Tempe, Ariz. – The highly anticipated top-five matchup is almost here, as the No. 5 Sun Devil wrestling team welcomes No. 1 Penn State to Tempe for first time in series history on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. MST. The bout will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network - Arizona.
As we get closer to Friday night's match, here are five things to know:
1. Arizona State head coach Zeke Jones and Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson both competed collegiately under former ASU hall of fame coach Bobby Douglas. Jones (1988-91) was a member of Douglas's squad all four seasons he wrestled for the Maroon and Gold, becoming ASU's 10th three-time All-American while also being a part of the program's first national championship team in 1988. Sanderson (1999-02) was also coached by Douglas in his time at Iowa State, finishing up his career as a four-time national champion and three-time Dan Hodge
Award winner. Between the two programs, Douglas racked up 424 dual victories, becoming just the fourth coach in college wrestling history to win at least 400 matches.
2. The Zahid Valencia/Mark Hall saga may be over after Valencia moved up a weight class to 184 lbs., but there is still a projected 1/2 matchup with Penn State's Shakur Rasheed set to wrestle Valencia this time around. The potential meeting will be the first for the wrestlers. Valencia is 45-2 in his collegiate dual career with his only two losses coming from then #2 Mark Hall and #4 Daniel Lewis. Valencia will enter Friday's match with a 15 match win-streak on the line. Rasheed, an All-American in 2017, carries a 21-4 dual career record into his final year of eligibility
3. The Nittany Lions will be making their first ever appearance in Tempe this Friday. Last year's dual in State College, Pennsylvania, was the first non-tournament dual in series history.
Dual History (Sun Devils 3-4-1 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.)
Dec. 14, 2018 – Penn State 41, Arizona State 3 (State College, Pa.)
4. The top-ranked Nittany Lions enter Friday's contest with a 60 match win-streak – 9 shy of tying the modern era record of 69 consecutive matches set by Iowa. The Oklahoma State Cowboys own the all-time record with 76. Their last loss came at Oklahoma State back on Feb. 15, 2015. Penn State has transformed into one of the most dominant programs in college wrestling history over the past nine years, winning eight of the last nine National Championships. During that span, the Nittany Lions have totaled 55 All-American award winners.
5. Friday night's match will include five top-10 and top-25 matchups, with top-5 headliners at 165, 184 and 285. Below are projected matches for Friday:
133: #11 Josh Kramer (ASU) vs. #3 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU)
165: #5 Josh Shields (ASU) vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU)
174: #8 Anthony Valencia (ASU) vs. #1 Mark Hall (PSU)
184: #1 Zahid Valencia (ASU) vs. #2 Shakur Rasheed (PSU)
HWT: #5 Tanner Hall (ASU) vs. #1 Anthony Cassar (PSU)
Penn State will also have projected top-10 starters in #3 Nick Lee, #5 Brady Verge and #7 Kyle Conel while the Sun Devils will have a top-25 starter in #21 Josh Maruca at 149 lbs.
Flowrestling/Intermat rankings are represented.
As we get closer to Friday night's match, here are five things to know:
1. Arizona State head coach Zeke Jones and Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson both competed collegiately under former ASU hall of fame coach Bobby Douglas. Jones (1988-91) was a member of Douglas's squad all four seasons he wrestled for the Maroon and Gold, becoming ASU's 10th three-time All-American while also being a part of the program's first national championship team in 1988. Sanderson (1999-02) was also coached by Douglas in his time at Iowa State, finishing up his career as a four-time national champion and three-time Dan Hodge
Award winner. Between the two programs, Douglas racked up 424 dual victories, becoming just the fourth coach in college wrestling history to win at least 400 matches.
2. The Zahid Valencia/Mark Hall saga may be over after Valencia moved up a weight class to 184 lbs., but there is still a projected 1/2 matchup with Penn State's Shakur Rasheed set to wrestle Valencia this time around. The potential meeting will be the first for the wrestlers. Valencia is 45-2 in his collegiate dual career with his only two losses coming from then #2 Mark Hall and #4 Daniel Lewis. Valencia will enter Friday's match with a 15 match win-streak on the line. Rasheed, an All-American in 2017, carries a 21-4 dual career record into his final year of eligibility
3. The Nittany Lions will be making their first ever appearance in Tempe this Friday. Last year's dual in State College, Pennsylvania, was the first non-tournament dual in series history.
Dual History (Sun Devils 3-4-1 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.)
Dec. 14, 2018 – Penn State 41, Arizona State 3 (State College, Pa.)
4. The top-ranked Nittany Lions enter Friday's contest with a 60 match win-streak – 9 shy of tying the modern era record of 69 consecutive matches set by Iowa. The Oklahoma State Cowboys own the all-time record with 76. Their last loss came at Oklahoma State back on Feb. 15, 2015. Penn State has transformed into one of the most dominant programs in college wrestling history over the past nine years, winning eight of the last nine National Championships. During that span, the Nittany Lions have totaled 55 All-American award winners.
5. Friday night's match will include five top-10 and top-25 matchups, with top-5 headliners at 165, 184 and 285. Below are projected matches for Friday:
133: #11 Josh Kramer (ASU) vs. #3 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU)
165: #5 Josh Shields (ASU) vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU)
174: #8 Anthony Valencia (ASU) vs. #1 Mark Hall (PSU)
184: #1 Zahid Valencia (ASU) vs. #2 Shakur Rasheed (PSU)
HWT: #5 Tanner Hall (ASU) vs. #1 Anthony Cassar (PSU)
Penn State will also have projected top-10 starters in #3 Nick Lee, #5 Brady Verge and #7 Kyle Conel while the Sun Devils will have a top-25 starter in #21 Josh Maruca at 149 lbs.
Flowrestling/Intermat rankings are represented.