Wrestlers have a test this weekend

Just how good is the Penn wrestling team? The Quakers will find out tomorrow when they travel to Lehigh to compete in the Sheridan Invitational Tournament. Penn (1-0) will be one of 10 teams competing in the tournament. The Quakers view this weekend as an early-season opportunity to find out how they stack up against an array of top teams from around the country. Three of the participants, Lehigh, East Stroudsburg, and Rutgers are Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association opponents. The Quakers are concentrating on these teams because their performance against them will help determine seedings for the Eastern Championships, which is the qualifying tournament for the NCAAs. Penn is coming off an impressive 32-7 victory over Drexel and is confident and excited to face some nationally-ranked competition. Two weeks ago the Quakers competed in the Bloomsburg Invitational Tournament and finished second to Bloomsburg. Tomorrow Penn will have a chance for redemption because Bloomsburg, which won last year's Sheridan Tournament, will also be competing. "We're gunning for Bloomsburg," senior Shawn Heinrichs said. "Drexel is not a powerhouse, but it was a good way to get started. We were very flat at Bloomsburg, but versus Drexel we saw that intensity can win the close individual matches." Last season the Quakers finished a disappointing seventh in the Sheridan Invitational, but Penn coach Roger Reina feels this year's team is more experienced. "Last year we were up and down," Reina said. "We would do well, and then have a bad performance. It was a roller coaster season. We were very inexperienced, there were a lot of first-year starters. This year we have more veterans, as well as some strong freshmen. This year's team has more leadership and hopefully we will be more consistent." Heinrichs, a co-captain, hopes to provide some of the veteran leadership Reina is looking for. "I'm definitely planning to finish at the top," Heinrichs said. "I'm setting out to avenge my loss to the kid (Dan Covatta) from Duke. I want to face him in the semifinals. The Lehigh kid is ranked, but I know I can beat him." Freshman Brandon Slay, who finished a surprising third in the Bloomsburg Tournament, hopes to have an opportunity to face N.C. State's 167-pound wrestler, who is ranked third in the country. "I'm excited for this tournament," Slay said. "I think we're feeling pretty confident. I hope I have an opportunity to face the guy from N.C. State – I would like to see where I stand. This weekend should be a good test." Reina hopes that Penn can use this tournament to gain some national recognition and as a gauge to measure how the Quakers match up against some of the top teams in the country. "This is an exciting opportunity to make a name for ourselves, and a chance to face Bloomsburg again," Reina said. "Hopefully we can build on our past performances and continue to grow."