Friday, February 16
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Binghamton
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Battle Binghamton Friday For Senior Night, Host Doubleheader Sunday
2/15/2024 4:33:00 PM | Wrestling
Northwestern to take on No. 23 Indiana, Illinois in regular season finale
EVANSTON, Ill. (February 15, 2024) – Northwestern wrestling (0-7, 0-6 B1G) makes its final scheduled appearances inside Welsh-Ryan Arena this weekend, hosting a trio of opponents.
Binghamton will provide the opposition at 7 p.m. on Friday evening. Prior to taking on the Bearcats, the Wildcats will honor their graduating seniors in a special pre-dual ceremony. Sunday features matchups against a pair of Big Ten Conference foes to close out the regular season slate. Northwestern will take on No. 23 Indiana at 12 p.m. ahead of a clash with in-state foe Illinois that will immediately follow the dual against the Hoosiers.
LAST TIME OUT
Three Wildcats came away with individual victories as visiting Purdue dealt Northwestern a 29-11 setback this past Friday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Sam Cartella impressed in his dual meet debut at 149 pounds, rolling to a 15-0 win by technical fall over Marcos Polanco. Evan Bates (197 pounds) and Jack Jessen (285 pounds) also added wins by decision to close the night for the 'Cats.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
Winners of four straight duals, Binghamton currently sits at 8-3 overall, a record that includes a 7-2 ledger against Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opposition. Most recently, seventh-year head coach Kyle Borshoff's team rolled to a pair of convincing road wins over Hofstra, 31-6, and Princeton, 26-12.
The Bearcat lineup is led by Lou DePrez, who is ranked ninth nationally by InterMat at 197 pounds. Boasting a 17-1 overall record on the year, DePrez has 14 bonus-point wins to his name in 2023-24.
SCOUTING INDIANA
Ranked No. 23 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Coaches Poll, Indiana has gone 6-3 in dual action. The Hoosiers dropped a 32-6 decision to No. 6 Ohio State this past Sunday that brought them back to the .500 mark in Big Ten action at 3-3. Prior to taking on the 'Cats, Indiana will host No. 7 Michigan on Friday inside Wilkinson Hall.
Angel Escobedo, a former NCAA Champion and three-time Big Ten Champion at 125 pounds during his collegiate career with the Hoosiers, is in his sixth season piloting the Indiana program. Graham Rooks enters the weekend as Indiana's top-ranked wrestler, coming in at No. 13 at 149 pounds. Rooks, who has won two of his last three Big Ten matchups, was one of two Hoosiers to top the podium at the Southern Scuffle last month, joining No. 23 Dan Fongaro (141 pounds).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
Illinois, which opens the weekend by visiting Purdue on Friday, holds a 3-9 overall record in dual competition. After dropping a narrow 20-18 decision on the road at then No. 23 Wisconsin last Sunday, the Fighting Illini now sit at 0-8 in Big Ten play.
Edmond Ruth highlights the lineup for third-year head coach Mike Poeta's team. The reigning Midlands Champion at 174 pounds has put up a 16-2 record this season en route to climbing to No. 8 in the InterMat rankings. Ruth has prevailed in eight of nine bouts against league foes.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's Senior Night matchup will mark the first meeting between Northwestern and Binghamton on the mat. The Wildcats last faced an active EIWA member in dual action back on December 5, 2015, falling to Princeton by a 24-18 final.
Northwestern and Indiana will matchup for the 86th time in Sunday's opening dual. The Hoosiers own a 47-34-4 (.576) edge as part of a series that traces its roots back to the 1923 season. Indiana prevailed when the two teams last met back on January 30, 2021, escaping Welsh-Ryan Arena with an 18-16 win.
Winners of back-to-back matchups against its rival to the south, Northwestern has trimmed Illinois' lead in the all-time series to 49-35-2 (.581). The Wildcats slipped past the Fighting Illini in a thriller last season in Evanston, scoring an 18-17 victory on criteria.
WEEKEND PROBABLES
Northwestern
125: Massey Odiotti
133: Patrick Adams
141: Kolby McClain
149: Aiden Vandenbush -OR- Sam Cartella
157: #21 Trevor Chumbley
165: #20 Maxx Mayfield
174: David Ferrante -OR- Joseph Martin
184: Troy Fisher
197: Evan Bates
285: Jack Jessen
Binghamton
125: Carson Wagner
133: No. 32 Micah Roes
141: Nate Lucier
149: Michael Zarif
157: Carter Baer
165: No. 17 Brevin Cassella
174: Dimitri Gamkrelidze
184: No. 11 Jacob Nolan
197: No. 10 Lou DePrez
285: No. 18 Cory Day
#23 Indiana
125: Blaine Frazier
133: Isaac Thornton
141: #23 Dan Fongaro
149: #13 Graham Rooks
157: #18 Brayton Lee
165: Robert Major -OR- Nick South
174: #17 DJ Washington -OR- Magnus Kuokkanen
184: Roman Rogotzke
197: #32 Gabe Sollars
285: #31 Nick Willham
Illinois
125: Justin Cardani -OR- Caelan Riley
133: #24 Tony Madrigal
141: #25 Danny Pucino
149: Jake Harrier
157: Joe Roberts
165: Chris Moore
174: #8 Edmond Ruth
184: Dylan Connell
197: Isiah Pettigrew -OR- Chase Waggoner
285: Peter Marinopoulos
* All individual rankings courtesy of InterMat (February 12)
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to action when it begins the postseason at the 2024 Big Ten Conference Wrestling Championships, March 9-10, in College Park, Md.
Binghamton will provide the opposition at 7 p.m. on Friday evening. Prior to taking on the Bearcats, the Wildcats will honor their graduating seniors in a special pre-dual ceremony. Sunday features matchups against a pair of Big Ten Conference foes to close out the regular season slate. Northwestern will take on No. 23 Indiana at 12 p.m. ahead of a clash with in-state foe Illinois that will immediately follow the dual against the Hoosiers.
LAST TIME OUT
Three Wildcats came away with individual victories as visiting Purdue dealt Northwestern a 29-11 setback this past Friday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Sam Cartella impressed in his dual meet debut at 149 pounds, rolling to a 15-0 win by technical fall over Marcos Polanco. Evan Bates (197 pounds) and Jack Jessen (285 pounds) also added wins by decision to close the night for the 'Cats.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
Winners of four straight duals, Binghamton currently sits at 8-3 overall, a record that includes a 7-2 ledger against Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opposition. Most recently, seventh-year head coach Kyle Borshoff's team rolled to a pair of convincing road wins over Hofstra, 31-6, and Princeton, 26-12.
The Bearcat lineup is led by Lou DePrez, who is ranked ninth nationally by InterMat at 197 pounds. Boasting a 17-1 overall record on the year, DePrez has 14 bonus-point wins to his name in 2023-24.
SCOUTING INDIANA
Ranked No. 23 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Coaches Poll, Indiana has gone 6-3 in dual action. The Hoosiers dropped a 32-6 decision to No. 6 Ohio State this past Sunday that brought them back to the .500 mark in Big Ten action at 3-3. Prior to taking on the 'Cats, Indiana will host No. 7 Michigan on Friday inside Wilkinson Hall.
Angel Escobedo, a former NCAA Champion and three-time Big Ten Champion at 125 pounds during his collegiate career with the Hoosiers, is in his sixth season piloting the Indiana program. Graham Rooks enters the weekend as Indiana's top-ranked wrestler, coming in at No. 13 at 149 pounds. Rooks, who has won two of his last three Big Ten matchups, was one of two Hoosiers to top the podium at the Southern Scuffle last month, joining No. 23 Dan Fongaro (141 pounds).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
Illinois, which opens the weekend by visiting Purdue on Friday, holds a 3-9 overall record in dual competition. After dropping a narrow 20-18 decision on the road at then No. 23 Wisconsin last Sunday, the Fighting Illini now sit at 0-8 in Big Ten play.
Edmond Ruth highlights the lineup for third-year head coach Mike Poeta's team. The reigning Midlands Champion at 174 pounds has put up a 16-2 record this season en route to climbing to No. 8 in the InterMat rankings. Ruth has prevailed in eight of nine bouts against league foes.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's Senior Night matchup will mark the first meeting between Northwestern and Binghamton on the mat. The Wildcats last faced an active EIWA member in dual action back on December 5, 2015, falling to Princeton by a 24-18 final.
Northwestern and Indiana will matchup for the 86th time in Sunday's opening dual. The Hoosiers own a 47-34-4 (.576) edge as part of a series that traces its roots back to the 1923 season. Indiana prevailed when the two teams last met back on January 30, 2021, escaping Welsh-Ryan Arena with an 18-16 win.
Winners of back-to-back matchups against its rival to the south, Northwestern has trimmed Illinois' lead in the all-time series to 49-35-2 (.581). The Wildcats slipped past the Fighting Illini in a thriller last season in Evanston, scoring an 18-17 victory on criteria.
WEEKEND PROBABLES
Northwestern
125: Massey Odiotti
133: Patrick Adams
141: Kolby McClain
149: Aiden Vandenbush -OR- Sam Cartella
157: #21 Trevor Chumbley
165: #20 Maxx Mayfield
174: David Ferrante -OR- Joseph Martin
184: Troy Fisher
197: Evan Bates
285: Jack Jessen
Binghamton
125: Carson Wagner
133: No. 32 Micah Roes
141: Nate Lucier
149: Michael Zarif
157: Carter Baer
165: No. 17 Brevin Cassella
174: Dimitri Gamkrelidze
184: No. 11 Jacob Nolan
197: No. 10 Lou DePrez
285: No. 18 Cory Day
#23 Indiana
125: Blaine Frazier
133: Isaac Thornton
141: #23 Dan Fongaro
149: #13 Graham Rooks
157: #18 Brayton Lee
165: Robert Major -OR- Nick South
174: #17 DJ Washington -OR- Magnus Kuokkanen
184: Roman Rogotzke
197: #32 Gabe Sollars
285: #31 Nick Willham
Illinois
125: Justin Cardani -OR- Caelan Riley
133: #24 Tony Madrigal
141: #25 Danny Pucino
149: Jake Harrier
157: Joe Roberts
165: Chris Moore
174: #8 Edmond Ruth
184: Dylan Connell
197: Isiah Pettigrew -OR- Chase Waggoner
285: Peter Marinopoulos
* All individual rankings courtesy of InterMat (February 12)
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to action when it begins the postseason at the 2024 Big Ten Conference Wrestling Championships, March 9-10, in College Park, Md.
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Saturday, February 08
Wrestling - 'Cats Tame Mustangs, Take Down Cal Poly 29-14 (12/19/24)
Friday, December 20
Michael DeAugustino and Yahya Thomas Join 'Big Ten Wrestling & Beyond' (2/20/23)
Tuesday, February 21
