Tag: Big Ten Wrestling

Rutgers wrestling: Pre-seeds announced for 2024 Big Ten Championships

The Big Ten announced its preliminary seeding for the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, with eight Scarlet Knights ranking in the top ten.

On Monday, the Big Ten Conference announced its preliminary seeding for the 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, with eight Scarlet Knights ranking in the top 10 of their respective weight classes.

The Big Ten Championship is scheduled for March 9-10 in College Park, Maryland, and Rutgers wrestling will have a heavy footprint within the tournament.

Rutgers junior Dylan Shawver earned the highest pre-seed for the Scarlet Knights, ranking No. 2 in the 133 weight class. Shawver is the highest pre-seed for Rutgers wrestling at the Big Ten Championships since Anthony Ashnault was the No. 1 seed at 149 pounds in 2019.

Rutgers Yaralsau Slavikouski in the heavyweight division follows behind Shawver, ranking No. 4. Along with Shawver and Slavikouski, No. 6 seed Jackson Turley (174), No. 7 seed Mitch Moore (141), No. 7 seed John Poznanski (197), and No. 8 seed Brian Soldano (184) all received top-eight seeds ahead of the conference tournament.

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Junior Dean Peterson received the No. 9 seed in the 125 weight class, and junior Michael Cetta received the No. 10 seed in the 149 division. Also, juniors Al DeSantis and Anthony White received the lowest rankings for Rutgers wrestling, ranking No. 11 and No. 13 in the 157 and 165 weight classes.

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Rutgers wrestling’s Scott Goodale praises in-form Dylan Shawver: ‘He’s a gangster…He loves to compete’

Rutgers wrestling is getting a hot run of form from Dylan Shawver.

Dylan Shawver is peaking at the right time for Rutgers wrestling. On Friday night, the redshirt junior took home another Big Ten win at 133 pounds.

Shawver has been impressive his last three matches, beating Penn State’s Aaron Nagao (ranked sixth nationally) and then his Friday night win over No. 16 Braxton Brown that featured three takedowns.

He has beaten three straight-ranked opponents.

On Friday night, Rutgers rolled to a 27-12 win at home over Maryland. Shawver defeated No. 9 Braxton Brown 9-5. he has secured back-to-back top 10 wins this week.

“He’s worked at it. He’s really good. He’s always been really good. I think maybe 125 was a stretch for him,” Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale told reporters on Friday following the win over Maryland.

“That kind of took away a little bit of his wrestling. I think concentrating totally on one weight is good. He also got a little banged up last year but Dylan’s always been good. He’s beaten a lot of these guys through the freestyle ranks. The Penn State guy, (Aaron) Nagao he’s beaten, (Michael) Colaiocco he’s beaten. He’s had a ton of huge wins. He’s a gangster. He believes he could beat everybody. That’s the coolest part about it. He loves to compete.”

The victory over Maryland snaps a four-match losing streak for Rutgers, all in Big Ten action. Rutgers is now 11-5 and finishes their Big Ten regular season schedule with a 4-4 record.

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Shawver should make a jump in the individual rankings for Rutgers, who close out the season on Wednesday in a home match-up with Bloomsburg.

“He doesn’t get a chance to wrestle Wednesday. That’s his last match. You are only allowed 16 bouts so he won’t wrestle on Wednesday. He’ll start his preparation Sunday,” Goodale said.

“Every single time he wants to wrestle. He wants to compete. He’s a competitor. He’ll be in the thick of every single match going forward from here until March 20th for sure.”

Following the mid-week meeting with Bloomsburg, Rutgers will next wrestle at the Big Ten Championships, hosted this year by Maryland.

For Scott Goodale, Rutgers wrestling’s tight loss to Ohio State showed promise but ‘We need to get over the hump’

Scott Goodale talks openly about his team’s growth.

For a second straight week, Rutgers wrestling lost to a top-10 opponent but in the process, they showed that they are closing the gap in the Big Ten.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers lost to No. 7 Ohio State 22-12. With the loss, the Scarlet Knights are now 10-4 and are 3-3 in the ultra-competitive Big Ten.

Rutgers took three of the 10 matches and will likely stay top 15 in this week’s coaches rankings.

For head coach Scott Goodale, good but not good enough isn’t the standard but he continues to see progress.

“I think it’s about getting our guys to believe. It’s one of those things where we need to get over the hump,” Goodale told reporters on Sunday.

“I think once we get over the hump once it opens the door. But we didn’t dwell on that. I know there’s a lot of ‘we can’t beat the best teams’ and I get it. I’m with you. I’m frustrated. Rutgers nation out there, I get it. Our wrestling fans are very loyal. It’s a hard thing to do. I think we need to do it once to get over the hump.”

Rutgers registered points in eight of their 10 matches against Ohio State, which kept them in striking range.

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“Today was about our individual efforts, all ten of them. There’s got to be individual efforts. You need to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and be pleased about it,” Goodale said.

“That’s the way we approached it. I like the way we competed today. We’re in every single match. We have to find a way – from a team standpoint, from an individual standpoint, to get over that hump.”

Rutgers has lost their last two matches. They face another Big Ten test at No. 1 Penn State on Feb. 12.

Eight in a row! Rutgers wrestling gets an important road win at Michigan State

Rutgers wrestling got an important win on Friday night at Michigan State.

Rutgers wrestling got on the board early to secure a vital 22-13 win at Michigan State. It was a much-needed win for Rutgers, especially with the grueling gauntlet of their Big Ten schedule that is upcoming.

It will be a brutally tough schedule for the Scarlet Knights following Friday’s win. No. 13 Rutgers faces five straight ranked opponents, all from the Big Ten, beginning with a dual at No. 11 Michigan on Sunday.

Things started off well for Rutgers as they raced out to an 8-0 lead via Dean Peterson and Dylan Shawver. Michigan State battled back, taking four of the next six decisions, to close to within one point of Rutgers, 14-13.

 

Wins by John Poznanski (technical fall) and Yaraslau Slavikouski (decision) saw Rutgers pull away and improve to 10-1 (3-0 Big Ten).

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Last week, a win over then-No. 21 Indiana and at Purdue saw Rutgers move up one spot in the NWCA Coaches Poll. Michigan State was receiving votes in this week’s poll

Rutgers wrestling: Jackson Turley wins the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Award

Rutgers wrestling Jackson Turley won the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Award after finishing 2-0 over the weekend.

Rutgers wrestling Jackson Turley won the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Award after finishing 2-0 over the weekend. Wrestling in the 174-pound weight class, Turley defeated Indiana No. 9 Donnell Washington on Friday and defeated Purdue Brody Bauman on Sunday.

Turley defeated Washington by a 15-0 tech fall in the second period to earn his first Big Ten victory of the 2023-24 season. Turley followed up his victory against Washington with a 25-second fall over Brody Bauman in a 26-13 dual win over Purdue on Sunday.

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The two-time NCAA qualifier (2021, 2023) has a 6-2 record this season, and according to Intermat, Turley is ranked No. 19 in the 174-pound weight class.

Turley is the third Scarlet Knight to receive this Big Ten award, with the last Rutgers Wrestler of the Week being John Poznanski on December 12. The Scarlet Knights have a 9-1 record with two Big Ten victories over No. 21 Indiana and Purdue, ranking No. 14 in the country.

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Rutgers returns to action on Friday as they travel to Michigan to take on Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.) and No. 9 Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.) on Sunday.

 

Hoosier Daddy! Rutgers wrestling is looking like a real threat in the Big Ten after impressive win over Indiana

Rutgers wrestling put the Big Ten on notice with their impressive win over Indiana.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — It was a dominant performance on Friday night for No. 14 Rutgers, who controlled their dual meet with No. 21 Indiana.

The 30-11 win saw Rutgers roll out seven wins on the night.

With the win, Rutgers improved to 8-1 (1-0 Big Ten) and in doing so, they avenged their loss at Indiana last year. It was the kind of performance that shows the potential for Rutgers this season.

With a balanced squad where Rutgers had nine ranked wrestlers in their Big Ten opener, there is certainly the potential for the Scarlet Knights to be a top 10 team at season’s end.

It won’t be easy. There are five Big Ten programs ranked in the top 10 of the latest coaches poll. Six teams from the Big Ten are ahead of Rutgers in the poll.

“I love our team – I really do. I love our team. I’ve said it from day one (that) we are going to have a lot of fun,” head coach Scott Goodale said after the match.

“There’s going to be ups and downs; it’s a brutal conference. I get it. I’m having a lot of fun. I’m serious when I say we’re just thinking about Sunday. We’re thinking about Sunday.”

The story of the night, however, was No. 27 Jackson Turley. A 15-0 win over No. 9 Donnell Washington at 165 pounds saw Turley put together a dominant showing from start-to-finish.

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Turley won by tech fall.

“He is much better now. His training is much better. Everything’s much better,” Goodale said about Turley.

“So if it’s experience he’s doing a good job. Lower maintenance probably. He hasn’t wrestled. That’s probably his seventh or eighth match so maybe that’s it, but that’s always there. I know that it’s there. And when he’s in great shape, he’s going to be very, very hard to beat and that’s the goal, the end goal. So we’re still not where we want to be. But we’re getting there and that was a big step.”

No. 14 Rutgers wrestling defeated No. 21 Indiana in Big Ten opener

Rutgers wrestling won their Big Ten opener.

On Friday, No. 14 Rutgers wrestling (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) defeated No. 21 Indiana (3-1, 0-1) 30-11 to begin their Big Ten Conference schedule.

The Scarlet Knights picked up their eighth win Friday night and their first Big Ten victory on the season. Rutgers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with a victory by No. 13 Dean Peterson (125) over Indiana Blaine Frazier. Peterson pulled out a dominant performance on Friday, beating Frazier 12-1.

Wrestling in the 133 weight class, No. 8 Dylan Shawver followed Peterson’s performance with a 22-7 tech fall over Indian Cayden Rooks to give Rutgers an 11-0 lead.

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The Hoosier fought back in the 141 weight class when No. 23 Dan Fongaro captured a 20-3 tech fall over Max Hermes to cut the Scarlet Knights’ lead to 11-5. Indiana would record back-to-back victories with a victory in the 149 weight class. No. 14 Graham Rooks defeated Rutgers’ Michael Cetta 8-2 in a decision to give Rutgers a three-point lead.

The Scarlet Knights bounced back when Al Desantis defeated Zack Rotkvich 9-0 in a major decision to give RU a 15-8 lead heading into intermission. After intermission, the Hoosier would receive their final points of the night with a victory in the 165-pound weight class. Indiana No. 23 Tyler Lillard defeated Anthony White by a 5-1 decision, cutting Rutgers’ lead to four.

After White’s loss to Lillard, the Scarlet Knights would win the final four matches to secure their eighth victory. Rutgers No. 27 Jackson Turley had a huge win when he defeated No. 9 Donnell Washington 15-0 in the 174 weight class to lock up Rutgers’ victory.

The Scarlet Knights return to action on Sunday when they hit the road to take on Purdue (5-3) in West Lafayette, Indiana.

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A big statement is looming for No. 14 Rutgers wrestling against Indiana

Friday night is a huge match-up for Rutgers wrestling.

The Big Ten opener for Rutgers on Friday night will be a steep task and a match-up that Big Ten Network wrestling analyst Shane Sparksbelieves is a barometer for the Scarlet Knights.

No. 14 Rutgers comes into Friday night at 8-1 and will face a much-improved team in No. 21 Indiana (3-0). It is the Big Ten opener for both programs.

Rutgers comes in with momentum, following last weekend where they beat then No. 19 UPenn (receiving votes) and Rider. The Scarlet Knights have won their five.

They have some common opposition this season. In mid-November, Indiana beat Rider 27-15 and then in December, they won at Princeton 18-15.

Rutgers beat Princeton (24-9) in early December at Jersey Mike’s Arena. They easily dispatched Rider (31-5) over the weekend.

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Sparks, a veteran reporter and a fan-favorite on the Big Ten Network, believes that if Rutgers is going to achieve their lofty ambitions, then this is a pivotal meeting on Friday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

“Indiana. is a team that Rutgers has to beat -I mean, if you want to be where they want to be, this is one you have to win no question,” Sparks told Rutgers Wire on Thursday.

“I mean, Indiana is improved – that’s a team that Rutgers should beat them.”

If Rutgers wants to take that next step and be an upper-echelon Big Ten program that is top10 nationally, then taking care of business against a very good Indiana on Friday and at Purdue on Sunday is paramount.

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Smith highlighted Indiana’s No. 12 Donnell Washington as someone to watch on Friday night.

“If Turley and Washington wrestle, it is a key match,” Sparks said.

How to watch No. 2 Iowa wrestling at the 2023 Soldier Salute

Want to watch #Hawkeyes wrestling compete against the best in the country? The two-day 2023 Soldier Salute tournament will be streamed live on B1G+.

Get ready for collegiate wrestling action on Friday, Dec. 29, and Saturday, Dec. 30 at the 2023 Soldier Salute, headlined by the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes. 

The second annual Soldier Salute, set to take place at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, will include competitors from 10 ranked teams in the Intermat’s top 30 including No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Missouri, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 12 Minnesota, No. 13 South Dakota State, No. 15 Navy, No. 16 Oregon State, No. 25 Northern Iowa and No. 27 North Carolina. The women’s team from Iowa is also set to compete.

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The tournament is hosted by the Iowa City Area Sports Commission and 100% of the annual tournament proceeds will be split between the United Service Organizations (USO) and a development fund targeted towards the continued growth of high school girls wrestling.

If you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place. Individual mat cameras will be available for all four sessions of the Soldier Salute. All action will be airing on B1G+.

Soldier Salute Schedule

Date Session Time (E.T) How to watch
Fri, Dec. 29 Session 1 11 a.m. Watch Session 1
Fri, Dec. 29 Session 2 4:30 p.m. Watch Session 2
Sat, Dec. 30 Session 3 12 p.m. Watch Session 3
Sat, Dec. 30 Session 4 6 p.m. Watch Session 4

Last year the Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team finished second in the NCAA to fellow Big Ten foe Penn State. They last won the national championship in 2021. Earlier this year, Iowa extended its win streak over No. 5 Iowa State to 18 in an epic dual.

[afflinkbutton text=”Stream Iowa wrestling in the 2023 Soldier Salute on B1G+” link=”https://bit.ly/SoldierSession3″]

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Hawkeyes Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Is Rutgers wrestling ready to take the next step in the Big Ten? Shane Sparks weighs in

Shane Sparks sees Rutgers wrestling as having the potential to take the next step this season in the Big Ten.

The best match-up of the college wrestling weekend might well be at Rutgers and Jersey Mike’s Arena on Friday night. With a top-10 team in Virginia Tech rolling into town, it is certainly a measuring stick moment for Rutgers.

No. 8 Virginia Tech comes into Friday night a bit battered following a loss last weekend at Ohio State. With Rutgers having two weeks rest after their 2-0 start to the season (wins over Duke and Cal Poly), it certainly makes for an intriguing early-season meeting.

A win would certainly show that Rutgers has the potential to break into a very tough Big Ten pecking order. Big Ten Network analyst Shane Sparks believes that Rutgers could be ready to take that proverbial next step starting with this weekend.

Rutgers has been consistently solid in the Big Ten in recent years, but their path upward is made more difficult by the fact that the conference is easily the toughest in the sport.

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“The Big Ten is so tricky because the dual meet schedules are not balanced,  so you can have that 3-5 season in the Big Ten because…I’m just looking at the rankings, right now. I’m gonna go to the to meet rankings but you got Penn State’s at one, you got four of the top seven, five of the top nine,” Sparks told Rutgers Wire about the current national rankings.

“I think for Rutgers. This year, if they can get in that top half – that’d be a huge step for them. Because the reality is that it’s tough. They’ll need to find a way to finish, say seventh at the Big Ten Tournament.

“I mean, the six teams ahead of them are basically all in the top 10 or close to it so if they can find a way to crack that top path, I would say it is a very successful season for them. That’s taking the next step because the bottom line is, you know, the Big Ten gives you nothing. I mean, you got to earn it. So a lot of good things potentially but they got to stay healthy because they don’t have that big point scorer.”

In this week’s NWCA poll, Penn State is the consensus top team in the nation followed by North Carolina State and Iowa.

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Sparks said that the atmosphere on Friday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena has the potential to be special.