Kent State University
University at Buffalo
Flashes Open MAC Duals Sunday at Buffalo
12/9/2016 11:15:00 AM | Wrestling
Kent State opens up Mid-American Conference dual meet competition Sunday, Dec. 11 at Buffalo. The Golden Flashes (1-1) and Bulls (1-3) square off at 1 p.m. inside Alumni Arena.
Last season, the Flashes went 7-1 in MAC duals. Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season, Kent State has gone 48-15 in conference competition.
Tentative Matchups
125: Cory Simpson (8-5) or Seth Beard (0-1) vs. Kyle Akins (0-0) or Derek Spann (7-3)
133: No. 19 Anthony Tutolo (14-3) vs. Bryan Lantry (5-1)
141: Chance Driscoll (8-7) vs. Ryan Peters (12-5)
149: Tim Rooney (8-8) vs. Colt Cotton (7-4)
157: Casey Sparkman (10-2) or Ben Heyob (6-4) vs. Alex Smythe (6-3)
165: Isaac Bast (8-6) vs. Derek Holcomb (7-6)
174: Jairod James (12-3) vs. Muhamed McBryde (9-5)
184: Jerald Spohn (8-8) or Shane Mast (9-5) vs. Brett Perry (7-5)
197: Stephen Suglio (9-6) vs. James Benjamin (7-2) or Nate Rose (9-3)
285: Devin Nye (8-7) vs. Jake Gunning (6-0)
*The Open Mat Rankings
History vs. Buffalo
Kent State leads the all-time series with Buffalo 25-7 and has won the last 12 meetings.  The Golden Flashes defeated the Bulls 28-3 last December at the M.A.C. Center, but eight of Kent State's nine wins came down to the final moments of the match. Stephen Suglio, who converted a takedown in the final seconds of his match for a 6-4 victory is the lone returning winner to the lineup.
The Bulls' last victory in the series came in February of 2005, an 18-16 win in Buffalo. The last time the teams met in Alumni Arena, the Flashes claimed a 30-10 win in December of 2014. Jerald Spohn earned 6-0 victory in the win.
Tutolo Leading the Way on the Mat and in the Classroom
Sophomore 133-pounder Anthony Tutolo was named MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week Wednesday following a sixth place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.  Tutolo's four wins on the weekend was highlighted by a 9-8 comeback victory over No. 4 Earl Hall of Iowa State. A communications major, Tutolo carries a 3.6 cumulative grade point average. He has won 133-pound titles this season at the Clarion Open and the Navy Classic.
The Opponent
The Bulls opened dual competition with an 18-15 setback against No. 7 Cornell. One week later Buffalo recorded an impressive 32-9 victory over George Mason. Sunday will be the Bull's first appearance at home.  Sophomore Jake Gunning is No. 1 in this week's MAC Coaches Poll at heavyweight. He was the runner-up at last year's MAC Championships. Senior 197-pounder James Benjamin earned MAC Wrestler of the Week honors this season after defeating No. 4 Brett Harner of Princeton.
Quick Shots
- Since the 2005-06 season, Kent State is 144-67 in dual meets
- Casey Sparkman was named Kent State's Hometown Bank Student-Athlete of the Week last week after a 6-4 victory over No. 13 Jake Ryan of Ohio State.
- Nine Flashes placed in the Top 6 spots at the Navy Classic (Nov. 19).
- Devin Nye leads the team with five pins.
- Cory Simpson and Isaac Bast each recorded their first career dual wins against Cleveland State.
- The Flashes' eight straight years with at least one All-American is the 10th longest active streak in the nation.
- The Golden Flashes do not have a single senior on their roster
- Kent State concluded its 2015-16 season with a 16th place finish at the NCAA Championships and two All-Americans.
- The NWCA honored Kent State for having fifth highest grade point average in the nation last season at 3.325
Up Next
The Golden Flashes host a pair of home duals at the Kent State Field House next weekend. On Friday Dec. 16, Gardner-Webb comes to Kent, Ohio for the first time in 14 years, while Chattanooga comes back to Northeast Ohio for the first time in 26 years on Sunday, Dec. 18.
Players Mentioned
