WASHINGTON - Back-to-back home duals on a brand-new competition mat are on the slate for American University wrestling this weekend as AU will host Lock Haven at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, and then turn right around to host Air Force at noon on Sunday, Feb. 12. The Wrestle Like a Girl organization will be on hand for a free clinic prior to Sunday's dual.

Wrestle Like a Girl Day

• Girls of all ages are invited to a free clinic from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. prior to AU's dual against Air Force on Sunday, Feb. 12.
• Leaders of the Wrestle Like a Girl organization will be on hand for the clinic, which will take place on the Bender Arena floor. To register, please click HERE.
• Halfway through the men's dual (after the fifth bout), there will be two girls exhibition matches on the primary competition mat featuring high school and youth wrestlers.

Series History

• American and Lock Haven are meeting for the first time in a dual in program history.
• It has been 12 years since the first and only prior meeting between AU and Air Force. The Eagles came out on top in that one, 23-7 at the Lone Star Duals in Dallas.
• One of the Eagles' winners in that match was current volunteer assistant coach Ganbayar Sanjaa.

What to Know About American

• The Eagles are three weeks removed from one of the best days in recent program history that saw them earn three one-point victories to take the team title at the Chippewa Challenge. The three opponents—Central Michigan, CSU Bakersfield and Campbell—had all easily defeated AU last year.
• With seven dual wins already in 2022-23, American has shown huge improvement over last year when the Eagles had just one dual victory.
• One more win would match the Eagles for the most dual victories in the last 12 years. The program has recorded eight victories three times (2011-12, 2014-15, 2017-18) since going 14-7 in 2010-11.
• AU's 41 points at Sacred Heart on Dec. 21 were the most scored in seven years, and the margin of victory was the highest in eight years.
• Overall, AU has 52 pins this season with five duals still remaining, which is 16 more than last season's overall total of 36 pins.
• Ranked in a tie for second in NCAA Division I in total pins this season is sophomore Maximilian Leete (125) with 11. He has also cracked the top 10 all-time at AU and now ranks in a tie for 10th with 17 career pins in only his second season.
• Leete has the most wins for AU this season at 19-8, followed by freshman Caleb Campos (165) at 16-7. Sophomore Jack Maida (133) is close behind at 15-8 overall.
• The Eagles do not have any ranked wrestlers in the February 10 coaches' rankings, but Maida comes in at #29 in the RPI for 133 pounds.
• The RPI factors in winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent's opponent winning percentage (opponent's strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count towards the RPI and a wrestler needs to have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked.

American (7-8) Probable Starters

• 125 - Maximilian Leete (So., 19-8)
• 133 - Jack Maida (So., 15-8) or Raymond Lopez (Fr., 10-8)
• 141 - Ethan Szerencsits (R-So., 10-10) or Elijah White (R-So., 1-8)
• 149 - Patrick Ryan (R-Sr., 6-10) or Antonio Segura (So., 2-8)
• 157 - Jack Nies (R-So., 9-11)
• 165 - Caleb Campos (Fr., 16-7)
• 174 - Lucas White (R-Fr., 8-15)
• 184 - Colin Shannon (Gr., 8-12) or Carsten Rawls (So., 9-13)
• 197 - Connor Bourne (R-Jr., 9-7)
• HWT - Will Jarrell (R-Jr., 11-9) or Isaac Righter (R-So., 7-5)

Lock Haven (5-6) Probable Starters

• 125 - #11 Anthony Noto (R-So., 22-2)
• 133 - #31 Gable Strickland (So., 23-9)
• 141 - Zack Zeamer (R-Jr., 12-12) or Sean Logue (Fr., 10-4)
• 149 - Nick Stonecheck (So., 21-9)
• 157 - Ashton Eyler (R-Sr., 25-9) or Billy Talmadge (R-So., 11-12)
• 165 - #32 Avery Bassett (So., 15-4)
• 174 - Tyler Stoltzfus (So., 28-9)
• 184 - Colin Fegley (R-Jr., 13-12) or John Miller (Fr., 7-4)
• 197 - Brad Morrison (Fr., 9-16)
• HWT - #33 Isaac Reid (R-Jr., 9-2) or Ethan Miller (Fr.,  8-18)

Air Force (7-3) Probable Starters

• 125 - Tucker Owens (Fr., 21-8) or Quinn Melofchik (Sr., 7-8)
• 133 - #21 Cody Phippen (Sr., 13-4)
• 141 - Garrett Kuchan (Jr., 14-11) or Bryce Shelton (Fr., 9-8)
• 149 - #30 Dylan Martinez (Sr., 16-8)
• 157 - Jack Ganos (So., 13-8)
• 165 - Seamus Casey (Fr., 10-7)
• 174 - #16 Sam Wolf (Jr., 10-1) or Gage Musser (So., 9-12)
• 184 - Noah Blake (Jr., 16-11)
• 197 - Calvin Sund (Jr., 15-11)
• 285 - #6 Wyatt Hendrickson (Jr., 20-1)

What to Know about Lock Haven and Air Force

• Lock Haven is the defending MAC champions from 2021-22 and is currently 5-6 overall with a 3-1 record in the MAC.
• The Bald Eagles have four wrestlers ranked in the latest NCAA coaches' rankings, released on February 10. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Noto is the highest at #11 (125), followed by sophomore Gable Strickland at #31 (133), sophomore Avery Bassett at #32 (165) and redshirt junior Isaac Reid at #33 (heavyweight).
• #11 Anthony Noto and Maximilian Leete will have a rematch from the Nov. 19 Navy Classic when Noto defeated Leete 6-4 in sudden victory.
• Lock Haven has won three straight duals, beating Rider (21-12), Bloomsburg (40-1) and Navy (24-17). The Bald Eagles will wrestle at George Mason on Saturday prior to making the drive to DC to face American.
• The Air Force Falcons are 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12, and are currently the final team receiving votes in the NWCA Division I wrestling coaches' poll.
• Junior heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson is ranked #6 in the coaches poll, while junior Sam Wolf is #16 (174), senior Cody Phippen is #21 (133) and senior Dylan Martinez is #30 (149).

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