Wrestling Hosts Three Duals this Weekend

Saturday, January 12

Millersville, PA

2 PM

Millersville University

Lake Erie

Wrestling Hosts Three Duals this Weekend

1/10/2013 11:16:00 AM | Wrestling

MATCH INFORMATION
Millersville (0-2) vs. Mercyhurst (4-0)
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 · 7 p.m.
Pucillo Gymnasium, Millersville, Pa.

Millersville vs. Gannon/Lake Erie
Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 - 12/2 p.m.
Pucillo Gymnasium, Millersville, Pa.

Millersville Stats | Mercyhurst Stats | Gannon Stats | Lake Erie Stats

MEDIA COVERAGE
Live Video
Live Stats vs. Mercyhurst | Live Stats vs. Gannon | Live Stats vs. Lake Erie

SERIES
Series vs. Mercyhurst: 0-1
First Meeting: 2006-07 (L, 13-22)
Last Meeting: 2006-07 (L, 13-22)

Series vs. Gannon: First meeting

Series vs. Lake Erie: First meeting

MATCH NOTES

• Millersville begins a busy weekend Friday, hosting unbeaten Mercyhurst, which enters the dual 4-0 and ranked No. 7 in Super Region 1. The Marauders, however, are in search of their first dual win after falling in close matches to Shippensburg and nationally-ranked Pitt-Johnstown.

• Six different Lakers are ranked in the top six in the super region. 125-pound Willie Bohince has been impressive in his first season with the club, posting a team-best 14 wins in 21 matches. He is ranked No. 4. Eight Lakers already boast double-digit wins. Among them is another freshman, Dylan D'Urso, who is 13-3 at 133 pounds.

• Mercyhurst likely deserves a higher ranking and should be on the verge of a national ranking after a strong start to the season. After topping 17 teams to win the Wheeling Jesuit Invitational, the Lakers defeated power Ashland 20-19 on criteria. The team has since trampled East Stroudsburg, Mercyhurst North East and Seton Hill.

• Head coach Mike Wehler started his career at Division II power West Liberty but arrived at Mercyhurst in 2007-08. Since taking over, his teams are 58-45 in duals with eight All-Americans and a national champion. Wehler wrestled at Lock Haven.

• Marauder heavyweight Brad Ladd leads the team with nine victories and recently scored a 37-second pin of regionally-ranked Josh Duplin of Pitt-Johnstown. In the same dual, Josh Ruppert improved his record to 7-7 and scored his team-leading sixth fall of the season by pinning regionally-ranked Joel Paolo in 2:51. Of Ruppert's 22 career victories, 17 have come by fall.

• For the first time, the PSAC is crowning a regular season champion, so Friday's match counts in the league standings. Mercyhurst wo the only other meeting in 2006-07.

• Lake Erie has had a wrestling program since just 2010-11, but has proven itself formidable already, improving from 5-8-1 to 8-11 a season ago. This year's club is off to a 6-2 start with wins over future PSAC member Seton Hill and nationally-ranked UNC Pembroke. 165-pound Matt Vandermeer set the program standard for wins in a season in 2011-12 with 33. He's off to an outstanding start to 2012-13 with a 19-5 record. Vandermeer placed sixth at last year's NCAA Division II Championships. Lake Erie head coach Kevin Hoogenboom was a wrestler at Mercyhurst and served as the program's assistant coach after his wrestling career.

• Gannon is led by Don Henry, who was hired in 1984 to resurrect a program that had been dormant for 13 years. His program has placed 27th or better at the NCAA Division II Championships 14 years in a row. Zack Zelcs, wrestling at 184 pounds, won a regional championship last season. Saturday is the first dual of the season for the Golden Knights. They previously competed in four different opens and placed ninth out of 10 teams at the PSAC Championships.

• With Lake Erie's program being in just the third year of existence, it has never faced Millersville. It is also the first meeting between Gannon and Millersville.