PHOENIX – The Sun Devils, ranked No. 4 by Trackwrestling, return to Phoenix on Saturday, Jan. 11 to host a quadrangular meet with No. 11 Iowa State, Campbell and Harvard at Chase Field for the first-ever collegiate wrestling event at a professional ballpark. The quad begins at 11 a.m. MST, with each team getting a chance to face each other in an all-day event.
It will be the second time in history that a college wrestling program has attempted to host an event at a Major League Baseball stadium. In 2017, Rutgers University planned to hold a match at Yankee Stadium before moving it to its college football stadium.
ASU will open the Duals on the Diamond with Harvard at 11 a.m. The match will be the second time the two programs have faced each other, as the Devils hold a 1-0 record, defeating the Pilgrims back in 2010. Directly following the bout, the Sun Devils will dual the Campbell Camels for the first time since 2017. The Maroon and Gold hold a 4-0 all-time series record over the Southern Conference opponent.
The headliner to round out the event will be a matchup with the Cyclones from Iowa State. Before the start of the match, the Sun Devils will recognize former ASU and ISU head coach Bobby Douglas with a ceremonial coin toss to kick off the ranked matchup. It is the first time the two programs have clashed since 2018 when ASU dropped ISU, 25-13. The Sun Devils hold a three-match win-streak in the series.
The match schedule is as follows:
Session 1
11 a.m. – Match 1: ASU vs. Harvard - Mat 1 // Match 2: Iowa State vs. Campbell - Mat 2
1 p.m. – Match 3: ASU vs. Campbell - Mat 1 // Match 4: Iowa State vs. Harvard - Mat 2
Session 2
5 p.m. – Match 5: Campbell vs. Harvard
7 p.m. – Match 6: ASU vs. Iowa State
Entry to the event will be through gates D & E, with the gates opening at 10 a.m. For fans and working staff, parking will be in the Chase Field Garage.
General admission for session 1 is $19 and $24 for session two. All-session passes are available for $38. If you would like to sit matside, upgrades are available for $60. To secure your seats today, visit https://thesundevils.com/DualsOnTheDiamond
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils return back to Desert Financial Arena for the first time in almost two months to open up Pac-12 conference play, when the Oregon State Beavers come to town on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. MST. The bout will be streamed live on ASU Live Stream, while live stats will be provided by Trackwrestling.
MILESTONES
- 2 bonus point wins needed for Zahid Valencia to set the record for the most career bonus point victories in ASU history (sits 2nd with 91 behind Anthony Robles's 92)
- 3 major decision wins needed for Josh Shields to move into 2nd all-time in career major wins in ASU history (sits at 30 behind Steve Blackfords' 32)
- 3 pins needed for Zahid Valencia to move into 3rd for most career pins in ASU history (sits 4th with 39 behind Gary Coleys' 41)
- 7 wins needed for Tanner Hall to eclipse the 100 career win mark (currently sits at 93)
VALENCIA BROTHERS, SCHULTZ PUNCH TICKET TO US OLYMPIC TRIALS
Anthony Valencia, Zahid Valencia and Cohlton Schultz all punched their tickets for a spot at the US Olympic Trials, set for April 4-5, after finishing within the top-five of their respective weight classes at the US Senior Nationals. Z. Valencia (86 kg) went a perfect 5-0 in his quest for first place in men's freestyle, while Schultz went 4-0 to sit atop the podium as the 130-kg Greco-Roman champion. A. Valencia battled his way through the consolation bracket to garner a fifth-place trophy in the 74-kg freestyle division.
#HODGEWATCH
Zahid Valencia has been declared the pound-for-pound best college wrestler in the nation by FloWrestling rankings. He has rattled off 13 bonus point victories in his first 14 matches, with four major decisions, two tech falls, six pins and one forfiet. He is now just one bonus wins away from tying the all-time ASU record of 92, set by former Sun Devil legend Anthony Robles (2008-11).
In 14 victories so far, Valencia has beaten some of the best college wrestlers in the nation at 184, with bonus point wins over No. 5 Trent Hidlay (NC State), No. 6 Lou Deprez (Binghampton) and No. 10 Sam Colbray (Iowa State). Not to mention, this comes after moving up a weight class from 174 to 184, where Valencia was a three-time All-American in his first three years.
ZAHID VALENCIA WINS THIRD CKLV TITLE, SUN DEVILS FINISH THIRD
Zahid Valencia not only won his third title in four years at the Cliff Keen Invitational, but he also was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament for the second time in his illustrations career. He was as dominant as he's been all season, earning five-straight bonus point victories on to a first-place trophy. As a team, the Sun Devils left Las Vegas with a third place trophy for the second time in three years, making it tied for the joint-highest finish in over 19 years.
ASU ENDS THE 60-MATCH WIN STREAK
In a record breaking crowd (8,522) at Desert Financial Arena, the Sun Devils handed No. 1 ranked Penn State their first loss since 2015, while ending a win-streak of 60 straight matches. A streak that was the longest since Iowa won 69 straight matches between 2008-2011. Winners of the last four National Championships and a team that has won eight of the last nine National titles, the Nittany Lions came into Tempe as one of the best teams in college wrestling history.
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 in 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 career 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 23-6 in the 29 duals where Hall, Shields and Z. Valencia wrestled in the lineup. Individually, Valencia was a perfect 29-0, while Shields won 26 of his 29 matches and Hall only had five losses in 29 bouts. The trio has combined for 317 victories while surrendering just 51 losses in their three seasons at ASU.
THREE SUN DEVILS CROWNED CHAMPIONS AT JOURNEYMEN
On Nov. 10, the Sun Devils opened up the new season with a trip to Troy, N.Y. 10 of 13 student athletes placed while three were crowned tournament champions at their respective weight class - No. 24 Brandon Courtney (125), No. 10 Anthony Valencia (174) and No 1 Zahid Valencia (184). Josh Kramer (133) was also a bright spot for the Sun Devils, finishing with a runner-up finish. Kramer ran through arguably the toughest stretch to get to the championship, defeating #12 Anthony Madrigal (Oklahoma), #15 Nick Farro (Lehigh) and #10 DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven).
We're excited to be hosting the first ever college wrestling event at a major league ball park this Saturday!
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) January 7, 2020
Be a part of HISTORY! Action begins at 11 am MST
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It will be the second time in history that a college wrestling program has attempted to host an event at a Major League Baseball stadium. In 2017, Rutgers University planned to hold a match at Yankee Stadium before moving it to its college football stadium.
ASU will open the Duals on the Diamond with Harvard at 11 a.m. The match will be the second time the two programs have faced each other, as the Devils hold a 1-0 record, defeating the Pilgrims back in 2010. Directly following the bout, the Sun Devils will dual the Campbell Camels for the first time since 2017. The Maroon and Gold hold a 4-0 all-time series record over the Southern Conference opponent.
The headliner to round out the event will be a matchup with the Cyclones from Iowa State. Before the start of the match, the Sun Devils will recognize former ASU and ISU head coach Bobby Douglas with a ceremonial coin toss to kick off the ranked matchup. It is the first time the two programs have clashed since 2018 when ASU dropped ISU, 25-13. The Sun Devils hold a three-match win-streak in the series.
The match schedule is as follows:
Session 1
11 a.m. – Match 1: ASU vs. Harvard - Mat 1 // Match 2: Iowa State vs. Campbell - Mat 2
1 p.m. – Match 3: ASU vs. Campbell - Mat 1 // Match 4: Iowa State vs. Harvard - Mat 2
Session 2
5 p.m. – Match 5: Campbell vs. Harvard
7 p.m. – Match 6: ASU vs. Iowa State
Entry to the event will be through gates D & E, with the gates opening at 10 a.m. For fans and working staff, parking will be in the Chase Field Garage.
General admission for session 1 is $19 and $24 for session two. All-session passes are available for $38. If you would like to sit matside, upgrades are available for $60. To secure your seats today, visit https://thesundevils.com/DualsOnTheDiamond
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils return back to Desert Financial Arena for the first time in almost two months to open up Pac-12 conference play, when the Oregon State Beavers come to town on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. MST. The bout will be streamed live on ASU Live Stream, while live stats will be provided by Trackwrestling.
MILESTONES
- 2 bonus point wins needed for Zahid Valencia to set the record for the most career bonus point victories in ASU history (sits 2nd with 91 behind Anthony Robles's 92)
- 3 major decision wins needed for Josh Shields to move into 2nd all-time in career major wins in ASU history (sits at 30 behind Steve Blackfords' 32)
- 3 pins needed for Zahid Valencia to move into 3rd for most career pins in ASU history (sits 4th with 39 behind Gary Coleys' 41)
- 7 wins needed for Tanner Hall to eclipse the 100 career win mark (currently sits at 93)
VALENCIA BROTHERS, SCHULTZ PUNCH TICKET TO US OLYMPIC TRIALS
Anthony Valencia, Zahid Valencia and Cohlton Schultz all punched their tickets for a spot at the US Olympic Trials, set for April 4-5, after finishing within the top-five of their respective weight classes at the US Senior Nationals. Z. Valencia (86 kg) went a perfect 5-0 in his quest for first place in men's freestyle, while Schultz went 4-0 to sit atop the podium as the 130-kg Greco-Roman champion. A. Valencia battled his way through the consolation bracket to garner a fifth-place trophy in the 74-kg freestyle division.
#HODGEWATCH
Zahid Valencia has been declared the pound-for-pound best college wrestler in the nation by FloWrestling rankings. He has rattled off 13 bonus point victories in his first 14 matches, with four major decisions, two tech falls, six pins and one forfiet. He is now just one bonus wins away from tying the all-time ASU record of 92, set by former Sun Devil legend Anthony Robles (2008-11).
In 14 victories so far, Valencia has beaten some of the best college wrestlers in the nation at 184, with bonus point wins over No. 5 Trent Hidlay (NC State), No. 6 Lou Deprez (Binghampton) and No. 10 Sam Colbray (Iowa State). Not to mention, this comes after moving up a weight class from 174 to 184, where Valencia was a three-time All-American in his first three years.
ZAHID VALENCIA WINS THIRD CKLV TITLE, SUN DEVILS FINISH THIRD
Zahid Valencia not only won his third title in four years at the Cliff Keen Invitational, but he also was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament for the second time in his illustrations career. He was as dominant as he's been all season, earning five-straight bonus point victories on to a first-place trophy. As a team, the Sun Devils left Las Vegas with a third place trophy for the second time in three years, making it tied for the joint-highest finish in over 19 years.
ASU ENDS THE 60-MATCH WIN STREAK
In a record breaking crowd (8,522) at Desert Financial Arena, the Sun Devils handed No. 1 ranked Penn State their first loss since 2015, while ending a win-streak of 60 straight matches. A streak that was the longest since Iowa won 69 straight matches between 2008-2011. Winners of the last four National Championships and a team that has won eight of the last nine National titles, the Nittany Lions came into Tempe as one of the best teams in college wrestling history.
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 in 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 career 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 23-6 in the 29 duals where Hall, Shields and Z. Valencia wrestled in the lineup. Individually, Valencia was a perfect 29-0, while Shields won 26 of his 29 matches and Hall only had five losses in 29 bouts. The trio has combined for 317 victories while surrendering just 51 losses in their three seasons at ASU.
THREE SUN DEVILS CROWNED CHAMPIONS AT JOURNEYMEN
On Nov. 10, the Sun Devils opened up the new season with a trip to Troy, N.Y. 10 of 13 student athletes placed while three were crowned tournament champions at their respective weight class - No. 24 Brandon Courtney (125), No. 10 Anthony Valencia (174) and No 1 Zahid Valencia (184). Josh Kramer (133) was also a bright spot for the Sun Devils, finishing with a runner-up finish. Kramer ran through arguably the toughest stretch to get to the championship, defeating #12 Anthony Madrigal (Oklahoma), #15 Nick Farro (Lehigh) and #10 DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven).