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Millersville, Pa. - Millersville and rival Franklin & Marshall meet Friday evening in the annual Battle for the Rupp Cup, which is named in the honor of local wrestling giant Dr. Ted Rupp. Millersville has won the trophy all three years it's been awarded and has won seven-straight overall against the Diplomats.

Millersville enters Friday's dual with a 2-9 record and hopes it can halt a three-match losing streak before the end of the regular season. F&M's first-year head coach Mike Rogers has his program on the rise. After starting the year 0-9, the Diplomats have won three in a row. Included in that winning streak is 35-20 win over Sacred Heart, which Millersville edge 24-23 earlier this season.

Last year's meeting took on even more significance when Dr. Rupp passed away eight days before the dual. Millersville won 29-16 by winning five of the seven contested matches.

While the Marauders have won just two duals, 174-pound junior Shane Smith is producing a banner season. He leads the team with 26 victories and is second in Division I in pins with 18. He and F&M's Matt Fullowan are likely to clash in the highlight bout. Fullowan, also a junior, is 21-11. Last year, Smith edged Fullowan in a 6-4 decision.

F&M is led by 133-pound Jake Bucha, who is 26-4. 197-pound Colin Ely is 16-3 and won his bout against Millersville a year ago.

Prior to the match, Millersville will also honor seniors Mike Greck and Jason Foor.

Fewer than five miles separate the two schools, but rarely do they compete head-to-head in any sport other than wrestling. The impact that Rupp had on both programs is likely one of the key reasons the rivalry continues. Rupp graduated from Franklin & Marshall in 1935 and coached wrestling from 1936-43 and guided 14 individuals to national championships. He served in the Navy during World War II, and when he returned, he was hired to teach French and Spanish at Millersville.

In 1947, he started the wrestling program. In 11 years as the head coach, Rupp posted a 71-18-2 record and won the only two PSAC Championships in program history. He was inducted into the hall of fame at both F&M and Millersville.