WREST: 24th-Ranked Hofstra Travels To Rutgers, Hosts Penn This Weekend

1/26/2012 8:47:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - The 24th-ranked Hofstra Pride wrestling team will be looking to continue their winning ways this weekend when they travel to Rutgers University on Friday evening, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. before hosting the University of Pennsylvania for Senior Day on Sunday, January 29 at the Mack Sports Complex at 1 p.m.

The Pride are coming off a 4-0 week that extended their dual match winning streak to eight this season and 13 matches overall dating back to a loss to then-number one Cornell last February 5. Hofstra moved up one place to 24th this week in the NWCA/USA Today Division I Coaches Poll following the victories over American (22-18), Old Dominion (21-12), George Mason (36-3) and Boston University (31-6 last week. Three Pride wrestlers senior Ben Clymer, and juniors Steve Bonanno and Justin Accordino were 4-0 for the week while four others, senior P.J. Gillespie, junior Paul Snyder and sophomores Jamie Franco and Luke Vaith, were 3-1. Accordino, who posted a fall, a tech fall and two decisions last week, was named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week.

The Pride are led by Clymer, who became Hofstra's first 20-win wrestler of the season last week. He is now 20-5 on the season and ranked 11th at 184 pounds by InterMat. Junior Steve Bonanno is now 19-5 on the year, following his four wins last week, and ranked 13th at 125 pounds. Senior 165-pounder P.J. Gillespie, who is also 19-5 on the season, remains ranked 19th in the nation by InterMat. Red-shirt junior Justin Accordino is 16-8 on the season at 149 pounds and ranked 22nd by Division I College Wrestling. Sophomore Jamie Franco is 14-8 and ranked 24th at 133 pounds by Division I College Wrestling this season. Sophomores Luke Vaith (13-7) at 141 and Tim Murphy (10-13) at 197, juniors Tyler Banks (8-8) at 157 and Paul Snyder (14-7) at 285, and freshman Jermaine John (7-10) at 174 are all unranked in this week's polls.

The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University are 12-3 on the season with wins over North Carolina (33-9), Purdue (28-15), Old Dominion (20-13), Princeton (29-7), Rider (21-12), Brown (28-12), Harvard (33-12), Army (27-10), Campbell (24-21), Buffalo (22-19), North Dakota State (20-18), and Navy (20-19). Their three losses have come against Central Michigan (16-15), Old Dominion (29-9) and Lehigh (26-9). The Scarlet Knights, who are in the also receiving votes category in the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll, are led by red-shirt junior Mario Mason, who is 16-1 and ranked fifth nationally at 149 pounds. Classmates Scott Winston is 15-3 and ranked ninth at 165 pounds while Greg Zannetti is 20-3 and ranked 18th at 174 pounds. Red-shirt senior Billy Ashnault is 18-8 and ranked 19th by WIN Magazine at 141 pounds. Friday's meeting is the 21st encounter between Hofstra and the Scarlet Knights but the first since 1996. Rutgers leads the series 11-8-1.

The Quakers of the University of Pennsylvania are 4-4 on the season with wins over North Carolina (32-12), American (24-18), Bloomsburg (26-12) and Rider (22-9). Their losses have come against Arizona State (21-20), Lehigh (21-15), Maryland (21-15) and Cornell (21-17). The Quakers are led by junior Micah Burak, who is 10-3 on the season and ranked ninth in the nation at 197 pounds by InterMat. Senior Zach Kemmerer is 17-2 and ranked 10th at 141 pounds by InterMat. Classmate Bryan Ortenzio is 20-2 and ranked 15th at 133 by InterMat. Two freshmen, Steve Robertson (19-5) at 149 and Lorenzo Thomas (16-7) at 165, are ranked 25th and 29th, respectively, in the NCAA Coaches Poll.

Tickets for the Penn match can be purchased by phone at (516) 463-TIXX or online by going to www.GoHofstra.com.

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