Kent State begins the 2014 portion of its schedule at the Southern Scuffle, taking on a 35-team field, loaded with many of the nation’s best wrestlers.  The two-day event begins Jan. 1 inside Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.  Action starts at 9 a.m. both days.

 

Eleven teams are in the top 25 spots of the latest InterMat rankings, highlighted by No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Minnesota, No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Cornell.  The field also includes four Mid-American Conference rivals in No. 13 Missouri, No. 25 Ohio, Central Michigan and Old Dominion.  This year’s competition includes four NCAA champions, eight Southern Scuffle champions and 34 All-Americans.

 

Tournament History

The Golden Flashes will be making their eighth appearance at the Southern Scuffle and their first showing in Chattanooga.  Kent State’s last appearance came in December of 2010, the last time the tournament was held at the Greensboro Coliseum.  The Flashes' highest finish came in 2008, placing third among 28 squads.

 

Live Video
Live video of the entire tournament can be seen with a subscription to FloWrestling. 
 

Weight-by-Weight

 

125

Sophomores Del Vinas (12-8) and Alfredo Gray (8-11) will continue to compete for the Flashes’ starting nod.  Vinas has placed third at the Eastern Michigan Open and fifth at the Hokie Open.  Gray was sixth at the Navy Classic.  The duo’s bracket will include 10 Top 20 opponents.

 

133

Sophomore Mack McGuire is No. 20 in the latest InterMat rankings.  McGuire (11-4) placed third at the Navy Classic.  Three All-Americans will be among the top seeds at 133, including Oklahoma State’s Jon Morrsion, who went 1-1 against McGuire last season.

 

141

Junior Tyler Small is the lone Kent State wrestler with experience at the Southern Scuffle going 2-2 as a true freshman.  Small (8-6) is No. 17 according to WrestlingReport.com.  He placed third at this year’s Navy Classic.  Transfer Nate Skonieczny (17-3) will be competing unattached.  The Flashes will also bring sophomore Kyle Bauer (7-4).  Skonieczny won the Cleveland State Open in his most recent competition, while Bauer took a fifth place at the Eastern Michigan Open.  The 141-pound bracket includes four All-Americans along with No. 2 Zain Retherford of Penn State.

 

149

Sophomore Michael DePalma (14-7) is No. 21 according to Wrestling Report.  DePalma placed third at the Navy Classic and fourth at the Clarion Open.  He’ll be joined by senior T.J. Keklak in a bracket that includes four All-Americans and No. 1 Nick Dardanes of Minnesota.

 

157

Sophomore Ian Miller (13-1) will find out how he stacks up against the nation’s best. According to InterMat, Miller is No. 8 behind No. 2 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State), No.3 Dylan Ness (Minnesota), No. 5 Dylan Alton (Penn State) and No. 6 Kyle Bradley (Missouri).  Miller is tied for fifth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 27.  He has not lost a match since Nov. 10.

165

Still a virtual unknown to most of the nation, sophomore Tyler Buckwalter is off to a 3-0 start this season.  Buckwalter won 27 matches last season, reaching the finals of the National Collegiate Open and the Edinboro Open.  Sophomore Mike Vollant will join Buckwalter at 165, coming off a second place at the Cleveland State Open.  The top three wrestlers in the nation at 165 will all be in Chattanooga.

 

174

Junior Caleb Marsh (5-3) is No. 22 according to WrestlingReport and is competing in his first tournament of the season.  Ten of the nation’s top 14 spots at 174 will be represented Wednesday and Thursday, including both of last year’s NCAA finalists.

 

184

Sophomore Sam Wheeler (12-2) is No. 16 in multiple polls.  Wheeler placed third at this year’s Navy Classic and had won eight straight dual meets, before falling to No. 11 Kenny Courts of Ohio State, his last time out.  Two-time NCAA champion Ed Ruth (Penn State) is among the nine Top 20 wrestlers at 184.

 

197

Sophomore Cole Baxter (13-6) is No. 32 according to Takedown Wrestling.  Baxter went 4-2 at the Clarion Open.  His bracket will be loaded with 11 Top 20 wrestlers.

 

285

Redshirt freshman Mimmo Lytle (8-9) came away with a second place in his most recent tournament appearance at the Cleveland State Open.  Eight wrestlers in the heavyweight bracket are ranked 18^th or higher.

 

Up Next

The Golden Flashes look to continue their tradition of success at the Virginia Duals Jan. 10-11 inside the Hampton Coliseum.

 

 

Aaron Chimenti

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

Contact for Football & Wrestling

Kent State University