STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — This week, the No. 8 Sun Devil Wrestling team has the biggest test of the regular season as they take on No. 1 Penn State Friday night in State College, Pa.
The dual is slated for 6 pm ET/4 pm AZ time (MT) on ESPN2.
Leading up to this Friday's match, here are 5 things to know prior to the dual:
1. 2018 All-American and two-time Pac-12 champion (2017, 2018) Josh Shields and 2017 Pac-12 champion Josh Maruca are both graduates of Murrysville, Pa.'s Franklin Regional High School. Shields and Maruca were both part of 2015's No. 1 recruiting class at ASU and grew up just about two hours away from the location of Friday night's dual.
2. This will be the first non-tournament dual at either school's home. The only time the two teams faced on either campus was the 2001 National Duals held at Penn State on Jan. 21, 2001, also the last time the two teams faced in a dual setting.
Arizona State/Penn State Dual History
(Sun Devils 3-3-1 all-time vs. Nittany Lions)
Jan. 7, 1989 – Arizona State 19, Penn State 19 (National Duals – Virginia)
Jan. 12, 1990 – Arizona State 25, Penn State 12 (National Duals – Virginia)
Jan. 11, 1991 – Penn State 25, Arizona State 11 (National Duals – Virginia)
Jan. 27, 1991 – Arizona State 21, Penn State 20 (Norman, Okla.)
Jan. 23, 1993 – Penn State 20, Arizona State 15 (National Duals – Nebraska)
Jan. 16, 1999 – Arizona State 23, Penn State 13 (National Duals – Iowa)
Jan. 21, 2001 – Penn State 19, Arizona State 16 (National Duals – State College, Pa.)
The Nittany Lions bring a 48-match dual win streak into this weekend, their last loss at Oklahoma State on Feb. 15, 2015. Their last home loss was vs. Iowa on Feb. 8, 2015 as they have a 25-match win streak in State College. In 2019-20, Penn State will make a trip to Tempe as the second part of a home-and-home agreement.
3. The Zahid Valencia/Mark Hall history is long and storied, with two especially memorable collegiate matchups for the duo. Both meetings have come in the NCAA Championships as this will be the first during the regular season.
At the 2017 NCAA Championships, Hall gave Valencia his only collegiate loss, a 4-3 decision in the NCAA semifinals. More recently, Valencia picked up an 8-2 decision in 2018 in the 174-lb. National Championship bout as Valencia became the 11th in Sun Devil Wrestling history to win a national championship, capping an undefeated season.
Valencia is 31-0 all-time in collegiate duals while Mark Hall is 23-1, his only collegiate dual loss coming on Jan. 20, 2017 to Iowa's Alex Meyer (then ranked No. 13, Hall unranked), a 7-5 decision.
4. There are several connections between the two coaching staffs. Sun Devil assistant Jamill Kelly and Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson were Olympic teammates on the 2004 team in Athens, Greece. Kelly won silver at 66 kg while Sanderson won gold at 84 kg. In 2011, Sun Devil head coach Zeke Jones coached USA Wrestling as Sanderson came out of retirement for World Wrestling Championships, placing fifth in the world at 84 kg.
5. There are several top-10 and top-25 matchups, including two top-5 matchups at 165 and 174, projected for Friday night's dual. According to projected matchups, ranked matches are as follows:
149 - #11 Josh Maruca (ASU) vs. #13 Brady Berge (PSU)/alt: Jarod Verkleeren
157 - #16 Christian Pagdilao (ASU) vs. #1 Jason Nolf (PSU)
165 - #5 Josh Shields (ASU) vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU)
174 - #1 Zahid Valencia (ASU) vs. #2 Mark Hall (PSU)
184 - #19 Kordell Norfleet (ASU) vs. #4 Shakur Rasheed (PSU)
The Nittany Lions also have projected top-10 starters in No. 4 Nick Lee (141), No. 1 Bo Nickal (197), and No. 5 Anthony Cassar (HWT) while ASU has the No. 5 125-pounder in Ryan Millhof.
HOME SCHEDULE FEATURES THREE TOP-10 MATCHUPS
The Sun Devils will host Ohio State (Nov. 18), Michigan (Jan. 5), and Missouri (Feb. 8) in 2018-19, all three teams that finished in the top-10 at 2018 NCAA Championships.
HOME-AND-HOME WITH NO. 1 PENN STATE
In 2018, Arizona State will face the reigning national champions, No. 1 Penn State in State College, Pa. on Dec. 14, 2018. As part of a home-and-home series, the Nittany Lions will trek to Tempe in 2019-20.
SUN DEVILS TO BE FEATURED ON PAC-12 NETWORKS
Arizona State wrestling will be featured on Pac-12 Networks four times during the regular season - three at home - as well as during the Pac-12 Championship in Tempe in March.
Home matches vs. top-10 teams in Ohio State (Nov. 18/12 pm MST) and Missouri (Feb. 8/7 pm MST) as well as vs. CSU Bakersfield (Feb. 16/1:30 pm MST) and the Jan. 20 away match at Oregon State (7 pm MST) will be live on Pac-12 Networks.
BUY TICKETS
With a schedule full of top-10 teams heading to Tempe, fans are encouraged to get their season and single match tickets early by visiting https://thesundevils.com/sports/2014/10/29/209739045.aspx or by calling the Sun Devil Ticket Office at (480) 727-0000.
JOIN THE INNER CIRCLE
Sun Devil Wrestling is just one part of a very successful wrestling community in the Valley of the Sun and is happy to open its doors for the Sun Devil Wrestling Inner Circle Receptions. During a Sun Devil Wrestling Inner Circle Reception say hello to former NCAA National Champions and Olympic Medalists, have a conversation with wrestling coaches on the national stage, interact with former Sun Devil wrestlers along with friends and families of the program, and listen to a pre-match analysis from a current Sun Devil Wrestling coach.
While in the Sun Devil Wrestling Inner Circle Reception, enjoy beverages while having a light snack prior to heading to your seats to watch the Sun Devils in action.
Admission for two (2) is provide to Sun Devil Wrestling Inner Circle Receptions for wrestling supporters who donate $200 or more to Sun Devil Wrestling. Your donation will be used to continue the tradition of Sun Devil Wrestling and build a successful future.
The Sun Devil Wrestling Inner Circle Receptions are located in Room 116 inside Wells Fargo Arena. Doors open one hour prior to each Sun Devil Wrestling home contest.
Join here: https://www.sundevilclub.com/wrestling-inner-circle.