TEMPE, Ariz. — The No. 5 Sun Devil Wrestling team will make their home debut of the 2019-20 season at Desert Financial Arena, when they host Augustana (South Dakota) (Nov. 15/7 p.m.) and McKendree (Nov. 16/12 p.m.). Both duals will be streamed on ASU Live Stream.
Following the dual against McKendree on Saturday, the Sun Devils will hold a three team open tournament with Augustana and McKendree. The tournament will give fans a chance to watch ASU's No. 2 overall recruiting class from 2019 in action, as they wrestle unattached.
ASU returns home after beating two top-25 programs last week in New York, defeating #20 Virginia (27-12) and #23 Purdue (22-19) at the Journeymen Duals. The Devils also found success at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, as 10 wrestlers placed, including three who took home first place titles. Seniors' Zahid Valencia, Josh Shields and Josh Kramer were among the bright spots for the Sun Devils, as they combined for a 14-2 record, including five wins by way of fall.
The Sun Devils seek their second matchup against Augustana in program history on Friday. It's the first time the two programs have competed against each other since 1978, as ASU came out victorious the last time they met. On Saturday, ASU will take on McKendree, who will be making their first appearance in Tempe. The Bearcats enter the 2019-20 season with a third overall ranking at the Division ll level.
ASU will return back to Desert Financial Arena next week, as they get set for a top-5 matchup against reigning national champion Penn State. The bout gets underway Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 pm, with a live broadcast on Pac-12 Network. Fans can purchase tickets for all home duals here: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/sundevils/EN/buy/browse?g%5B0%5D=24852
THE BIG THREE
The 2019-20 season will bring a familiar face back to the lineup for the Sun Devils, as heavyweight Tanner Hall returns to the squad after redshirting the 2018-19 season. Hall rejoins fellow teammates Zahid Valencia and Josh Shields in their final year together. The three All-Americans have been exceptional in their careers at ASU and have proved to be important cogs when all three are featured in the starting lineup. The team has gone on to go 20-5 in the 25 duals where Hall, Shields and Valencia wrestled in the lineup. Individually, Valencia was a perfect 25-0, while Shields won 23 of his 25 matches and Hall only had four losses in 25 bouts. The trio have combined for 301 victories while surrendering just 48 losses in their three seasons at ASU.
HOME SCHEDULE FEATURES #1 PENN STATE
ASU will get set for a highly anticipated matchup against nine-time national champion and preseason No. 1 Penn State on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The historic bout against the Nittany Lions will take place on the Pac-12 Network. The dual will be the last part of home-and-home series between the two programs, as the Sun Devils visited State College, Pennsylvania, last season. ASU holds 3-4-1 record against the Nittany Lions and welcomes the defending champs to Tempe for the first time in the series.
ASU WRESTLING GARNERS #2 RECRUITING CLASS
After landing the No.1 pound-for-pound recruit in heavyweight Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State moved up to the second-best recruiting class in the nation behind No. 1 Ohio State, according to intermatwrestlecom. The 2019 class also features three-time Pennsylvania state champion Julian Chlebove, Orange Country wrestler of the year Trey Munoz and New Jersey state champion Nick Raimo.
TOWNSEND SAUNDERS INDUCTED INTO NWHOF
Former Sun Devil wrestler Townsend Saunders was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and incoming freshman Cohlton Schultz received the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award at the NWHOF's 43rd annual Honors Weekend in Stillwater.
Saunders was a two-time Pac-10 Champion and two-time NCAA Division I All-American during his time as a Sun Devil, finishing second in the nation at 142 lbs. in 1989 and third at the 150 lbs. weight class in 1990. He holds a career mark of 77-9 while competing for ASU, a .895 win percentage that places him at fourth all-time in the program. He is also tied for fourth in dual victories in a season with 20 wins in 1989-90 and is tied for seventh on the Sun Devils' single-season overall victories list with 40 wins in 1988-89.
Saunders was an assistant coach at Arizona State from 2001-03 while also serving as executive director and coach for the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. He coached the United States women's team to seven medals in seven weights, winning a gold medal, four silver medals and two bronze medals, at the World Championships in 2003. Saunders was named USA Wrestling's Coach of the Year in 2004 after being coach of the United States women's wrestling team the first time that women's wrestling competed in the Olympics in 2004. He was inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame in 2011 and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013.
ASU WRESTLING ON NATIONAL BROADCASTS
The No. 4 Sun Devil Wrestling team will make multiple appearances on Pac-12 Networks during the 2019-20 campaign, including a top-five matchup against reigning national champion Penn State in Desert Financial Arena (Nov. 22 at 7 pm MST), and a senior night dual against Pac-12 foe Stanford (Jan. 31 at 6 pm MST). A bout hosted by national runner-up from a year ago, Ohio State will also be broadcast live on FS1, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. MST.
Sun Devil Wrestling's final national broadcast exposure will conclude at the Pac-12 Championships on March 7 in Palo Alto, California. Earlier rounds will be live streamed, while the final round will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network.
THE STAFF
Joining head coach Zeke Jones on the 2018-19 coaching staff are eighth-year assistant coach Lee Pritts, sixth-year assistant coach Chris Pendleton, and second-year volunteer assistant Jamill Kelly.
Pritts, considered one of the top recruiters in the country, previously worked at North Carolina State, Old Dominion, and Missouri. He was an All-American at Eastern Michigan and qualified for the 2000 Olympic trials. This summer, he was a coach for USA Wrestling at the Cadet Freestyle World Championships.
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. In summer 2017, he served as an assistant coach for the USA Wrestling Junior World Freestyle Team in Finland where Zahid Valencia won a silver medal.
Kelly, a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in Athens, Greece, is a two-time World Team member, and four-time US National Team member. A US Open Champion, he is also a two-time Pan Am Games silver medalist, competing for Oklahoma State from 1997-2000.
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. 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.
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.
Join here: https://www.sundevilclub.com/wrestling-inner-circle.
Following the dual against McKendree on Saturday, the Sun Devils will hold a three team open tournament with Augustana and McKendree. The tournament will give fans a chance to watch ASU's No. 2 overall recruiting class from 2019 in action, as they wrestle unattached.
ASU returns home after beating two top-25 programs last week in New York, defeating #20 Virginia (27-12) and #23 Purdue (22-19) at the Journeymen Duals. The Devils also found success at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, as 10 wrestlers placed, including three who took home first place titles. Seniors' Zahid Valencia, Josh Shields and Josh Kramer were among the bright spots for the Sun Devils, as they combined for a 14-2 record, including five wins by way of fall.
The Sun Devils seek their second matchup against Augustana in program history on Friday. It's the first time the two programs have competed against each other since 1978, as ASU came out victorious the last time they met. On Saturday, ASU will take on McKendree, who will be making their first appearance in Tempe. The Bearcats enter the 2019-20 season with a third overall ranking at the Division ll level.
ASU will return back to Desert Financial Arena next week, as they get set for a top-5 matchup against reigning national champion Penn State. The bout gets underway Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 pm, with a live broadcast on Pac-12 Network. Fans can purchase tickets for all home duals here: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/sundevils/EN/buy/browse?g%5B0%5D=24852
THE BIG THREE
The 2019-20 season will bring a familiar face back to the lineup for the Sun Devils, as heavyweight Tanner Hall returns to the squad after redshirting the 2018-19 season. Hall rejoins fellow teammates Zahid Valencia and Josh Shields in their final year together. The three All-Americans have been exceptional in their careers at ASU and have proved to be important cogs when all three are featured in the starting lineup. The team has gone on to go 20-5 in the 25 duals where Hall, Shields and Valencia wrestled in the lineup. Individually, Valencia was a perfect 25-0, while Shields won 23 of his 25 matches and Hall only had four losses in 25 bouts. The trio have combined for 301 victories while surrendering just 48 losses in their three seasons at ASU.
HOME SCHEDULE FEATURES #1 PENN STATE
ASU will get set for a highly anticipated matchup against nine-time national champion and preseason No. 1 Penn State on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The historic bout against the Nittany Lions will take place on the Pac-12 Network. The dual will be the last part of home-and-home series between the two programs, as the Sun Devils visited State College, Pennsylvania, last season. ASU holds 3-4-1 record against the Nittany Lions and welcomes the defending champs to Tempe for the first time in the series.
ASU WRESTLING GARNERS #2 RECRUITING CLASS
After landing the No.1 pound-for-pound recruit in heavyweight Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State moved up to the second-best recruiting class in the nation behind No. 1 Ohio State, according to intermatwrestlecom. The 2019 class also features three-time Pennsylvania state champion Julian Chlebove, Orange Country wrestler of the year Trey Munoz and New Jersey state champion Nick Raimo.
TOWNSEND SAUNDERS INDUCTED INTO NWHOF
Former Sun Devil wrestler Townsend Saunders was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and incoming freshman Cohlton Schultz received the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award at the NWHOF's 43rd annual Honors Weekend in Stillwater.
Saunders was a two-time Pac-10 Champion and two-time NCAA Division I All-American during his time as a Sun Devil, finishing second in the nation at 142 lbs. in 1989 and third at the 150 lbs. weight class in 1990. He holds a career mark of 77-9 while competing for ASU, a .895 win percentage that places him at fourth all-time in the program. He is also tied for fourth in dual victories in a season with 20 wins in 1989-90 and is tied for seventh on the Sun Devils' single-season overall victories list with 40 wins in 1988-89.
Saunders was an assistant coach at Arizona State from 2001-03 while also serving as executive director and coach for the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. He coached the United States women's team to seven medals in seven weights, winning a gold medal, four silver medals and two bronze medals, at the World Championships in 2003. Saunders was named USA Wrestling's Coach of the Year in 2004 after being coach of the United States women's wrestling team the first time that women's wrestling competed in the Olympics in 2004. He was inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame in 2011 and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013.
ASU WRESTLING ON NATIONAL BROADCASTS
The No. 4 Sun Devil Wrestling team will make multiple appearances on Pac-12 Networks during the 2019-20 campaign, including a top-five matchup against reigning national champion Penn State in Desert Financial Arena (Nov. 22 at 7 pm MST), and a senior night dual against Pac-12 foe Stanford (Jan. 31 at 6 pm MST). A bout hosted by national runner-up from a year ago, Ohio State will also be broadcast live on FS1, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. MST.
Sun Devil Wrestling's final national broadcast exposure will conclude at the Pac-12 Championships on March 7 in Palo Alto, California. Earlier rounds will be live streamed, while the final round will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network.
THE STAFF
Joining head coach Zeke Jones on the 2018-19 coaching staff are eighth-year assistant coach Lee Pritts, sixth-year assistant coach Chris Pendleton, and second-year volunteer assistant Jamill Kelly.
Pritts, considered one of the top recruiters in the country, previously worked at North Carolina State, Old Dominion, and Missouri. He was an All-American at Eastern Michigan and qualified for the 2000 Olympic trials. This summer, he was a coach for USA Wrestling at the Cadet Freestyle World Championships.
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. In summer 2017, he served as an assistant coach for the USA Wrestling Junior World Freestyle Team in Finland where Zahid Valencia won a silver medal.
Kelly, a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in Athens, Greece, is a two-time World Team member, and four-time US National Team member. A US Open Champion, he is also a two-time Pan Am Games silver medalist, competing for Oklahoma State from 1997-2000.
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. 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.
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.
Join here: https://www.sundevilclub.com/wrestling-inner-circle.