Friday, December 8
USAFA, CO
7:00 PM
Air Force Academy
vs
West Virginia
Falcon Wrestling Host No. 21 West Virginia for Big 12 Dual Meet
12/7/2023 9:59:00 AM | Wrestling
Air Force (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 21 West Virginia (4-1, 0-1 Big 12)
7 p.m. MT, Friday, December 8
Clune Arena, USAF Academy, Colo.
Big 12 Conference dual
FOLLOW ALONG
The dual meet will be live streamed on FloWrestling.com. Fans can also follow along on X.com (formerly Twitter), for live match updates. Live results will be provided on TrackWrestling.com.
SPARKS WILL FLY
WVU boasts an impressive nine wrestlers nationally ranked in the top-33. The Falcons have four nationally ranked wrestlers of their own. Nationally ranked meetings will happen at 125, 165, 184, and heavyweight.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
125: #27 Tucker Owens (AF) vs. #25 Jett Strickenberger (WVU)
133: Brenden Barnes (AF) vs. Davin Rhoads (WVU)
141: Garrett Kuchan (AF) vs. #22 Jordan Titus (WVU)
149: Joe Fernau (AF) vs. #28 Ty Watters (WVU)
157: Brooks Gable (AF) vs. #28 Caleb Dowling (WVU)
165: #17 Giano Petrucelli (AF) vs. #12 Peyton Hall (WVU)
174: Noah Blake (AF) vs. #29 Brody Conley (WVU)
184: #8 Sam Wolf (AF) vs. #24 Dennis Robin (WVU)
197: Calvin Sund (AF) vs. #28 Austin Cooley (WVU)
285: #2 Wyatt Hendrickson (AF) vs. #23 Michael Wolfgram (WVU)
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Mountaineers won six-straight weight classes from 141 to 184 to pull ahead of the Falcons, 20-18, in last season's meeting in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Feb. 10, 2023 - #23 West Virginia 20, #27 Air Force 18
125 #29 Tucker Owens (AF) MD Colton Drousias, 9-1 | AF 4, WVU 0
133 #19 Cody Phippen (AF) TF David Rhoads (WVU), 18-0 (2:48) | AF 9, WVU 0
141 #HM Jordan Titus (WVU) Dec. Garrett Kuchan (AF), 6-3 | AF 9, WVU 3
149 #20 Sam Hillegas (WVU) Dec. #30 Dylan Martinez (AF), 5-4 | AF 9, WVU 6
157 Caleb Dowling (WVU) Dec. Jack Ganos (AF), 4-3 | AF 9, WVU 9
165 #12 Peyton Hall (WVU) MD Seamus Casey (AF), 20-8 | WVU 13, AF 9
174 Scot Joll (WVU) MD Gage Musser (AF), 10-2 | WVU 17, AF 9
184 #HM Anthony Carman (WVU) Dec. #33 Noah Blake (AF), 2-0 | WVU 20, AF 9
197 Calvin Sund (AF) Dec. Austin Cooley (WVU), 3-0 | WVU 20, AF 12
285: #5 Wyatt Hendrickson (AF) Fall #15 Michael Wolfgram (WVU), 0:37 | WVU 20, AF 18
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force has four wrestlers in the national rankings and is No. 19/18 in the team tournament rankings according to Intermat and FloWrestling, respectively. Wyatt Hendrickson has maintained his No. 2/2 ranking since the beginning of the season. Following his tear through the 184-division of the CKLV, Sam Wolf jumped into the top-10 in both publications, ranking No. 8/10 (IM/FLO). Senior Giano Petrucelli is AF's next highest ranking as the Falcon checked in at No. 17 in Flo's poll. Tucker Owens dropped a couple of spots from last week's ranking, checking in at No. 28/27 (IM/FLO).
A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAINEERS
#12 Peyton Hall (165): 3x NCAA qualifier, 2022 All-American, 2x Big 12 Placer (2022 runner-up)
#22 Jordan Titus (141): 2023 NCAA qualifier, 7th at 2022 Big 12 Championships
#23 Michael Wolfgram (285): 2x NCAA qualifier, 2x Big 12 placer (7th, 8th)
#24 Dennis Robin (184): 2022 NCAA qualifier
#25 Jett Strickenberger (125): Northwest Kansas Technical College transfer
#28 Ty Watters (149): Two-time PIAA State Champion (2022, 2023), Powerade Champion, Super 32 finalist
#28 Caleb Dowling (157): 2023 most wins on the team (26)
#29 Brody Conley (174) 2023 WVU Rookie of the Year
LAST TIME OUT
An impressive two-day performance by senior 184-pounder Sam Wolf concluded with the Falcon landing a fifth-place finish at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Wolf concluded the tournament with a 3-2 record, two of those wins coming against top-10 opponents in No. 3 Chris Foca (Cornell) and No. 8 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State). Senior teammate Giano Petrucelli knocked off Nebraska's No. 9 Antrell Taylor at the event. Petrucelli was a match short of a podium finish.
COMING UP
The Falcons hit the road to take on Big 12 foe No.3 Missouri, on Sunday (Dec. 17). Action in the Hearnes Center is slated for a 7 p.m. CT.
WARTHOG OF THE WEEK
Sophomore 149-pounder Joe Fernau was tabbed Warthog of the Week following his Bob Smith Open title last weekend. Fernau went 6-0 en route to the title and committed to the weight jump from 133 at the beginning of the season. Fernau earned the starting 149 position in AF's dual meet lineup.
LET'S TALK PINS
Sophomore 197-pounder Soren Herzog leads the squad with nine pins so far, his fastest was in 33 seconds. Freshman Jake Doone has six pins this season, his fastest pin was 19 seconds, and three of his six pins were in less than a minute (0:19, 0:20, 0:53). Teammate Drake Buchanan has six pins on the season as well— his fastest pin was in 1:45. Freshman Owen Heiser has three pins, with a lightning fast 0:07 fall under his belt— the fastest on the team.
7 p.m. MT, Friday, December 8
Clune Arena, USAF Academy, Colo.
Big 12 Conference dual
FOLLOW ALONG
The dual meet will be live streamed on FloWrestling.com. Fans can also follow along on X.com (formerly Twitter), for live match updates. Live results will be provided on TrackWrestling.com.
SPARKS WILL FLY
WVU boasts an impressive nine wrestlers nationally ranked in the top-33. The Falcons have four nationally ranked wrestlers of their own. Nationally ranked meetings will happen at 125, 165, 184, and heavyweight.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
125: #27 Tucker Owens (AF) vs. #25 Jett Strickenberger (WVU)
133: Brenden Barnes (AF) vs. Davin Rhoads (WVU)
141: Garrett Kuchan (AF) vs. #22 Jordan Titus (WVU)
149: Joe Fernau (AF) vs. #28 Ty Watters (WVU)
157: Brooks Gable (AF) vs. #28 Caleb Dowling (WVU)
165: #17 Giano Petrucelli (AF) vs. #12 Peyton Hall (WVU)
174: Noah Blake (AF) vs. #29 Brody Conley (WVU)
184: #8 Sam Wolf (AF) vs. #24 Dennis Robin (WVU)
197: Calvin Sund (AF) vs. #28 Austin Cooley (WVU)
285: #2 Wyatt Hendrickson (AF) vs. #23 Michael Wolfgram (WVU)
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Mountaineers won six-straight weight classes from 141 to 184 to pull ahead of the Falcons, 20-18, in last season's meeting in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Feb. 10, 2023 - #23 West Virginia 20, #27 Air Force 18
125 #29 Tucker Owens (AF) MD Colton Drousias, 9-1 | AF 4, WVU 0
133 #19 Cody Phippen (AF) TF David Rhoads (WVU), 18-0 (2:48) | AF 9, WVU 0
141 #HM Jordan Titus (WVU) Dec. Garrett Kuchan (AF), 6-3 | AF 9, WVU 3
149 #20 Sam Hillegas (WVU) Dec. #30 Dylan Martinez (AF), 5-4 | AF 9, WVU 6
157 Caleb Dowling (WVU) Dec. Jack Ganos (AF), 4-3 | AF 9, WVU 9
165 #12 Peyton Hall (WVU) MD Seamus Casey (AF), 20-8 | WVU 13, AF 9
174 Scot Joll (WVU) MD Gage Musser (AF), 10-2 | WVU 17, AF 9
184 #HM Anthony Carman (WVU) Dec. #33 Noah Blake (AF), 2-0 | WVU 20, AF 9
197 Calvin Sund (AF) Dec. Austin Cooley (WVU), 3-0 | WVU 20, AF 12
285: #5 Wyatt Hendrickson (AF) Fall #15 Michael Wolfgram (WVU), 0:37 | WVU 20, AF 18
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force has four wrestlers in the national rankings and is No. 19/18 in the team tournament rankings according to Intermat and FloWrestling, respectively. Wyatt Hendrickson has maintained his No. 2/2 ranking since the beginning of the season. Following his tear through the 184-division of the CKLV, Sam Wolf jumped into the top-10 in both publications, ranking No. 8/10 (IM/FLO). Senior Giano Petrucelli is AF's next highest ranking as the Falcon checked in at No. 17 in Flo's poll. Tucker Owens dropped a couple of spots from last week's ranking, checking in at No. 28/27 (IM/FLO).
A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAINEERS
#12 Peyton Hall (165): 3x NCAA qualifier, 2022 All-American, 2x Big 12 Placer (2022 runner-up)
#22 Jordan Titus (141): 2023 NCAA qualifier, 7th at 2022 Big 12 Championships
#23 Michael Wolfgram (285): 2x NCAA qualifier, 2x Big 12 placer (7th, 8th)
#24 Dennis Robin (184): 2022 NCAA qualifier
#25 Jett Strickenberger (125): Northwest Kansas Technical College transfer
#28 Ty Watters (149): Two-time PIAA State Champion (2022, 2023), Powerade Champion, Super 32 finalist
#28 Caleb Dowling (157): 2023 most wins on the team (26)
#29 Brody Conley (174) 2023 WVU Rookie of the Year
LAST TIME OUT
An impressive two-day performance by senior 184-pounder Sam Wolf concluded with the Falcon landing a fifth-place finish at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Wolf concluded the tournament with a 3-2 record, two of those wins coming against top-10 opponents in No. 3 Chris Foca (Cornell) and No. 8 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State). Senior teammate Giano Petrucelli knocked off Nebraska's No. 9 Antrell Taylor at the event. Petrucelli was a match short of a podium finish.
COMING UP
The Falcons hit the road to take on Big 12 foe No.3 Missouri, on Sunday (Dec. 17). Action in the Hearnes Center is slated for a 7 p.m. CT.
WARTHOG OF THE WEEK
Sophomore 149-pounder Joe Fernau was tabbed Warthog of the Week following his Bob Smith Open title last weekend. Fernau went 6-0 en route to the title and committed to the weight jump from 133 at the beginning of the season. Fernau earned the starting 149 position in AF's dual meet lineup.
LET'S TALK PINS
Sophomore 197-pounder Soren Herzog leads the squad with nine pins so far, his fastest was in 33 seconds. Freshman Jake Doone has six pins this season, his fastest pin was 19 seconds, and three of his six pins were in less than a minute (0:19, 0:20, 0:53). Teammate Drake Buchanan has six pins on the season as well— his fastest pin was in 1:45. Freshman Owen Heiser has three pins, with a lightning fast 0:07 fall under his belt— the fastest on the team.
Players Mentioned
133
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
165/174
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
174/184
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
133/141
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
157/165
/ Wrestling
125/133
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
174
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