Monthly Archives: November 2017

Josiah Kline (Lock Haven) EWL Wrestler of the Week

True Freshman Josiah Kline (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge) of Lock Haven has been named the EWL Wrestler of the Week for the week ending November 26th. Kline won the 125-pound weight class at the Mat Town Open, held on the campus of Lock Haven, on Sunday while wrestling unattached. Kline won by fall in 26 seconds over Shane Metzler (Unattached from Rutgers) in the quarterfinals, by 12-1 major decision over Geo Barzona (Unattached from Bucknell) in the semifinal round, and by 9-3 decision over Dominic LaJoie (Unattached from Finger Lakes Wrestling Prep) in the championship match. With these three victories, Kline’s record now stands at 7-4 against collegiate competition on the season (8-4 against all competition).

EWL Wrestlers of the Week:

November 5: Alex Klucker (Lock Haven)
November 12: Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven)
November 19: Andy Schutz (Bloomsburg)
November 26: Josiah Kline (Lock Haven)
December 3:
December 10:
December 17:
December 24:
December 31:
January 7:
January 14:
January 21:
January 28:
February 4:
February 11:
February 18:

NAIA Week in Preview, November 27-December 3

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

*-indicates one-pound weight allowance shall be granted.

Monday, November 27:

Bellarmine at Lindsey Wilson, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, November 28:

Missouri Baptist at Hannibal-LaGrange, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Wednesday, November 29:

Truett-McConnell at Reinhardt, 7:00 PM
Ottawa at Kansas Wesleyan, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Thursday, November 30:

Central Baptist at Lindenwood-Belleville, 6:00 PM (5:00 PM)
Lourdes at Adrian, 7:00 PM
Huntingdon at Brewton-Parker, 7:00 PM
Dakota Wesleyan at Concordia (NE), 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Doane at Midland, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Benedictine at Missouri Valley, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Briar Cliff at Northwestern (IA), 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
William Penn at Truman State, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Calumet vs. Central Baptist at Lindenwood-Belleville, time TBA
Calumet at Lindenwood-Belleville, time TBA

Friday, December 1:

Embry-Riddle at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
West Virginia Tech at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 12:00 PM
Eastern Oregon, Montana State-Northern, Providence at Battle of the Rockies Duals, hosted by Providence, 3:00 PM (1:00 PM)
Hampden-Sydney at St. Andrews, 7:00 PM
Graceland at Baker, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Saturday, December 2:

Cumberland, Indiana Tech, Marian at Little State Championships, hosted by Manchester (North Manchester, IN), 9:00 AM
*West Virginia Tech at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 9:00 AM
Campbellsville at ONU Invitational, hosted by Ohio Northern (Ada, OH), 9:00 AM
Briar Cliff, Concordia (NE), Midland, Morningside, Northwestern (IA), Waldorf at Buena Vista Open, hosted by Buena Vista (Storm Lake, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Lindenwood-Belleville, Missouri Valley at Drury Open, hosted by Drury (Springfield, MO), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Jamestown at Dragon Open, hosted by Minnesota State-Moorhead, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Hannibal-LaGrange at MSOE Invitational, hosted by MSOE, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Allen, Life at UCF Open, Orlando, FL, 10:00 AM
Central Baptist, Lyon, Williams Baptist at Hatcher Invite, hosted by Ouachita Baptist (Arkadelphia, AR), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Dakota Wesleyan, Grand View, William Penn at Luther Hill Invitational, hosted by Simpson (IA) (Indianola, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Bacone, Central Christian, Hastings, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Ottawa, Wayland Baptist at Wayland Baptist Invitational, hosted by Wayland Baptist (Plainview, TX), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
*Embry-Riddle at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
Lourdes at Ohio Valley, 1:00 PM
Cumberlands at Southeastern, 1:00 PM
Belmont Abbey at Truett-McConnell, 1:00 PM
Cumberlands vs. Reinhardt at Southeastern, 2:30 PM
Warner Pacific at Clackamas, Oregon City, OR, 3:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Reinhardt at Southeastern, 4:00 PM
Warner Pacific vs. SW Oregon CC at Oregon City, OR, 5:00 PM (2:00 PM)
Southern Oregon at San Francisco State, 5:00 PM (2:00 PM)
Grand View at Benedictine, 6:00 PM (5:00 PM)
Warner Pacific vs. Highlands at Oregon City, OR, 7:00 PM (4:00 PM)
Eastern Oregon, Montana State Northern, Providence at Battle of the Rockies Open, hosted by Providence (Great Falls, MT), Time TBA

Sunday, December 3:

Life vs. Emmanuel at Newberry, 8:00 AM
Life vs. North Carolina Pembroke at Newberry, 9:30 AM
Bethany, Kansas Wesleyan, Oklahoma City at FHSU-Bob Smith Open, hosted by Fort Hays State (Hays, KS), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Life vs. Queens at Newberry, 11:00 AM
Life vs. Limestone at Newberry, 12:30 PM
Dakota Wesleyan vs. Augustana (SD) at Spearfish, SD, 2:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Dakota Wesleyan vs. South Dakota State at Spearfish, SD, 3:30 PM (1:30 PM)
Dakota Wesleyan vs. Northern State at Spearfish, SD, 5:00 PM (3:00 PM)
*Southern Oregon at Simpson (CA), 7:00 PM (4:00 PM)

D-3 Week in Preview, November 27-December 3

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

*-indicates one-pound weight allowance shall be granted.

Tuesday, November 28:

Baldwin Wallace at Ohio Northern, 7:30 PM
Mount Union at Otterbein, 7:30 PM

Wednesday, November 29:

Hampden-Sydney at Southern Virginia, 6:00 PM
East Stroudsburg at Scranton, 7:00 PM
Concordia-Moorhead at Mary, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-Parkside, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Thursday, November 30:

Coast Guard at Navy Prep, Newport, RI, 6:30 PM
Lourdes at Adrian, 7:00 PM
Huntingdon at Brewton-Parker, 7:00 PM
Missouri Baptist at MacMurray, 7:00 PM (6:00 PM)
Augustana (IL) vs. Simpson (IA) at Central, 7:30 PM (6:30 PM)
Saint John’s at Minnesota State-Mankato, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Augustana (IL) at Central, 9:00 PM (8:00 PM)

Friday, December 1:

Bridgewater State, Gettysburg, Greensboro, Messiah, Mount Union, Muhlenberg, Muskingum, Penn College of Technology, Springfield, Ursinus, Waynesburg at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 12:00 PM
Keystone at Hunter, 3:30 PM
Hampden-Sydney at St. Andrews, 7:00 PM
Rhode Island College at Western New England, 7:00 PM
Alfred State vs. Jamestown CC at Sanborn, NY, time TBA
Alfred State vs. Muskegon CC at Sanborn, NY, time TBA

Saturday, December 2:

Castleton, Coast Guard, Johnson & Wales, New England, Plymouth State, Roger Williams, Southern Maine, Trinity at Ted Reese Invitational, hosted by Southern Maine (Gorham, ME), 8:00 AM
Averett, Baldwin Wallace, Brockport, Cortland, Delaware Valley, Elizabethtown, Ferrum, Ithaca, Johns Hopkins, Johnson & Wales, Merchant Marine Academy, North Central, Roger Williams, Stevens, TCNJ, Williams, York (PA) at New Standard Corp. Invitational, hosted by York (PA) (York, PA), 8:00 AM
Manchester, Wabash at Little State Championships, hosted by Manchester (North Manchester, IN), 9:00 AM
*Bridgewater State, Gettysburg, Greensboro, Messiah, Mount Union, Muhlenberg, Muskingum, Penn College of Technology, Springfield, Ursinus, Waynesburg at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 9:00 AM
Adrian, Alma, Heidelberg, Mount St. Joseph, Ohio Northern, Olivet, Otterbein, Trine, Washington & Lee at ONU Invitational, hosted by Ohio Northern (Ada, OH), 9:00 AM
Case Western Reserve, John Carroll, Lycoming, Norwich, Oneonta, Oswego, RIT, Scranton, Thiel, Wesleyan, Worcester Polytechnic at RIT Invitational, hosted by RIT (Rochester, NY), 9:00 AM
Alfred State, Brockport at Thunderwolves Open (Sanborn, NY), 9:30 AM
Buena Vista, Central, Dubuque, Nebraska Wesleyan, Westminster at Buena Vista Open, hosted by Buena Vista (Storm Lake, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Saint John’s at Dragon Open, hosted by Minnesota State-Moorhead (Moorhead, MN), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Central, Chicago, Concordia-Wisconsin, Lakeland, Millikin, MSOE, St. Olaf, Wheaton, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin-Platteville at MSOE Invitational, hosted by MSOE (Milwaukee, WI), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
University of the Ozarks at Hatcher Invite, hosted by Ouachita Baptist (Arkadelphia, AR), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Coe, Simpson (IA) at Luther Hill Invitational, hosted by Simpson (IA) (Indianola, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Augsburg vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Concordia-Moorhead vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Cornell College vs. Elmhurst at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Wartburg at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Luther, Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Wisconsin Open, hosted by Wisconsin-Parkside (Somers, WI), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Augsburg vs. Cornell College at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 11:30 AM (10:30 AM)
Concordia-Moorhead vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 11:30 AM (10:30 AM)
Elmhurst vs. Loras at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 11:30 AM (10:30 AM)
Wartburg vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 11:30 AM (10:30 AM)
Southern Virginia at McDaniel, 12:00 PM
Wilkes at McDaniel, 12:00 PM
Southern Virginia vs. Wilkes at McDaniel, 12:00 PM
Augsburg vs. Elmhurst at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Concordia-Moorhead at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Loras vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Wartburg vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Augsburg vs. Loras at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2:30 PM (1:30 PM)
Cornell College at Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2:30 PM (1:30 PM)
Penn State-Behrend vs. West Liberty at Washington & Jefferson, 3:00 PM
Thomas More at Washington & Jefferson, 3:00 PM
Penn State-Behrend at Washington & Jefferson, 4:30 PM
Thomas More vs. West Liberty at Washington & Jefferson, 4:30 PM
Penn State-Behrend vs. Thomas More at Washington & Jefferson, 6:00 PM
West Liberty at Washington & Jefferson, 6:00 PM

Thursday, December 3:

Centenary, Hunter, Mount Saint Vincent, New York University at Bob Quade Cyclone Open, hosted by Centenary (Hackettstown, NJ), 9:00 AM

D-2 Week in Preview, November 27-December 3

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

*-indicates one-pound weight allowance shall be granted.

Monday, November 27:

Bellarmine at Lindsey Wilson, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, November 28:

Limestone at Davidson, 7:00 PM
Coker at Belmont Abbey, 7:30 PM

Wednesday, November 29:

East Stroudsburg at Scranton, 7:00 PM
Central Missouri vs. Ouachita Baptist at Springdale, AR, 7:00 PM (6:00 PM)
Concordia-Moorhead at Mary, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-Parkside, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Thursday, November 30:

Wheeling Jesuit at West Liberty, 7:00 PM
Saint John’s at Minnesota State-Mankato, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Southwest Minnesota State at St. Cloud State, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
William Penn at Truman State, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Friday, December 1:

California Baptist, Nebraska-Kearney at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
Alderson Broaddus at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 12:00 PM
McKendree, Minot State, Simon Fraser at Battle of the Rockies Duals, hosted by Providence (Great Falls, MT), 3:00 PM (1:00 PM)
Central Oklahoma at Fort Hays State, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Northeastern JC at Colorado School of Mines, 9:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Chadron State at Western State Colorado, 9:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Saturday, December 2:

American International at Ted Reese Invitational, hosted by Southern Maine (Gorham, ME), 8:00 AM
Indianapolis at Little State Championships, hosted by Manchester (North Manchester, IN), 9:00 AM
*Alderson Broaddus at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah (Mechanicsburg, PA), 9:00 AM
Tiffin at ONU Invitational, hosted by Ohio Northern (Ada, OH), 9:00 AM
Minnesota State-Mankato, Southwest Minnesota State, Upper Iowa at Buena Vista Open, hosted by Buena Vista (Storm Lake, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Drury at Drury Open, hosted by Drury (Springfield, MO), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Mary, Minnesota State-Moorhead at Dragon Open, hosted by Minnesota State-Moorhead (Moorhead, MN), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
North Carolina Pembroke at UCF Open, Orlando, FL, 10:00 AM
Ouachita Baptist at Hatcher Invite, hosted by Ouachita Baptist (Arkadelphia, AR), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Central Missouri, Truman State at Luther Hill Invitational, hosted by Simpson (IA) (Indianola, IA), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Findlay, Lindenwood, Maryville, Wisconsin-Parkside at Wisconsin Open, hosted by Wisconsin-Parkside (Somers, WI), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Gannon vs. LIU Post at Mercyhurst, 11:00 AM
Millersville at Mercyhurst, 11:00 AM
*California Baptist, Nebraska-Kearney at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
Kutztown at Seton Hill, 12:00 PM
Gannon vs. Millersville at Mercyhurst, 1:00 PM
LIU Post at Mercyhurst, 1:00 PM
Ohio Valley vs. Lourdes at Parkersburg, WV, 1:00 PM
Ohio Valley vs. Kent State-Tuscawaras at Parkersburg, WV, 1:00 PM
Belmont Abbey at Truett-McConnell, 1:00 PM
Pitt-Johnstown at Ashland, 3:00 PM
LIU Post vs. Millersville at Mercyhurst, 3:00 PM
West Liberty vs. Penn State-Behrend at Washington & Jefferson, 3:00 PM
West Liberty vs. Thomas More at Washington & Jefferson, 4:30 PM
Southern Oregon at San Francisco State, 5:00 PM (2:00 PM)
West Liberty at Washington & Jefferson, 6:00 PM
*Chadron State at Colorado Mesa, 8:00 PM (6:00 PM)
McKendree, Minot State, Simon Fraser at Battle of the Rockies Open, hosted by University of Providence (Great Falls, MT), Time TBA

Sunday, December 3:

East Stroudsburg vs. Limestone at Newberry, 8:00 AM
Emmanuel vs. Life at Newberry, 8:00 AM
Queens at Newberry, 8:00 AM
North Carolina State vs. St. Cloud State at Newberry, 8:00 AM
Bellarmine vs. Emmanuel at Newberry, 9:30 AM
Coker vs. Queens at Newberry, 9:30 AM
East Stroudsburg at Newberry, 9:30 AM
North Carolina Pembroke vs. Life at Newberry, 9:30 AM
Adams State, Central Oklahoma, Colorado School of Mines, Fort Hays State, Newman at FHSU-Bob Smith Open, hosted by Fort Hays State (Hays, KS), 10:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Davenport, Gannon, Lake Erie, Notre Dame College, Wheeling Jesuit at Storm Open, hosted by Lake Erie (Painesville, OH), 10:00 AM
Chadron State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado School of Mines, Western State Colorado at Colorado Mesa Open, hosted by Colorado Mesa (Grand Junction, CO), 11:00 AM (9:00 AM)
Bellarmine at Newberry, 11:00 AM
Coker vs. St. Cloud State at Newberry, 11:00 AM
East Stroudsburg at Emmanuel at Newberry, 11:00 AM
Queens vs. Life at Newberry, 11:00 AM
Bellarmine vs. North Carolina Pembroke at Newberry, 12:30 PM
Emmanuel vs. Queens at Newberry, 12:30 PM
Limestone vs. Life at Newberry, 12:30 PM
St. Cloud State at Newberry, 12:30 PM
Bellarmine vs. Coker at Newberry, 2:00 PM
Limestone vs. St. Cloud State at Newberry, 2:00 PM
Augustana (SD) vs. Dakota Wesleyan at Spearfish, SD, 2:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Northern State vs. South Dakota State at Spearfish, SD, 2:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Augustana (SD) vs. Northern State at Spearfish, SD, 3:30 PM (1:30 PM)
Augustana (SD) vs. South Dakota State at Spearfish, SD, 5:00 PM (3:00 PM)
Northern State vs. Dakota Wesleyan at Spearfish, SD, 5:00 PM (3:00 PM)

D-1 Week in Preview, November 27-December 3

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

*-indicates one-pound weight allowance shall be granted.

Tuesday, November 28:

Limestone at Davidson, 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 30:

Old Dominion at North Carolina State, 7:30 PM

Friday, December 1:

Air Force, American, Arizona State, Army West Point, Binghamton, Brown, Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Columbia, Cornell, CSU Bakersfield, Drexel, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Edinboro, Fresno State, Harvard, Iowa State, Kent State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Navy, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford, Utah Valley, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
Rutgers at Lock Haven, 7:00 PM
Lehigh at Princeton, 7:00 PM
Rider at Penn, 7:30 PM
Illinois at Iowa, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Saturday, December 2:

Cleveland State vs. Northern Illinois at Indiana, 10:00 AM
Southern Illinois Edwardsville at Indiana, 10:00 AM
Cleveland State at Indiana, 11:30 AM
Northern Illinois vs. Southern Illinois Edwardsville at Indiana, 11:30 AM
Appalachian State at Ohio, 11:30 AM
Bloomsburg at George Mason, 12:00 PM
*Air Force, American, Arizona State, Army West Point, Binghamton, Brown, Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Columbia, Cornell, CSU Bakersfield, Drexel, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Edinboro, Fresno State, Harvard, Iowa State, Kent State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Navy, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford, Utah Valley, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, 12:00 PM (9:00 AM)
Cleveland State vs. Southern Illinois Edwardsville at Indiana, 1:00 PM
Northern Illinois at Indiana, 1:00 PM
Old Dominion at Missouri, 1:00 PM (12:00 PM)
Chattanooga at Davidson, 2:00 PM
Maryland at Northwestern, 3:00 PM (2:00 PM)
Franklin & Marshall at VMI, 4:00 PM
Chattanooga vs. North Carolina State at Mooresville, NC, 7:00 PM

Sunday, December 3:

Campbell vs. Penn at Hofstra, 12:00 PM
The Citadel at Hofstra, 12:00 PM
Lehigh vs. Penn State at Allentown, PA, 2:00 PM
Campbell at Hofstra, 2:00 PM
Penn vs. The Citadel at Hofstra, 2:00 PM
South Dakota State vs. Northern State at Spearfish, SD, 2:00 PM (12:00 PM)
South Dakota State vs. Dakota Wesleyan at Spearfish, SD, 3:30 PM (1:30 PM)
Penn at Hofstra, 4:00 PM
*George Mason at Sacred Heart, 5:00 PM
South Dakota State vs. Augustana (SD), 5:00 PM (3:00 PM)

Andy Schutz (Bloomsburg) named EWL Wrestler of the Week

Redshirt senior Andy Schutz (Exeter, PA/Wyoming Area/Seton Hill) of Bloomsburg has been named the EWL Wrestler of the Week for the week ending November 19th. He started his week off with a victory on Thursday night, November 16th with a 4-0 win over Garrett Pepple of Indiana in the 133-pound match during their home dual meet, helping Bloomsburg nearly knock off the Hoosiers, as they fell only 19-18. He then won the 133-pound bracket of the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday at Army West Point in West Point, NY, beating Lane Peters of Army West Point 8-3 in the quarterfinals, Alex Mackall of Rutgers 12-9 in the semifinals, and then, in the final, beating 2017 National Qualifier DJ Fehlman of Lock Haven 9-2. With those four wins, Schutz ran his record to 10-2 for this season so far. This follows a 10-3 record against collegiate competition in 2016-17 while competing unattached (13-6 overall), and he had previously gone 19-17 in 2015-16, 15-18 in 2014-15, and, while competing for Seton Hill in 2013-14, he had a 24-11 record.

EWL Wrestlers of the Week:

November 5: Alex Klucker (Lock Haven)
November 12: Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven)
November 19: Andy Schutz (Bloomsburg)
November 26:
December 3:
December 10:
December 17:
December 24:
December 31:
January 7:
January 14:
January 21:
January 28:
February 4:
February 11:
February 18:

The Rebirth

By Britt Malinsky

FRESNO, CA-4,290 days. That’s how long it had been since the last time the mat was rolled up at the Save Mart Center, when UC Davis beat the Bulldogs, 32-13, in a dual that nobody knew would be the last for some time. That’s how long residents of the Central Valley would have to wait to see a wrestling team that was cut, unexpectedly, and for dubious reasons. So when 6,840 fans showed up to cheer on their team that had been stripped from them, that, in itself, was a start. The team had to pick up where the fans left them.

And they did. Two top-20 Fighting Illini wrestlers (depending on which ranking service you use) were defeated, one by major decision (Khristian Olivas, over Eric Barone at 149 pounds), and another where whether it would be a decision or a major was still undecided up until the final seconds (Greg Gaxiola over Kyle Langenderfer at 157 pounds). AJ Nevills, at heavyweight, had a come-from-behind victory of his own. And while those were the only wrestlers who wound up victorious, it was obvious that head coach Troy Steiner had his boys ready to wrestle. Isaiah Hokit scored a takedown on Illinois’ two-time national champion Isaiah Martinez, and was in on several other good shot attempts, before Martinez ground him down as the match went on. Dominic Kincaid wrestled David Riojas gamely for a period and a half before being worked to his back and stuck. And Richie Brandt lost a one-point match to Andre Lee that, wrestled again, could have gone either way.

The night didn’t go entirely the way the Bulldog faithful wanted it to go. While 6,840 fans is a lot at nearly every Division I college wrestling program not named Iowa or Penn State, it was less than the 8-10,000 fans Steiner was hoping for. Illinois is the sort of program that, given time, Fresno State expects to be competitive with, if not beating. However, for a program that had not competed in front of its home fans for 4,290 days, it was certainly a start.

Britt Malinsky is the Editor-in-Chief of WrestlingByPirate.

CORRECTION: This article originally stated the number of days since the last Fresno State home dual incorrectly, due to an editorial error.

D-3 Week in Preview, November 20-26

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

Monday, November 20:

Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, November 21:

Western New England at Worcester Polytechnic, 7:00 PM
Augustana (IL) at MacMurray, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Buena Vista at Northwestern (IA), 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Luther at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
Wisconsin-Platteville at Wisconsin-Whitewater, 8:00 PM (7:00 PM)
St. Olaf at Augsburg, 8:30 PM (7:30 PM)

Wednesday, November 22:

Shippensburg at Elizabethtown, 7:00 PM

D-2 Week in Preview, November 20-26

All times Eastern, with local times in parenthesis.

Monday, November 20:

Thaddeus Stevens at Millersville, 7:00 PM

Tuesday, November 21:

Belmont Abbey at King, 1:00 PM
Belmont Abbey (split-squad) at Queens, 5:00 PM
Cumberlands at Bellarmine, 6:00 PM
Pitt-Johnstown at East Stroudsburg, 7:00 PM

Wednesday, November 22:

Shippensburg at Elizabethtown, 7:00 PM

Saturday, November 26:

Indianapolis vs. Binghamton at Indiana, 10:00 AM
Indianapolis vs. Eastern Michigan at Indiana, 11:30 AM
Indianapolis at Indiana, 1:00 PM