Michigan
Duke
Wolverines to Hit the Road for ACC Matchups at Duke, Virginia
11/19/2024 4:36:00 PM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team (1-0) will hit the road for a pair of ACC matchups this weekend. U-M will face Duke (1-3) at 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 22) at Jordan High School in Durham, N.C., before traveling to Charlottesville, Va., to take on Virginia (2-0) at 7 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 24) at Memorial Gym.
Notes
• The Wolverines have seven wrestlers ranked nationally at their respective weight classes, including five in the top 15 according to InterMat: No. 4 Dylan Ragusin (133 pounds), No. 8 Sergio Lemley (141), No. 31 Dylan Gilcher (149), No. 12 Chase Saldate (157), No. 27 Joseph Walker (174), No. 18 Jaden Bullock (184) and No. 3 Jacob Cardenas (197).
• Michigan kicked off its dual season with a 28-9 win over Columbia last Sunday (Nov. 17) at Crisler Center. Over its 103-year program history, Michigan has posted a 70-31-2 record in its first dual meet of the season. Under head coach Sean Bormet, U-M is 5-1 in dual openers and 22-4 in all non-conference duals.
• Freshman Brock Mantanona rolled to an 18-3 technical fall against Columbia's 25th-ranked Cesar Alvan in his collegiate dual debut at 165 pounds. He scored five takedowns and two back points to end the bout at the 6:40 mark. Mantanona, who previously took second place at the Clarion Open, has earned bonus points in all five of his wins to date this season with four tech falls and a major decision.
• Graduate student Jacob Cardenas was equally dominant in his Michigan debut at 197 pounds with a 17-0 technical fall against Columbia's Isaac Schmidt. Cardenas scored on two takedowns and earned 11 near-fall points in 4:18. Previously a two-time NCAA All-American at Cornell, Cardenas took silver at 92kg freestyle at the U23 World Championships late last month before transitioning back to folkstyle and the college slate.
• Sophomore Lemley earned a 12-4 major decision against No. 27 Kai Owen in the only other ranked matchup against Columbia. Lemley made his collegiate dual debut against Owen last season and earned a 3-1 decision on a third-period reversal and rideout. In this year's meeting, Lemley scored three takedowns, a reversal and accumulated 1:28 in riding-time advantage. Lemley boasts several bonus wins this season, with three tech falls at Clarion in addition to last Sunday's major decision.
• Freshman Zar Walker (149 pounds) and senior/junior Dzhabrail Khurshidov (Hwt) also made their collegiate dual-meet debuts against Columbia in addition to Mantanona, while Khurshidov and senior/junior Christian Tanefeu (125) also earned their first dual wins. Tanefeu kicked off the dual with an 18-9 major decision against Sulayman Bah.
• Duke owns a 1-3 record on the season after splitting a pair of duals last Saturday (Nov. 16), falling to host Hofstra 21-12 before earning a 23-15 win over Sacred Heart. The Blue Devils currently have no nationally-ranked wrestlers, though Aidan Wallace (165 pounds) is 10-2 on the season with a 4-0 mark in duals. Michigan is 2-0 all-time against Duke, most recently claiming a dominant 33-7 home win in its final dual of the 2014-15 season.
• Virginia enters the weekend with a 2-0 dual record with wins over North Dakota State (31-6, Nov. 1) and the Citadel (24-11, Nov. 8). The Cavaliers have three ranked wrestlers, most notably No. 12 Nick Hamilton (165 pounds) and No. 20 Marlon Yarbrough (141). The series between Michigan and Virginia is knotted at 2-2, and U-M has claimed the two most recent meetings, including a 24-9 home decision in the 2016-16 season opener.
Players Mentioned
