Kent State University
Eastern Michigan
Flashes to Host Eastern Michigan & Visit Central Michigan
1/27/2015 11:33:00โฏAM | Wrestling
Kent State continues Mid-American Conference competition Friday night hosting Eastern Michigan in the third annual Beauty & The Beast at the M.A.C. Center, beginning at 7 p.m.ย The Golden Flashes then travel to Mount Pleasant Sunday, taking on rival Central Michigan at 2 p.m.ย
Friday's 2-for-1 event includes Kent State's gymnastics team taking on Pittsburgh right next to the wrestling mat.ย The Golden Flashes look to make it three straight seasons of both teams ringing the victory bell.ย Last season, both squads knocked off NC State.
Live Video, Audio and Scoring
Live video of Beauty & The Beast can be seen free on KentStateSports.com.ย All of Kent State's home wrestling duals can be heard live on Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio.ย Live scoring will be available on TrackWrestling.com.ย
Live video at Central Michigan can be seen with a subscription on cmuchippewas.com. Live scoring will be available on TrackWrestling.com. ย Look for live updates on Twitter by following @KentStWrestl.
Coloring Contest & Autographs
Prior to the Beauty and the Beast event, kids can enter a coloring contest.ย The winner will receive a Future Flashes prize pack.ย After the competition, wrestlers and gymnasts will be signing autographs.ย
Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 126-60-1 in dual meets and 39-13-1 in MAC dual meets.ย
Friday is the second of five straight MAC duals for the Flashes (6-10, 2-2 MAC).ย Kent State's two conference setbacks have come against the MAC's two best teams (Missouri, Old Dominion).
Since the 2010-11 season, the Flashes have gone 17-7 at home, including a 24-12 win over Ohio on Jan. 16.
The Opponents
Eastern Michigan (7-7) recently split 10 matches in an 18-16 loss to Michigan State.ย The Eagles put together back-to-back victories Jan. 10 & 11 over Clarion (34-7) and Duke (22-13).ย In the latest MAC Coaches rankings, four Eagles claimed spots in the Top 4.
Central Michigan (6-5, 4-1 MAC) is coming off a 19-12 victory over Northern Iowa.ย CMU has won five of its last six duals, with its only loss coming to No. 3 Missouri in that span.ย The Chippewas placed 13th at the Southern Scuffle led by 141-pounder Zach Horan, who placed fourth.ย Colin Hefferman placed eighth at 149.
Quick Shots
- Senior Caleb Marsh is expected to be back in the lineup this weekend. ย His last action came on Dec. 19.
- Kent State is No. 20 according to InterMat's Tournament Rankings and No. 21 in Wrestling Insider NewsMagazine's Tournament Power Index.ย
- To date, Kent State has logged 7,500 bus miles on road trips this season.
- The Flashes are No. 22 according to Wrestling Report and tied for No. 4 in the latest MAC poll.
- Seven 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).ย Small recently passed Nick Nemeth for fourth place with 124 career victories at Kent State.ย
- Junior Ian Miller ranks fourth among Kent State's career pin leaders with 32.ย
- Junior Mike DePalma leads the squad with 10 bonus-point victories this season.
History vs. Opponents
Kent State has been dominant in its all-time series against Eastern Michigan, leading 41-1-1.ย The Eagles only win came in 1974, in a series that began in 1967.ย Each of the last two Golden Flashes' victories came in Ypsilanti.ย Last season, Kent State took 6-of-10 matches in an 18-12 win.ย Returning winners from that meet include Tyler Small, Mike DePalma, Tyler Buckwalter, Caleb Marsh and Cole Baxter.ย The last time the teams met in Kent, the Flashes clinched a 2012 MAC regular season championship with a 28-10 victory.
Central Michigan holds a 26-20 all-time series lead with Kent State and has won 15 of the last 17 meetings. The Flashes last victory in Mount Pleasant came in 2009.ย Last season, the Chippewas claimed a 21-12 win at the M.A.C. Center. ย DePalma, Baxter and Mimmo Lytle helped the Flashes to their four victories. ย
Last Time Out
On a long weekend road trip, Kent State dropped a 26-13 dual at NC State, followed by a 25-10 setback at Old Dominion the next day.ย Mimmo Lytle, Mack McGuire and Ian Miller each improved to 4-0 in MAC duals with wins at ODU.ย
Buckwalter Winning on the Mat & in the Classroom
Junior Tyler Buckwalter (Mill Hall, Pa.) recently earned MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks, an unprecedented feat for a Kent State wrestler.ย Buckwalter also became the first MAC athlete (male or female) to earn the award in back-to-back weeks this academic year.ย Now 21-12 on the season, Buckwalter recently put together a streak of 10 straight dual meet victories.ย He carries a 3.94 cumulative GPA.
Earlier this season, Stephen Suglio was also named MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
Projected Lineup vs. Eastern Michigan
125: Blake Caudill (6-13) vs. Del Vinas (10-20)
133: Vincent Pizzuto (11-9) vs. Mack McGuire (24-8)
141: Michael Shaw (11-10) vs. Tyler Small (27-9)
149: Nicholas Barber (11-8) vs. Mike DePalma (16-14)
157: Brandon Zeerip (17-9) vs. Ian Miller (9-2)
165: Devan Marry (8-14) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (21-12)
174: Kayne MacCallum (10-5) vs. Caleb Marsh (12-3)
184: Mike Curby (6-17) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-18) or Mike Vollant (7-19)
197: Anthony Abro (18-8) vs. Cole Baxter (15-9)
285: Gage Hutchison (11-12) vs. Mimmo Lytle (22-14)
Projected Lineup vs. Central Michigan
125: Brent Fleetwood (11-9) vs. Del Vinas (10-20)
133: Tyler Keselring (10-9) vs. Mack McGuire (24-8)
141: Zach Horan (13-4) vs. Tyler Small (27-9)
149: Colin Hefferman (17-8) vs. Mike DePalma (16-14)
157: Cody LeCount (15-6) vs. Ian Miller (9-2)
165: Jordan Wohlfert (10-10) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (21-12)
174: Jordan Ellingwood (8-8) vs. Caleb Marsh (12-3)
184: CJ Brucki (10-8) vs. Jerald Spohn (20-18) or Mike Vollant (7-19)
197: Jackson Lewis (5-6) vs. Cole Baxter (15-9)
285: Adam Robinson (11-7) vs. Mimmo Lytle (22-14)
Up Next
Kent State continues its string of MAC duals, hosting Northern Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 8.
In the Rankings
NCAA Coaches Panel
17. Mack McGuire (133)
29. Tyler Small (141)
4. Ian Miller (157)
15. Caleb Marsh (174)
24. Cole Baxter (197)
30. Mimmo Lytle (285)
Amateur Wrestling News
15. Mack McGuire (133)
3. Ian Miller (157)
20. Caleb Marsh (174)
InterMat
18. Mack McGuire (133)
2. Ian Miller (157)
14. Caleb Marsh (174)
W.I.N.
17. Mack McGuire (133)
4. Ian Miller (157)
19. Caleb Marsh (174)
WrestlingReport
14. Mack McGuire (133)
31. Tyler Small (141)
2. Ian Miller (157)
33. Tyler Buckwalter (165)
18. Caleb Marsh (174)
24. Cole Baxter (197)
32. Mimmo Lytle (285)
The Open Mat
4. Ian Miller (157)
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.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Missouri (32.0)
2.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Old Dominion (15.5)
3.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Northern Iowa (15.0)
t-4.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Kent State (12.0)
t-4.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Ohio (12.0)
6.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Eastern Michigan (5.5)
7.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Central Michigan (5.0)
8.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Northern Illinois (2.0)
9.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Buffalo (1.0)
Players Mentioned
