Wrestlers facing top-ranked teams

There are some parties everyone wants to get invited to, and that includes the Penn wrestling team. This past Fall, the Quakers opened their mail and got exactly what they had hoped for -- an invitation to wrestle the best. Today, Penn is one of the fortunate few to compete in the renowned Virginia Duals Tournament, in Hampton, Va. The 16-team competition is a grueling two-day event featuring five Top-25 squads, along with several others on the doorstep. The Quakers, with their strong finish in the Eastern Championships last season (placing six of 10 wrestlers), drew the coveted invitation for the first time in the school's history. The Quakers appear poised and ready, undaunted by the stiff competition. "This team is on track to have a strong season," Penn coach Roger Reina said. "This is a good opportunity for us to show what we're capable of. The Virginia Duals is one of the most prestigious collegiate wrestling events of the year." The card reads like a who's who, with No. 8 Minnesota, No. 14 Edinborough, No. 15 Clemson, No. 16 Wisconsin and No. 23 Lockhaven attending. Also joining the stellar list are Brown, Navy and Missouri, all of which received votes. A strong performance by the Quakers could be the impetus for a breakthrough into the Top 25. "We're still in a situation where we've got to prove ourselves before we get national recognition," Reina said. "This tournament can definitely lead to the attention we want." This is a dual-meet tournament that seeds the highest-ranked eight teams, then randomly brackets the remaining eight teams against them. Penn needs to win two dual meets to place in the top eight. The competition begins this morning and can last until as late as tomorrow afternoon, depending on the success of the squad. The placement draw can play an integral role in the Quakers' success, as they can be pitted against any team, ranging from the first to eighth seed. Penn says it's prepared regardless. "At this point in the season, teams are going to start letting down mentally," junior Roger London said. "It's important, more than ever, to win the close matches and to keep building up mental toughness." The team is coming off of its most impressive meets of the season, defeating Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouses N.C. State, 18-13, and Maryland, 25-13, January 8. The victory over the Wolfpack was highlighted by junior tri-captain Brian Butler's win over ACC champion and nationally-ranked Dan Madsen. "Last week we showed we had a strong dual-meet team against some good competition," London said. "We've got some even tougher competition coming up." The team's lineup will feature many of the usual suspects, including tri-captains Gary Baker (118 pounds), Shawn Heinrichs (142 pounds), and Butler (190 pounds). Heralded freshman Brandon Slay (167 pounds) is still out of the lineup with a broken jaw. His return is still uncertain. The Quakers are approaching this challenge with the same intensity as any other. "I take one match at a time and wrestle the best I can," Butler said. "It would be great to knock off another nationally-ranked opponent." The shoes are dyed and ready to go. Party on.