The Beast: Flashes Host NC State Sunday

Sunday, January 19

Kent, Ohio

2:00 p.m.

Kent State University

North Carolina State University

Photo by: David Dermer

1/16/2014 9:58:00 PM | Wrestling

Kent State's M.A.C. Center will host the second annual Beauty and the Beast event Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m., as both the gymnastics and wrestling teams host North Carolina State with simultaneous action on one floor.

The grappling Golden Flashes are 7-6 following a fourth place finish at the Virginia Duals this past weekend, including a 27-12 victory over No. 22 Bloomsburg. Junior 174-pounder Caleb Marsh and sophomore 133-pounder Mack McGuire each went 4-0 at the Virginia Duals. Marsh was named Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week.

The Competition
NC State is 10-2, coming off a 3-0 day Sunday at the Pitt Duals with convincing wins over Clarion (30-6), Eastern Michigan (32-11) and Seton Hill (36-9). It's only losses have come against Top 15 opponents (Illinois, Pitt). The Wolfpack boasts a balanced lineup with winning records at each weight class. Six NC State wrestlers are ranked in WrestlingReport's Top 33.

An Entertainment-Filled Event
Prior to the Beauty and the Beast event, kids can enter a coloring contest. The winner will receive a Future Flashes prize pack. A $100 gift card to the bookstore will be given to one male and one female Kent State student in the best Beauty & the Beast costumes. After the competition, wrestlers and gymnasts will be signing autographs. At last season's Beauty and the Beast, Kent State's gymnastics team defeated Rutgers 195.675-193.70, while the Flashes' wrestling team downed Cleveland State 31-10.

Live Video, Audio, Scoring
Live video of both wrestling and gymnastics can be seen on mac-sports.com. Live audio with Ty Linder can be heard on Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Live scoring can be followed on Trackwrestling.com.

In The Rankings
This week, Kent State is No. 18 in W.I.N.'s Tournament Power Index, No. 25 in the InterMat rankings and No. 26 according to WrestlingReport.com. Six Golden Flashes are ranked in this week's Top 25 according to WrestlingReport and seven are in the Top 33. Six Flashes are in the Top 4 of latest MAC coaches rankings.

Sophomore Ian Miller is No. 6 in the 157-pound W.I.N. rankings, while sophomore Sam Wheeler is No. 10 at 184. Mack McGuire is No. 18 according to InterMat.

Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 116-43-1 in dual meets. The Flashes have also won 14 of their last 18 duals at the M.A.C. Center.

Quick Shots

Sunday, they will face the Wolfpack for the first time in program history.
The Golden Flashes are receiving votes in this week's NWCA Coaches Poll.
Six of Kent State's seven wins are by 15 points or more. The other victory came against Michigan (17-16) who is No. 13 in this week's InterMat rankings.
Five of the Flashes' six losses have come against teams ranked in the Top 16 of the latest coaches poll.

Prior to the dual, Kent State will honor its lone senior, T.J. Keklak, who is expected to start Sunday at 157.
Caleb Marsh defeated a pair of Top 20 opponents at the Virginia Duals.
In just two duals last Friday, the Golden Flashes combined for five pins, including two from Tyler Small.

Ian Miller is tied for fourth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 29.

On the Horizon
Sunday will be Kent State's final test before a string of five consecutive Mid-American Conference duals. The Golden Flashes will take their 2-0 MAC mark into Athens Friday, Jan. 24 against archrival Ohio University. Two days later, Kent State hosts rival Central Michigan on Sunday, Jan. 26.

Projected Lineups
NC State at Kent State
125 – Micah Perez (16-9) or Brenden Calas (7-5) vs. Del Vinas (16-11) or Alfredo Gray (10-16)
133 – Chris Wilkes (12-7) vs. No. 21 Mack McGuire (19-6, 10-3 duals)
141 – No. 30 Sam Speno (16-5)vs. No. 17 Tyler Small (15-10, 7-6 duals)
149 – No. 22 Brian Hamann (16-6) vs. No. 25 Mike DePalma (17-11, 7-6 duals)
157 – No. 19 Tommy Gantt (22-6) or Max Rohskopf (2-1) vs. T.J. Keklak (8-10)
165 – Peter Santos (14-5) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (3-6, 3-4 duals)
174 – No. 24 Pete Renda (18-6) vs. No. 25 Caleb Marsh (10-5, 9-3 duals) or Mike Vollant (6-8)
184 – No. 33 Shane Brady (12-7) or Michael Macchiavello (8-7) vs. No. 10 Sam Wheeler (22-4, 11-2 duals)
197 – Karrone Jones (9-5) vs. No. 32 Cole Baxter (16-10, 9-4 duals)
285 – No. 5 Nick Gwiazdowski (26-2) vs. Mimmo Lytle (11-14, 4-9 duals)
Rankings from WrestlingReport.com