Kent State University
North Carolina State
NC State and Old Dominion to Host Flashes This Weekend
1/22/2015 3:35:00 PM | Wrestling
Kent State (6-8, 2-1 MAC) heads to Raleigh, N.C. and Norfolk, Va. this weekend, taking on NC State and No. 19 Old Dominion. Â The well-traveled Golden Flashes will be visiting the Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum for the first time in program history Saturday, before taking on the Monarchs Sunday in the first of five straight Mid-American Conference duals.
Live Video and Scoring
Live video of the dual with NC State can be seen free on GoPack.com. Live stats will be available on TrackWrestling.com. Live video from the Ted Constant Center at ODU can be seen with a subscription to Monarch Media.
Buckwalter Winning on the Mat & in the Classroom
Junior Tyler Buckwalter (Mill Hall, Pa.) has been named Mid-American Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week in back-to-back weeks, an unprecedented feat for a Kent State wrestler. Buckwalter also became the first MAC athlete (male or female) to earn the award in back-to-back weeks this academic year.
Now 20-11 on the season, Buckwalter has won each of his last nine dual meets. The Flashes' 165-pounder has three pins, one tech fall and four major decisions.  Earlier this season, Stephen Suglio was named MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
Watch Tyler Buckwalter's Dirty Flo Scramble of the Week
Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 126-58-1 in dual meets and 39-12-1 in MAC dual meets. Â
The Opponents
NC State is receiving votes in the latest NWCA Coaches rankings after topping Oklahoma 24-10 last Friday. Earlier this month the Wolfpack went 3-0 at the Pittsburgh Duals with convincing wins over Lock Haven (32-3), Eastern Michigan (36-6) and Bloomsburg (42-0). Nick Gwiazdowski is the returning NCAA champion at heavyweight. He is one of eight Wolfpack starters ranked in WrestlingReport's Top 30. NC State finished ninth at this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
Old Dominion (7-3, 0-1 MAC) begins its weekend hosting Buffalo Friday. The Monarchs have dual wins over three teams currently in the NWCA Top 25 (Edinboro, Purdue, Bucknell). Last weekend, ODU earned a 26-15 road win at American. Six ODU wrestlers are ranked in the Top 3 of the latest MAC Rankings, including All-American Jack Dechow (184). The Monarchs placed sixth at the Midlands Championships, four weeks ago.
Quick Shots
- Kent State is No. 21 according to InterMat's Tournament Rankings and No. 20 in Wrestling Insider NewsMagazine's Tournament Power Index.Â
- The Flashes are No. 21 according to Wrestling Report and tied for No. 4 in the latest MAC poll.
- Six Flashes are currently ranked in the Top 33 spots according to Wrestling Report.
- Senior Tyler Small has won three open tournaments this season (EMU, Mercyhurst, Ashland). Small recently passed Nick Nemeth for fourth place with 124 career victories at Kent State.Â
- Junior Ian Miller ranks fourth among Kent State's career pin leaders with 32.Â
- Junior Mike DePalma leads the squad with 10 bonus-point victories this season.
History vs. Opponents
In the first meeting between the two programs last season, Kent State took 6-of-10 matches in a 23-14 win over NC State at the M.A.C. Center. Returning winners include Del Vinas, Mack McGuire, Mike DePalma, Tyler Buckwalter and Cole Baxter.
The Golden Flashes hold a 9-2 all-time series lead against Old Dominion, including wins in each of the last three seasons. Last year, Kent State took seven matches from the Monarchs in a 25-7 victory. The Flashes got wins from McGuire, DePalma, Buckwalter, Baxter and Ian Miller.   Sunday will be the first meeting in Norfolk since 1990.
Last Time Out
The Flashes are coming off a 1-1 weekend highlighted by a 24-12 victory over archrival Ohio. Tyler Buckwalter and Jerald Spohn each came through with upset victories over the Bobcats, while Mack McGuire and Ian Miller each notched first period pins.
Two days later, Kent State split the first six matches with No. 15 Edinboro, before the Fighting Scots pulled away for a 27-12 home win.
Projected Lineup vs. NC State
125: Joe DeAngelo (9-8) vs. Del Vinas (10-18)
133: Bryce Meredith (12-2) vs. Mack McGuire (22-8)
141: Sam Speno (10-7) vs. Tyler Small (27-7)
149: Sam Melikian (7-7) or So. Brian Hamann (5-2) vs. Mike DePalma (16-12)
157: Chad Pyke (12-10) vs. Ian Miller (7-2)
165: Max Rohskopf (22-6) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (20-11)
174: Pete Renda (15-7) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-16) or Mike Vollant (7-17)
184: Nicky Hall (5-4) or Michael Macchiavello (8-6) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-16) or Mike Vollant (7-17)
197: Michael Boykin (14-7) vs. Cole Baxter (14-8)
285: Nick Gwiazdowski (21-0) vs. Mimmo Lytle (21-13)
Projected Lineup vs. Old Dominion
125: Brandon Jeske (6-7) or Josh Markham (5-5) vs. Del Vinas (10-18)
133: Michael Hayes (11-15) vs. Mack McGuire (22-8)
141: Chris Mecate (12-7) or Jacob Kingett (7-7) vs. Tyler Small (27-7)
149: Lenny Richardson (16-6) vs. Mike DePalma (16-12)
157: TC Warner (24-12) or Devin Geoghegan (0-0) or Austin Eads (5-4) vs. Ian Miller (7-2)
165: Tristan Warner (19-2) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (20-11)
174: Austin Coburn (3-6) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-16) or Mike Vollant (7-17)
184: Jack Dechow (18-1) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-16) or Mike Vollant (7-17)
197: Kevin Beazley (20-10) vs. Cole Baxter (14-8)
285: Jake Henderson (16-9) or Matt Tourdot (12-6) vs. Mimmo Lytle (21-13)
Up Next
Kent State returns home Friday, Jan. 30, hosting Eastern Michigan during its third annual Beauty & The Beast event. As the Golden Flashes and Eagles grapple on one side of the M.A.C. Center gym, Kent State's gymnastics team will host Pittsburgh in the unique 2-for-1 event.
Two days later, the Golden Flashes visit MAC rival Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant.
In the Rankings
Amateur Wrestling News
15. Mack McGuire (133)
4. Ian Miller (157)
20. Caleb Marsh (174)
InterMat
18. Mack McGuire (133)
2. Ian Miller (157)
13. Caleb Marsh (174)
W.I.N.
17. Mack McGuire (133)
2. Ian Miller (157)
17. Caleb Marsh (174)
WrestlingReport
15. Mack McGuire (133)
31. Tyler Small (141)
2. Ian Miller (157)
18. Caleb Marsh (174)
24. Cole Baxter (197)
33. Mimmo Lytle (285)
The Open Mat
4. Ian Miller (157)
17. Caleb Marsh (174)
MAC Coaches Rankings (Jan. 22)
1. Mack McGuire (133)
4. Mike DePalma (149)
1. Ian Miller (157)
3. Caleb Marsh (174)
4. Mimmo Lytle (285)
2014-15 Second MAC January Team Rankings
1.           Missouri (32.0)
2.           Old Dominion (15.5)
3.           Northern Iowa (15.0)
t-4.        Kent State (12.0)
t-4.        Ohio (12.0)
6.           Eastern Michigan (5.5)
7.           Central Michigan (5.0)
8.           Northern Illinois (2.0)
9.           Buffalo (1.0)
Players Mentioned
