MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University wrestling team makes its return to the WVU Coliseum this Thursday when the Mountaineers host Arizona State in their home opener at 8 p.m.
West Virginia will celebrate Military Appreciation Day on Thursday, with veterans and active military members eligible for free admission with a military ID. Fans are encouraged to wear camo.
“We are excited to compete at home in the Coliseum for the first time this year,” said WVU head coach Sammie Henson. “It should be a great dual as ASU has a new staff as well. We’re looking to bring a brand of wrestling that Mountaineer Nation can be proud of.”
The Mountaineers (0-0, 0-0) and the Sun Devils (0-0, 0-0) will square off for the sixth time in program history, with Arizona State leading the all-time series 4-1. West Virginia won the last meeting between the two teams with a 20-16 victory in 1998, but ASU has won both prior meetings at the WVU Coliseum.
The match will mark the debut of two new head coaches, as WVU Sammie Henson will coach his first home dual while ASU’s Zeke Jones will also make his debut as both were hired this past spring. Jones is no stranger to Morgantown, having served as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers and helping produce three national champions and 12 All-Americans during his tenure.
WVU assistant coach Danny Felix will also face a familiar face as he is a 1998 graduate of Arizona State. Felix was a 1995 All-American at 118 pounds and a three-time Pac-10 champion for the Sun Devils.
West Virginia is 9-5 in season-opening duals since 2000 and has won four in a row. The Mountaineers took a 24-14 win from Gardner-Webb last season at the UVa Duals and last dropped an opening dual in 2010. WVU last faced a Pac-12 (formerly Pac-10) its first dual match of the season in 2004, when the Mountaineers took a 22-14 victory from Stanford.
Next up for Mountaineers is a trip to Annapolis, Maryland, where they will compete in the Navy Classic on Saturday, November 22.
Probable Lineup
125 – Jesse Schiffbauer (WVU) vs. Judsin Preskitt or Ares Carpio (ASU)
133 – Cory Stainbrook (WVU) vs. Dalton Brady (ASU)
141 – Michael Morales (WVU) vs. Mech Spraggins
149 – James Dekrone (WVU) vs. Christian Pagdilao (ASU)
157 – Brutus Scheffel or Roman Perryman (WVU) vs. Oliver Pierce or Joel Smith (ASU)
165 – Tim Wheeling (WVU) vs. Jace Peterson (ASU)
174 - Ross Renzi or Christian Chirico (WVU) vs. Ray Waters (ASU)
184 – Bubba Scheffel (WVU) vs. Blake Stauffer (ASU)
197 – Jake A. Smith (WVU) vs. Josh DaSilveira or Wes Moore (ASU)
HWT – A.J. Vizcarrondo (WVU) vs. Chace Eskam
