Penn State announces
2003-2004 wrestling schedule
State College, Pa., July 9, 2003
- Penn State today announced its finalized slate for the 2003-2004 wrestling
season, the sixth under head coach Troy Sunderland. Penn State's 96th season
of wrestling will feature six home dual meet dates and the Lions' first trip
to the NWCA National Dual Team Championships in three years. Penn State has
posted a 726-248-33 (74%) mark on the mats.
The Lions will hold their annual Varsity Wrestle Offs to determine the starting
dual meet roster on Sun., Nov. 2, in Rec Hall. They then open the season with
three tournaments. They travel to the East Stroudsburg Open, Nov. 22, and then
head to the Mat-Town USA Tournament in Lock Haven, Pa., Nov. 29. Penn State
has its first home date Sun., Dec. 7, with the Bic Open in Rec Hall. The event
was previously named the Nittany Lion Open.
Dual meet action kicks off Sat., Dec. 13, as the Lions host Navy in Rec Hall
at 7:00 p.m. It will mark the 85th meeting between the two schools, Penn State's
second longest series. The Lions will then send the bulk of the team to a new
location as they compete at the Southern Scuffle in Chapel Hill, N.C., Dec.
28. A top 10-man contingent will head to the team scored Midlands Tournament
in Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30. The Lions placed fifth at the Midlands last year.
The dual meet campaign swings into full gear in January starting with the 89th
meeting with rival Lehigh on Jan. 6, in Bethlehem, Pa., Penn State's longest
series,. The Lions continue the two week road swing with stops at Pittsburgh
(Jan. 9) and West Virginia (Jan. 10) and culminate it with a return to the NWCA
National Team Dual Championships in Cleveland, Ohio (Jan. 17-18). Penn State
last competed in the 16-team event that features the nation's top teams when
it was hosted in the Bryce Jordan Center during the 2000 season.
Penn State returns home to open the Big Ten season against Illinois Jan. 23.
Road trips to Ohio State (Jan. 25), Iowa (Jan. 30) and Wisconsin (Feb. 1) come
before a return to Rec Hall for a weekend engagement with Northwestern (Feb.
6) and Michigan (Feb. 8). Penn State will follow-up the 1:00 p.m., Sunday match
with Michigan by heading down the road for a 6:00 p.m. evening showdown with
regional rival Lock Haven (Feb. 8).
The Lions wrap-up the home slate with a Friday/Sunday weekend match-up with
Michigan State (Feb. 13) and Pennsylvania (Feb. 15). The Sunday afternoon Pennsylvania
match will serve as "Senior Day."
Penn State will hit the road for the last date on the dual meet schedule as
they take on three-time defending Big Ten Champion Minnesota (Feb. 20) in Minneapolis,
Minn. The Lions will then get a two-week break before heading to the Big Ten
Championships in Columbus, Ohio., March 6-7. The NCAA Championships follow a
week-and-a-half later at the Sawis Center in St. Louis, Mo, March 18-20, the
first of two-straight years in which the event will be held at the site.
PENN STATE WRESTLING
2003-2004 Schedule
NOVEMBER
2 Sun. VARSITY WRESTLE OFFS 11:00
a.m.
22 Sat. at East Stroudsburg Open, East Stroudsburg, Pa. 9:00 a.m.
29 Sat. at Mat-Town USA Tournament, Lock Haven, Pa. 9:00 a.m.
DECEMBER
7 Sun. BIC OPEN 9:00 a.m.
13 Sat. NAVY 7:00 p.m.
28 Sun. at Southern Scuffle, Chapel Hill, N.C. 10:00 a.m.
29-30 Mon.-Tue. at Midlands, Evanston, Ill. 9:00 a.m.
JANUARY
6 Tue. at Lehigh, Bethlehem, Pa. 7:00 p.m.
9 Fri. at Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 7:30 p.m.
10 Sat. at West Virginia, Morgantown, W. Va. 1:00 p.m.
17-18 Sat.-Sun. at NWCA National Duals, Cleveland, Ohio All Day
23 Fri. ILLINOIS 7:00 p.m.
25 Sun. at Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio 2:00 p.m.
30 Fri. at Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 7:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY
1 Sun. at Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc.
1:00 p.m.
6 Fri. NORTHWESTERN 6:00 p.m.
8 Sun. MICHIGAN 1:00 p.m.
8 Sun. at Lock Haven, Lock Haven, Pa. 6:00 p.m.
13 Fri. MICHIGAN STATE 7:00 p.m.
15 Sun. PENN (Senior Day) 1:00 p.m.
20 Fri. at Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. 7:00 p.m.
MARCH
6-7 Sat.-Sun. at Big Ten Championships,
Columbus, Ohio All Day
18-20 Thur-Sat. at NCAA Championships, Sawis Center, St. Louis, Mo. All Day
Penn State adds four wrestling recruits in the late period
State College, Pa., July
3, 2003 - Penn State Head Wrestling Coach Troy Sunderland welcomed four more
recruits to the class of 2003 in the late signing period to bring Penn State's
total number of recruits for the year to eight.
Joining the Penn State squad in the late period are Rich Brooks (State College,
Pa.), Nick Buckman (Tequesta, Fla.), Seamus O'Brien (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
and Gideon Short (West Mifflin, Pa.). They join early signees Philip Davis (Harrisburg,
Pa.), Tim Haas (Camp Hill, Pa.), Bryan Heller (Fair Haven, N.J.) and Steven
Troup (Mifflinburg, Pa.).
"We met our needs very well with this class," Sunderland said. "We
added some good depth across the lineup with some good kids that we feel have
the potential to perform very well at this level."
Brooks is a local product that helped lead the State College Area High School
team to top three placings at the PIAA Championships each of the past three
years. Brooks was a three-year starter for State College High and was a District
VI champion. He also was the 2002 PAWF folk style state champion and finished
third in the PAWF freestyle competition.
Buckman was selected both the Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Wrestler of the Year after going 43-1 in he senior season. His only loss of
the year came in the Class 2A 152-pound State Championship match. Buckman, a
native of Long Island, N.Y., posted a 143-16 career record wrestling two years
at Longwood HS in New York (the same high school as Penn State Olympian Kerry
McCoy) and two years in Florida, one at Benjamin HS and one at Jupiter HS. A
district, county and regional champion, he finished third in the State Championships
as a junior before claiming second in his senior year.
O'Brien was a first team All-Area selection by The Palm Beach Post following
a senior season in which he posted a 38-2 record. A two-time regional and three-time
district champion, he was a three-time state championship qualifier placing
third in 2002 and fifth in in 2003 after falling in the semifinals at 145 pounds.
O'Brien had a 142-22 career record at Dwyer HS.
Short was a Southwest Regional Runner-up and state qualifier at West Mifflin
H.S. He posted a 32-6 record wrestling at 189 pounds last year..
Henson
to leave Penn State wrestling staff
State College, Pa., April 23, 2003 - Penn State assistant
wrestling coach Sammie Henson has announced that he will leave the staff
following the spring semester. Henson, who has coached at Penn State the last
two seasons, will pursue coaching opportunities elsewhere.