Wrestling Hosts Old Dominion In Opening Dual
11/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 9, 2007
THIS WEEK FOR THE SPARTANS
Michigan State hosts Old Dominion Friday night at 7 p.m. in IM West for the first dual meeting between the two programs. The match will be the first of the 2007-08 season for the Monarchs and the Spartans.
On Sunday, the Spartans will host their annual MSU Open, an all day event featuring both a freshman/sophomore division and an open division. The tournament will include bouts in each weight class, with preliminary matches running from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Medal matches will be held immediately afterward, at approximately 6 p.m.
**Please note that the remainder of Michigan State's home duals will be held at Jenison Field House.**
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans return 18 letterwinners, including seven starters - Franklin Gomez, Jeff Wimberley, Rex Kendle, John Murphy, Joe Williams, Nick Palmieri and Alan O'Donnell - and welcome a class of 10 freshmen. Gomez and Williams are ranked 10th and 16th in their respective weight classes, 133 and 197, in the preseason USA Today/NWCA/InterMat Preseason Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll, while Wimberley jumped out to a strong start, claiming the 141 title at the Eastern Michigan Open last weekend.
SCOUTING THE MONARCHS
Old Dominion's wrestling team received votes in the 2007 USA Today/NWCA/Intermat Preseason Coaches Poll. The team returns two of three NCAA Qualifiers and will have a former NCAA Qualifier, High School All-American, or Junior National All-American at every weight class in the starting lineup. Ranking 16th among 197 pounders, junior David Mendoza pulled in his third ranking of the preseason.
LAST TIME OUT
At the Eastern Michigan Open, Jeff Wimberley claimed the 141-pound title in the one-day tournament. Wimberley went undefeated, going 5-0, including a 1:54 fall over Lincoln's Ryan Joyce in the semifinal round.
In the 125 class, Joel Trombly advanced to the semifinals before losing to Northwestern's No. 12-ranked Brandon Precin for second place while Clint Frutiger finished fifth. Eddie Skowneski and Anthony Jones faced off in the 149-pound bout for fifth place. Skowneski defeated his teammate in the dual for fifth place.
Rex Kendle chalked up a fifth-place finish in the 165 class, and John Murphy finished the day in sixth in his 174-pound bracket. Ian Hinton would wrap up action with a runner-up finish at 184 pounds, while Nick Palmieri defeated Abe Cross for third place. No. 16 Joe Williams finished second at 197 pounds, after losing 8-3 to Northwestern's No. 3 Mike Tamillow in the title match.
UP NEXT
The Spartans next tournament is the 2007 ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Raleigh, N.C., on November 17.
Players Mentioned
