TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State wrestling team is set to open the 2015-16 season on Sunday, competing at the Mountaineer Quad in Morgantown, W.Va., where ASU will take on Campbell, Drexel, and West Virginia at the WVU Coliseum.
The Sun Devils will start off against Campbell’s Camels at 8 a.m. MT/10 a.m. ET, followed by Drexel’s Dragons at 9:30 a.m. MT/11:30 a.m. ET, and lastly the host Mountaineers at 11 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET.
Follow @ASUWrestling on Twitter for updates throughout the dual matches.
ARIZONA STATE PROBABLE STARTERS
125: Ares Carpio (Sr./Federal Way, Wash./NCAA Qual. OR Mikel Perales (R-Fr./Nampa, Idaho)
133: Dalton Brady (Jr./Queen Creek, Ariz.)
141: Robbie Mathers (So./Ahwatukee, Ariz.)
157: No. 19 Oliver Pierce (R-So./Allen, Texas/NCAA Qual.) OR Josh Shields (Fr./Murrysville, Pa.)
165: Jacen Petersen (So./Charlo, Mont.) OR Preston McCalmon (R-Sr./Lafayette, Ga.)
174: Zachary Smith (Fr./Wexford, Mass.)
184: No. 4 Blake Stauffer (R-Sr./Neosho, Mo./All-American)
197: Josh DaSilveira (R-Sr./Miami) OR Wes More (Jr./Queen Creek, Ariz.)
HWT: Tanner Hall (Fr./Meridian, Idaho) OR Chace Eskam (6th Year Sr./Carlsbad, Calif.)
CAMPBELL PROBABLE STARTERS
125: Daniel Ariola (Fr./ Warrenton, Va./Fauquier
133: Nathan Kraisser (R-Jr./Ellicott City, Md./Centennial)
141: Luke Stewart (R-Fr./Lynchburg, Va./Brookville)
149: Quentin Perez (Fr./Martinez, Calif./Arlington)
157: Grant Blumenthal (R-Jr./Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood)
165: Paul Duggan (R-Sr./Olivia, N.C./Western Harnett)
174: Matthew Olauson (R-Fr./Centerville, Md./Queen Anne’s County High)
184: Ville Heino (Jr./Helsinki, Finland/Mäkelänrinteen Lukio)
197: Austin McNeill (Fr./Fenton, Mich./Linden)
HWT: Jere Heino (Fr./Helsinki, Finland/Mäkelänrinteen Lukio)
DREXEL PROBABLE STARTERS
125: Zack Fuentes (R-So.)
133: David Pearce (R-Jr.) OR Franco Ferraina (R-Sr.)
141: No. 10 Kevin Devoy (R-Jr.) OR Anthony Canfora (So.)
149: No. 17 Matthew Cimato (R-Jr.) OR Willie Davis (R-Fr.)
157: Richard Viruet (R-Fr.) OR Mike Comunale (Fr.) OR Ryan O'Connor (R-So.)
165: Austin Rose (R-So.)
174: Nick Elmer (R-So.)
184: Stephen Loiseau (So.)
197: Nezar Haddad (R-Fr.) OR Joshua Murphy (So.)
285: Joey Goodhart (So.) OR Alex Foley (So.)
WEST VIRGINIA PROBABLE STARTERS
125: No. 3/4 Zeke Moisey (So.) OR Ryan Elliott (r-Fr.)
133: Cory Stainbrook (Jr.) OR Joe Wheeling (r-Fr.)
141: Tony DeAngelo (Jr.) OR Christian Monserrat (r-Fr.)
149: Jake S. Smith (Jr.) OR Louis Colonna (So.) or Ty Millward (So.)
157: No. 17/18 Dylan Cottrell (Jr.)
165: Ross Renzi (Sr.) OR Tim Wheeling (Sr.)
174: Parker VonEgidy (So.)
184: Bubba Scheffel (Sr.)
197: No. 10 Jacob A. Smith (Jr.) OR Bryson Begley (So.)
HWT: A.J. Vizcarrondo (Sr.) OR Chris Nelson (Sr.)
LAST SEASON AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA
The Sun Devils faced off against West Virginia three times in the 2014-15 season, winning the opener before being edged out in the final two meetings. Oliver Pierce (157) and Blake Stauffer (184) both went 3-0 in the meetings against the Mountaineers.
COACH JONES’ 2015-16 PREVIEW—BY WEIGHT CLASS
125 Pounds
“I think right now at 125, we have a mixture of youth and experience. Obviously Ares Carpio has been to the NCAA Tournament; he knows what it takes to get there. Now we want to help him improve and get on the podium. He’s going to get pushed by Mikel Perales, a redshirt freshman who is obviously competing to get into the starting lineup. He’s a pinner, he had some great results last year as a redshirt, and I think he’s gearing up and getting ready for action.”
133 Pounds
“We’ve got a bunch of guys at 133 pounds this year, and most people know that Dalton Brady is kind of leading the charge. He comes with a wealth of experience at the national and international level. Now he’s at a place where he’s matured physically and mentally, and I think he’s going to be a force. He’s great on his feet, get at getting off bottom, he needs to shore up some of his riding, but I think he’ll be in the mix this year. He’ll definitely be tested this weekend in West Virginia, which will be good.”
141 Pounds
“Robbie Mathers has come home, he’s an Arizona kid like Dalton Brady, and it’s nice to have Arizona kids in the lineup. Robbie is another Olympic Training Center product, like Dalton, he’s spent a lot of time there, has competed at a high level, and certainly will be a force.”
149 Pounds
“Obviously we return Christian Pagdilao, our Pac-12 Champion at 149 pounds, as well as Matt Kraus, and they’re both NCAA qualifiers. Matt can see time at 149, and can certainly also see time at 141. Right now what we know is that we have three really great guys for two weight classes, and that’s always tough, but it’s a good tough. Christian has the experience of winning a conference title and qualifying for the tournament, and Matt is steady mentally, physically, competes well, and I think he’s workmanlike. He’s tough on top, hard to score on, scrambles well. Christian epitomizes speed, talent, technique. He’s good in all three positions. Certainly between those three guys we’ll do well.”
157 Pounds
“At 157, we have another NCAA qualifier back in Oliver Pierce, who I think is really showing maturity through the season, I think he’s on track to have a good year. I know he’s ready to compete, I think he has a little chip on his shoulder, which is good. He has a great leg attack, is hard to score on, and I think he’ll continue to improve.
165 Pounds
“Jacen Petersen is back at 165. He went in as a true freshman last year, and had a pretty good year for a true freshman. He’s matured and grown a lot in his wrestling, I think the expectation for himself is high after a year of experience, and that’ll help him a lot.”
174 Pounds
“I think between Zach Smith, Anthony Anderson, and maybe even Preston McCalmon, we’ll see who will emerge at 174. I think we’re young there, but it will certainly give Preston a chance to work through his mind in these middle weight classes, and this could be a way for him to make his way into the starting lineup as a redshirt senior.”
184 Pounds
“Of course you’ve got the returning leader of the team in Blake Stauffer at 184 pounds. A returning Pac-12 Champion and All-American, you don’t have to ask me, we all know that his goal for this year is to make it to the top of the podium at the NCAA Championships. He’s put himself in that position, he had a great summer, and I think he got the recovery he needed. He’s trained well, is the ultimate in leadership on this team. He’s a hard worker, a good person, makes the right decisions. He can stand to generate some more offense, but at the same time, he can score on anyone, he can scramble, he rides, can get off the bottom. I think, if we train him properly, give him the right competition, that he can be in the spot this year.”
197 Pounds
“At 197, you have Josh DaSilveira and Wes Moore, who certainly have battled for the starting spot, year in and year out. Josh had a very good season last year, but didn’t get on the podium, and that’s in the back of his mind. I know now he’s probably more focused than ever, especially being a senior, this is his last shot. He’s done the work; he had a good preseason, a good start of the regular practice season. He’s dangerous, can score from anywhere, he’s got a lot of tools; he can do a lot of things. If there’s a dark horse in other peoples’ minds, not ours, I think people would say it’s Josh. To us, we know he’s more than capable of getting on the podium at the NCAA Championships. He just has to do the work
Heavyweight“You’ve got a sixth-year senior and a true freshman at heavyweight. Chace Eskam being in the Pac-12 finals last year tells you he’s capable of getting to the tournament. Being a sixth-year is special, because he’s getting the opportunity to wrestle another year and he’s working on his master’s. He epitomizes what we’re trying to be, which is the all-around student-athlete. He’s going to be in a war with Tanner Hall, who beat him at the intersquad. Tanner comes with a laundry list of national and international accomplishments, and he also epitomizes the student-athlete, being over a 4.00 student his entire life. Tanner has competed at the highest level around the country and around the world, so you’ve got a good situation on the team where you have all this experience all the way around. Tanner was on his mission so he might be a little rusty, it might take him a few matches to get his swing back, but once he does, he’ll be a force.”
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will open the 2015-16 home slate next week, welcoming Northern Colorado to Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. MT. The dual will be live streamed via TheSunDevils.com.
On that Sunday, Nov. 15, ASU will return to the road for the Illinois Duals in Champaign, Ill., against Illinois and SIUE.
STAUFFER WINS AT NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC
All-American Blake Stauffer opened his redshirt senior season with a victory at the 50th NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 1 at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, defeating Lehigh’s All-American Nate Brown in a 4-1, sudden victory decision.
For his efforts, Stauffer was named the red team’s outstanding wrestler for the classic, and is ASU’s 14th NWCA All-Star Classic winner in program history, the first since Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins won in 2011.
“Blake competing and ultimately winning at the NWCA All-Star Classic, him performing well in other peoples’ eyes, gives him a tremendous amount of momentum to start off the year,” head coach Zeke Jones said. “Getting the Outstanding Wrestler recognition validates the work he’s done this summer, validates the work the guys on our team have done. It gives Blake confidence, but it also gives his teammates confidence that they can win at the all-star meet as well. I think Blake feels good about his start. It’s only one match, but it’s a good start.”
ASU’S ALL-TIME NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC COMPETITORS
2015 (184)—Blake Stauffer dec. Nate Brown (Lehigh), 4-1 (SV OT)
2010 (125)—Anthony Robles tech fall Zach Sanders (Minnesota), 20-2
(157)—Bubba Jenkins major Adam Hall (Boise State), 12-4
2009 (125)—Anthony Robles withdrew from event
2007 (157)—Trent Paulson (Iowa State) dec. Brian Stith, 2-1
2006 (165)—Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan) dec. Patrick Pitsch, 4-0
2000 (165)—Steve Blackford major Kirk White (Boise State), 13-1
1997 (177)—Erich Harvey (Michigan State) dec. Aaron Simpson, 4-3 tb
1995 (167)—Markus Mollica dec. Mark Branch (Oklahoma State), 3-2
1994 (167)—Shaon Fry (Missouri) dec. Markus Mollica, 5-2
1993 (126)—Shawn Charles dec. Tony Purler (Nebraska), 8-6
1992 (126)—Terry Brands (Iowa) major Shawn Charles, 21-13
1991 (158)—Steve Hamilton (Iowa State) dec. Ray Miller, 8-6
(190)—Rex Holman dec. Mike Funk (Northwestern), 5-2
1990 (118)—Doug Wyland (North Carolina) dec. Zeke Jones, 4-3
(134)—Mike Lingenfelter (Lock Haven) injury Andy McNaughton, 4:47
(142)—Joe Reynolds (Oklahoma) dec. Thom Ortiz, 3-2
(167)—Dan St. John dec. Baron Blakely (Oklahoma), 9-2
1989 (177)—Jim Gressley withdrew from event (injured)
1988 (190)—Eric Voelker (Iowa State) dec. Mike Davies, 7-4
1981 (126)—Ricky Dellagatina (Kentucky) major Gary Bohay, 17-9
Hvy—Dan Severn tied Bruce Baumgartner (Indiana State), 4-4
1980 (190)—Dan Severn withdrew from event (injured)
1979 (177)—Steve Frazier (Michigan) dec. Dave Severn, 7-3
1978 (177)—Don Shuler dec. Jim Blackman (Franklin & Marshall), 7-4
(190)—Jim Marzone (Northwestern) dec. Dan Severn, 10-6
1977 (150)—Roye Oliver dec. Mark Churella (Michigan), 5-4
(177)—Dave Severn withdrew from event (injury)
1968 (Hvy)—Curley Culp dec. Dave Porter (Michigan), 5-2
1967 (118)—Glenn McMinn Sr. dec. Jim Anderson (Minnesota), 3-2
(Hvy)—Curley Culp pinned Dave Porter (Michigan), 3:38
ASU TO HOST THE 2016 PAC-12 WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
On Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, Arizona State will host Oregon State, Stanford, Boise State, Cal Poly, and Cal State Bakersfield at the Pac-12 Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Arena.
The Pac-12 Conference will release ticket information at a later date.
In 2015, Blake Stauffer and Christian Pagdilao became ASU’s first conference champions since 2011 with wins at 184 pounds and 149 pounds, respectively. Their performances helped ASU to a second-place finish with 107.0 points, the Sun Devils’ best finish since winning it all in 2006.
THE 2016 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships are set for March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
In 2015, ASU qualified six wrestlers, including All-American Blake Stauffer, who finished fourth overall at the 184-pound weight class. Other NCAA qualifiers returning to the 2015-16 roster include Ares Carpio (125), Matt Kraus (141), Christian Pagdilao (149), and Oliver Pierce (157).
2015 PAC-12 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR ESKAM RETURNS FOR SIXTH SEASON
ASU’s heavyweight wrestler Chace Eskam, the 2015 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, head coach Zeke Jones announced prior to the season.
Eskam was granted a final year to compete for the Sun Devils following the successful cancer battle that sidelined him during his sophomore year. Following his freshman season at Cal State Fullerton, Eskam transferred to Arizona State in 2011, was diagnosed with the illness in 2012, and went into remission the following year.
In 2013-14, Eskam returned to the mat at 197 pounds, winning his first bout in over a year by way of a 4-2 sudden-victory decision. Later in the season, Eskam moved up a weight class and started at heavyweight for the Sun Devils for the rest of the year.
In 2014-15, Eskam started each match for ASU at heavyweight, going 17-14, including a 4-1 mark in Pac-12 dual bouts. He also recorded three bonus-point victories on the year, and was the first wrestling conference scholar-athlete since the 2013 season.
THE RETURNERS
Anthony Anderson (R-Fr./174), Sully Cauley (R-Fr./197), Alexander D’Aloisio (R-Fr./133), Austyn Harris (R-Fr./HWT), Michael Oramas (R-Fr./149), Mikel Perales (R-Fr./125), Koby Reyes (R-Fr./141), Jacen Petersen (So./165), Christian Pagdilao (R-So./149), Oliver Pierce (R-So./157), Dalton Brady (Jr./133), Jesse Calderon (Jr./133), Wes Moore (Jr./197), Ryan Nantuna (Jr./149), Ares Carpio (Sr./125), Cord Coronado (Sr./133), Matt Kraus (Sr./149), Kaylon Sencio (Sr./157), Josh DaSilveira (R-Sr./197), Preston McCalmon (R-Sr./165), Tyree Owens (R-Sr./125), Blake Stauffer (R-Sr./184), Chace Eskam (6th Year Senior/HWT)
THE NEWCOMERS
Lance Benick (Fr./197/Fridley, Minn.), Jake Deutschlander (Fr./165/Carver, Minn.), Chance Eskam (Fr./HWT/Carlsbad, Calif.), Andy Gandara (Fr./141/Somerton, Ariz.), Tanner Hall (Fr./HWT/Meridian, Idaho), Paul Klein (Fr./133/New Orleans, La.), Josh Kramer (Fr./125, Buckeye, Ariz.), Josh Maruca (Fr./149/Murrysville, Pa.), Ted Rico (Fr./133/Queen Creek, Ariz.), Tyler Sage (Fr./141/Weston, Fla.), Josh Shields (Fr./157/Murrysville, Pa.), Conner Small (Fr./174/Issaquah, Wash.), Zach Smith (Fr./174/Wexford, Mass.), Antony Valencia (Fr./165/Bellflower, Calif.), Zahid Valencia (Fr./184/Bellflower, Calif.), Nikko Villarreal (Fr./Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy HS), Kirk Wilson (Fr./HWT/Baton Rouge, La.), Robbie Mathers (So./141)
ASU WELCOMES COUNTRY’S NO. 1-RANKED RECRUITING CLASS TO TEMPE
Arizona State’s incoming freshman class was named No. 1 in the nation, Amateur Wrestling News announced in August.
This marks the first time the Sun Devils have had the top recruiting class, per AWN, since 1988. The last time ASU was ranked was at 11 in 2010.
Announced in the fall of 2014, the ASU signees include Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif.), Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif.), Lance Benick (Totino-Grace HS, Fridley, Minn.), Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, Pa.), Josh Shields (Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, Pa.), and Nikko Villarreal (Gilroy, Gilroy, Calif.). Tanner Hall (Meridian, Meridian, Idaho) signed with the Sun Devils in the spring.
ANTHONY VALENICA TO TAKE 2015-16 TO PREP FOR RIO OLYMPIC TRIALS
In preparation for the upcoming Olympic Trials and the 2016 Rio Olympics, Anthony Valencia has decided to redshirt the upcoming competition season.
“You don’t get the chance to qualify to redshirt to focus on the Olympics very often when you’re someone as young as Anthony,” head coach Zeke Jones said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a high school senior qualify, but he meets the US Olympic Standard to take a year where he can train and compete, travel all around the country and the world, which will put him on track to reaching his ultimate, and really any athlete’s ultimate goal to be an Olympic Champion.”
Valencia reached the qualification standards while still in high school as he finished in the top-8 at the 2015 Senior World Team Trials earlier this year.
The U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials will be held in Iowa City, Iowa, in 2016. The event is scheduled for April 8-10, four months prior to the Olympic Games.
The 2016 Summer Olympics will be held Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
HEAD COACH ZEKE JONES
The seventh coach in ASU wrestling history, Zeke Jones was hired in April 2014. In his first season with the Sun Devils, Jones led ASU to a second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships, the best finish since 2006, and coached six wrestlers to the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships, including All-American Blake Stauffer (184 pounds).
An Olympic silver medalist for the United States, Jones was the 1991 World Champion at 52kg, a four-time World-Cup Champion, and coached United States’ Olympians in the 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2012 Olympic Games.
A member of ASU’s 1988 NCAA Wrestling Championship team, Jones was a three-time All-American and Pac-10 Champion for the Sun Devils. A national runner-up at 118, Jones sits at No. 4 in ASU’s career record book in both overall victories (134) and dual victories (59). He also holds the school record for dual match victories in a season with 22 during the 1989-90 campaign.
THE COACHING STAFF
Joining head coach Zeke Jones on the 2015-16 coaching staff are fourth-year assistant coach Lee Pritts, second-year assistant coach Chris Pendleton, and volunteer assistant Jordan Oliver.
Pendleton previously served as an assistant coach at Wyoming for four seasons, and specialized in training the team’s upper weight classes. Pendleton was a two-time NCAA Champion and three-time All-American at Oklahoma State.
Oliver, also a two-time NCAA Champion from Oklahoma State was a four-time All-American for the Cowboys, and set the career record for pins with 54. In his second year with USA Wrestling, Oliver stands as the No. 2 wrestler at 65 kg.