LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Just three days after its last dual, the Bellarmine University wrestling team will be back on the mat, hosting Central Michigan in Knights Hall on Sunday, December 7.
The dual is scheduled to begin at 2 pm E.T. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can also follow results online via Track/FloWrestling.
On Wednesday night, Bellarmine (1-2) took on the No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The Knights wrestled hard despite the lopsided 41-3 final score. Redshirt sophomore
Gavin Ricketts (184) registered the lone win for Bellarmine, taking down Cayaen Smith 2-2 RT in TB2. Redshirt senior
Zac Cowan and fellow redshirt sophomore
Andrew Liber both had chances to put points on the board for the Knights but ran out of time as they each took a decision loss.
Bellarmine and Central Michigan will meet for the first time on the mat on Sunday.
The Knights have three wrestlers with individual rankings at this point of the year in
Trayce Eckman (133),
AJ Rallo (141) and
Daulton Mayer (285). Eckman is ranked No. 31 in his weight class by The College Wrestling Report after taking down then No. 13 Markel Baker in the dual against Northern Illinois. Rallo recently re-entered Intermat's rankings at No. 31 in his weight class after a strong start to the season. Mayer is the most highly decorated wrestler of the three, receiving ranking from FloWrestling (29), Intermat (29) and TCWR (27).
As a team, Bellarmine is also making noise in the rankings as the Knights are receiving votes in the most recent NWCA Division I Coaches' Poll for the first time in program history. Last season, BU received votes once in the NWCA's Mid-Major Poll.
For Central Michigan, Sunday's action will be its second dual of the season after opening the schedule on Friday night at Indiana. The Chippewas have only competed twice so far this season with two open tournaments in November but, saw early success with Kellan Aure (141) winning at the Michigan State Open. In the same event, Nick Blackburn (141) and Archer Anderson (125) each placed second with five other Chippewas placing third to sixth.
CMU has two wrestlers in the national rankings in Jimmy Nugent (149 – 30 by Intermat) and Mason Shrader (157 – 24 by Flo; 28 by Intermat).
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