NOTEBOOK: Wrestling's Adeniyi-Bada has a 10-match win streak

Two of Penn's wrestlers are undefeated in 1999. One, of course, is 197-pounder Andrei Rodzianko, owner of an unblemished 14-0 record. The other is senior heavyweight Bandele Adeniyi-Bada. Adeniyi-Bada has done a workman-like job in winning 10 consecutive matches, providing consistently strong performances for the Quakers. These recent achievements, however, have gone largely unnoticed due to Rodzianko's heroics. But the senior from Kent, Ohio, does not feel underappreciated. "I don't feel overshadowed by any particular individual," Adeniyi-Bada said. "The way I see it, each person makes a name for themselves. I don't really think any individual glory outshines any other." The Quakers heavyweight, ranked 10th in the nation, has not faced a wrestler ranked higher than him during his winning streak, but Penn coach Roger Reina cannot help but be encouraged by the progress of Adeniyi-Bada. "Just after Midlands and the trip to Hawaii, he made a deeper commitment to being successful in the sport and that has shown in his performances," Reina said. Perhaps the resurgence of "Bear" can be attributed to the return of Rodzianko, Adeniyi-Bada's roommate on roadtrips and training partner in practice. "We have fun working out together," Rodzianko said. "We have intense workouts together, and maybe a little rivalry in the wrestling room." Together, Adeniyi-Bada and Rodzianko are 19-0 in 1999 and have won 24 consecutive matches overall. · Prior to this season, the NCAA implemented a new rule regarding the order of matches in dual meets. Previously, meets started at the lowest weight class, proceeding in increasing weight order to the final heavyweight match. Under the new rule, a random draw is conducted one hour before the meet to determine which weight class will start the meet. The matches then proceed in order of increasing weight, with the 125-lb. match following the heavyweight bout. "In some ways it's added some excitement to the sport," Reina said. "It used to be that always the heavyweight would decide the outcome of the meets. Now it could be any weight class." Although Reina and the Penn wrestlers do not believe the rule change has affected the outcome of meets, they agree that it has been difficult to adjust to the uncertainty of when they will wrestle. "It takes you out of your routine," Rodzianko said. "You have to plan what you're going to eat and when your warmups are going to be. It adds a little twist and juggles the pressure around." · With Rodzianko grabbing the headlines at 197 pounds, wrestling fans may be wondering what happened to Mike Fickell. The junior who stepped in for Rodzianko in the fall earned an impressive first-place finish at the Keystone Classic but has not been heard from since. The reason for this absence has not been performance-related, however. Fickell has been recovering from an injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season. "It's definitely different [not being able to wrestle]," Fickell said. "I've never been watching meets -- I've always been wrestling. It's something I've had to adjust to, and it makes me hungrier for next year." Reina said it was "possible" Fickell would have wrestled at 184 lbs. this season had he not been injured. Next year, Fickell will likely start at 197 lbs., replacing the graduating Rodzianko. · Although half of Penn's starters are listed as seniors, the Quakers will likely only have three new starters next year. Both 133-pounder Jason Nagle and Adeniyi-Bada should be back again for the 1999-2000 season. Nagle has another year of eligibility remaining. For the second year in a row, he will have to battle junior James Brennan for a starting spot. Reina, meanwhile, will petition for a fifth year of eligibility for Adeniyi-Bada because of a prior medical hardship. "I think it's a justified reason so I expect that we'll get it [a fifth year of eligibility for Adeniyi-Bada]," Reina said. Rodzianko, 141-pounder Mark Piotrowsky and 174-pounder Ryan Slack will be lost to graduation, however. · The EIWA Championships, Penn's qualifying meet for Nationals, will take place on March 5 and March 6 at West Point. Starting times are noon on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday. The dates had been misprinted in several sources.