PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 12 Rutgers wrestling (6-0) faces No. 14 North Carolina (3-2) and Hofstra (0-0) during the inaugural Garden State Grapple on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark. The Scarlet Knights open with the Pride at 5:30 p.m. ET, followed by Tar Heels at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for the Garden State Grapple, which also features No. 19 Wisconsin, can be purchased for as low as $25 here. Both matches will also stream via Big Ten Plus, while Jake Schmied from WRSU (88.7 FM) will have the radio call.
| Time (ET) |
Match |
| 5:30 p.m. |
Rutgers vs. Hofstra |
| 7:30 p.m. |
Rutgers vs. North Carolina |
Rankings Intermat/FloWrestling
| Weight |
Wrestler |
| 125 |
Spencer Moore (6-5) |
| 133 |
10/17 Jaime Hernandez (4-0) -OR- Joe Heilmann (8-2) |
| 141 |
10/12 Kizhan Clarke (5-0) |
| 149 |
16/13 Zach Sherman (2-3) -OR- Mason Phillips (9-1) |
| 157 |
7/3 Austin O'Connor (4-1) |
| 165 |
Sonny Santiago (5-3) -OR- Joey Mazzara (9-2) |
| 174 |
15/16 Clay Lautt (2-2) |
| 184 |
23/HM Gavi Kane (5-2) -OR- Mark Chaid (2-2) |
| 197 |
26/HM Max Shaw (1-1) -OR- Hunter Queen (4-2) |
| HWT |
Brandon Whitman (2-2) |
Rankings Intermat/FloWrestling
| Weight |
Wrestler |
| 125 |
Jacob Moon (0-2) -OR- Dylan Acevedo (0-4) |
| 133 |
Matt Templeton (0-0) |
| 141 |
Justin Hoyle (3-2) |
| 149 |
Mike Leandrou (4-3) |
| 157 |
Joe McGinty (4-2) |
| 165 |
Ricky Stamm (4-3) |
| 174 |
Ericson Velesquez (0-0) -OR- Corey Langner (0-0) |
| 184 |
30/HM Charles Small (4-1) |
| 197 |
29/NR Trey Rogers (4-1) |
| HWT |
20/23 Zack Knighton-Ward (5-1) -OR- Ben Somerville (0-5) |
Rankings Intermat/FloWrestling
- For the second time in three seasons, Rutgers is off to a 6-0 start in dual action. In their last time out, the Scarlet Knights swept Clarion (27-10), Davidson (35-6) and UT-Chattanooga (39-3) on Nov. 13 in Davidson, North Carolina.
- Through the first three weeks of the season, RU is ranked as high as No. 12 in the country. Rutgers is No. 12 by Intermat, No. 14 by FloWrestling, No. 15 in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll and No. 15 by WIN Magazine.
- Eight individuals appear in at least one poll this week, which includes five who appear in both polls from Intermat and FloWrestling.
- With undefeated records, Sebastian Rivera (141) and John Poznanski (184) continue to hold top-five rankings heading into the weekend. Rivera is as high as No. 3 (FloWrestling & The Open Mat), while Poznanski is the consensus No. 5 wrestler in the country at his weight.
- Jackson Turley (174) is as high as No. 9 (The Open Mat), while Sammy Alvarez (133) and Greg Bulsak (197) also own rankings by both Intermat and FloWrestling. Alvarez is ranked No. 10 at 133 pounds by Win Magazine.
- Five Scarlet Knights have racked up 20 or more dual points this season, led by 23 from Poznanski. Bulsak and Boone McDermott (HWT) each lead the team with two falls in dual action, while all of Rivera's wins have come via bonus.
- With 88 victories, Rivera is 12 away from 100 for his career. Bulsak (80) needs 20 this season to eclipse 100 for his career.
- Rutgers is 4-1 all-time against North Carolina, which includes four consecutive wins against the Tar Heels. The program last squared off on Jan. 12, 2018, an 18-17 victory for the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway.
- RU is 15-9-1 all-time against Hofstra, also winning the last four meetings with the Pride. Rutgers defeated Hofstra, 40-3, in its last meeting in Hempstead, New York. The victory tied head coach Scott Goodale with John Sacchi for the all-time program mark at 166 career victories.
- Associate head coach Donny Pritzlaff served as an assistant coach at Hofstra from 2004-06.
- Volunteer coach Kyle Kiss was a four-year letterwinner at North Carolina from 2007-11, where he produced 70 career victories during his time in Chapel Hill.
- Rutgers hits the road for an out-of-conference dual with American University on Friday, Dec. 7 in Washington, D.C. The dual is set for a 7:30 p.m. start and will stream via ESPN+.
