No. 12 Wrestling Hosts Indiana for B1G Friday Night Dual

Friday, January 7

Piscataway, N.J.

7 PM

Rutgers University

Indiana

No. 12 Wrestling Hosts Indiana for B1G Friday Night Dual

Jan 06 | Wrestling

Updated COVID-19 Policy Livestream - Big Ten Plus ($)Radio: WRSU (88.7 FM)Tickets Match Notes: vs. Indiana Roster Card

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 12 Rutgers wrestling (10-0) opens Big Ten Conference action against Indiana (2-0) on Friday night at Jersey Mike's Arena. The dual will broadcast at 7 p.m. on Big Ten Plus, with Nick Kosko (Play-by-Play) and Matt Howe (Color) on the call. WRSU (88.7 FM) will provide live radio coverage.

Fans making the trip to Piscataway are encouraged to be aware of Rutgers Athletics' updated COVID-19 in-venue protocols. Proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event will be required for entry to all indoor events (for all individuals above the age of five). More information on the updated policy can be found here.

Friday's dual is presented by Miller's Rentals.

PROJECTED LINEUP: RUTGERS

Weight	Wrestler
125	30/HM/NR Dylan Shawver (12-2)
133	16/20/15 Sammy Alvarez (8-2) -OR- Devon Britton (7-5)
141	4/3/3 Sebastian Rivera (12-0) -OR- Michael Cetta (3-2)
149	19/HM/NR Michael VanBrill (9-0)
157	Robert Kanniard (5-5) -OR- Al DeSantis (9-5)
165	Andrew Clark (9-10)
174	26/22/20 Jackson Turley (2-2) -OR- Connor O'Neill (9-7)
184	5/5/5 John Poznanski (10-0)
197	7/11/10 Greg Bulsak (12-0)
HWT	Boone McDermott (9-4) -OR- Alex Esposito (4-2)

*rankings Intermat/FloWrestling/TheOpenMat

PROJECTED LINEUP: INDIANA

Weight	Wrestler
125	25/HM/NR Jacob Moran (8-2)
133	19/18/19 Brock Hudkins (5-0) -OR- Noah Gochberg (2-2)
141	26/22/16 Cayden Rooks (9-3)
149	Graham Rooks (7-5)
157	Derek Glincher (6-1) -OR- Kasper McIntosh (6-4)
165	Sammy Cokeley (0-2)
174	Sean Grim (0-5)
184	8/20/8 DJ Washington (10-0)
197	Nick Willham (8-1)
HWT	Jacob Bullock (6-3) -OR- Andrew Irick (4-6)

WHAT TO KNOW

Greg Bulsak (197) and Sebastian Rivera (141) secured individual titles to highlight action for the Scarlet Knights at the 2021 Matmen Open in the team's last time out. RU finished fifth in the team standings with 94.0 points at the inaugural tournament.
Bulsak defeated then-No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) - a 2021 NCAA finalist - by 3-2 decision en route to his individual title, as he now owns a team-high six ranked wins this season. Bulsak, who went 4-0 and earned a win over No. 26 Braxton Amos (Wisconsin), was named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week.
Tony White (149) finished fourth competing unattached, while Dylan Shawver (125) and Joseph Olivieri (133, unattached) added wins in their fifth-place bouts. Connor O'Neill (sixth, 174), Al DeSantis (seventh, 149) and Boone McDermott (eighth, HWT) also placed during the two-day tournament.
At 10-0, RU is off to its best start to a dual campaign in program history. Rutgers also started the 1960 season 10-0-1 with a 14-14 tie against Iowa State in its second dual of that season. The Scarlet Knights have never opened a season 11-0 in dual action since they first began to compete in 1930.
According to Amateur Wrestling News, Rutgers now features three top-five wrestlers in its lineup heading into the Big Ten dual season - No. 3 Bulsak, No. 3 Rivera and No. 5 John Poznanski (184). All three are a combined 34-0 this season.
Rutgers remained No. 12 in the country in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll. The Big Ten features 11 ranked programs, including the top-three teams in the country (No. 1 Iowa, No. 2 Penn State and No. 3 Michigan.
Seven student-athletes appear in the latest rankings from Intermat - No. 3 Rivera, No. 5 Poznanski, No. 7 Bulsak, No. 16 Sammy Alvarez (133), No. 19 Michael VanBrill (149), No. 26 Jackson Turley (174) and No. 30 Dylan Shawver (125).
With a 100 percent bonus rate, Rivera is No. 7 in FloWrestling's Hodge Trophy rankings. Rivera is looking to become the program's first Hodge Trophy finalist since current assistant coach Anthony Ashnault in 2019 after his 32-0 season and individual title at 149 pounds.
Rivera is just four wins away from 100 for his career.
Scott Goodale is just seven wins away from the 200th dual victory as head coach.