Posted: 01/17/2013
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh closes out a string of three consecutive road duals against EIWA opponents Friday night as the Mountain Hawks battle border rival Rutgers at the RAC in Piscataway, N.J. The Mountain Hawks snapped their three dual losing streak by going 2-0 last weekend with road wins at Navy (19-15) and American (30-12). Five Mountain Hawks posted 2-0 records last weekend, including ranked-wrestlers, Joey Napoli, Nathaniel Brown and Robert Hamlin, EIWA champion Shane Welsh and freshman Randy Cruz.
A strong and balanced dual meet team, Rutgers comes in at 10-2 on the season. The Scarlet Knights are looking to rebound from a home loss to Iowa State last week as they bid for their first win over Lehigh in 63 years.
Hamlin has once again led Lehigh on the mats in the 2012-13 season. The first NCAA wrestling All-American from the state of Vermont, Hamlin owns a 75-8 mark since the start of the 2010-11 season. He has won back-to-back EIWA titles at 184 and has earned All-America honors in each of the last two seasons, finishing second in 2011 and fourth last year. Hamlin finished second at the Midlands and is 3-0 since that loss, including a 3-1, sudden victory decision over defending National Champion Steve Bosak of Cornell. Hamlin now owns a 5-1 career mark against Bosak. He enters Friday’s match seven victories shy of 100 for his career. Hamlin is expected to face Dan Rinaldi of Rutgers who he has wrestled five times previously and is 5-0 against.
Eleven Lehigh wrestlers earned a grade point average of 3.2 or better during the fall semester, including probable starters Robert Hamlin, Joey Napoli and Shane Welsh.
Rutgers saw its four match winning streak come to an end with a 19-15 home loss to Iowa State January 11 at the RAC. Rutgers owns dual wins against EIWA foes Columbia, Army and Princeton, while its only other dual loss came against Nebraska at the Grapple at the Garden in December.
The Scarlet Knights feature a balanced dual lineup with two wrestlers currently ranked by Amateur Wrestling News. Both ranked men will face ranked Lehigh opponents, as No. 13 Greg Zannetti will face Brown and 174 and No. 11 Daniel Rinaldi will meet Hamlin at 184. At 157, Rutgers features senior Scott Winston, who last year lost in the EIWA finals to Brandon Hatchett at 165. Winston will also face a ranked Lehigh foe in Napoli.
The Mountain Hawks have dominated the all-time series versus Rutgers, winning 41-of-42 meetings including 38 in a row. Rutgers’ lone win in the series came by a 16-11 score on February 22 1950 in New Jersey. Lehigh and Rutgers are meeting for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons. The Mountain Hawks own three wins in New Jersey during that time.
Friday’s match gets underway at 7 p.m. from the RAC in Piscataway, N.J. The match will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 as well as Lehighsports.com with pre-match coverage beginning at 6:45. Following the Rutgers match, Lehigh returns home to host No. 13 Oklahoma at Stabler Arena Friday January 25 at 7 p.m. and No. 10 Oregon State at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall Saturday January 26 at 2 p.m.
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Date:
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January 18, 2013
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Opponent:
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights
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First match:
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7:00 p.m.
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Arena:
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Louis Brown Athletic Center (8,000)
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Location:
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Piscataway, N.J.
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Lehigh’s Record:
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5-4 overall, 2-2 EIWA
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Rutgers’ Record:
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10-2 overall, 3-0 EIWA
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Series:
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Lehigh leads 41-1
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Streak:
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Lehigh has won the last 38 meetings
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Television:
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None
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Radio:
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ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 with Steve Lomangino and Gary Brownell beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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Internet broadcast:
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Streaming audio Lehighsports.com
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Behind enemy lines:
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