. The match is the first between these two schools.
VMI (0-3) is coming off a 35-9 loss to UNCG on Jan. 14. RU and the Keydets have each faced South Dakota State this season; the Scarlet Knights came away with a 37-6 victory on Nov. 29 while VMI fell 33-9 on Jan. 7. The two schools have never wrestled each other.
PACK THE RAC:
After this weekend's southern trip, RU returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 24, when it wrestles Rider at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Tickets for that match are on sale now. Fans can log on to www.ScarletKnights.com or call the Rutgers Ticket Office at 866-445-GORU. Reserved seating is 12 dollars, general admission is seven dollars and children under 12 and seniors are five dollars. Rutgers students enter free with their valid RU ID. Four of the top high school teams in the state (Queen of Peace, Howell, High Point and Long Branch) will wrestle at 4:00 p.m., followed by RU vs. Rider at 6:00 p.m.
