The calendar may read November, but the Penn wrestling team might think it's March when it sends its varsity squad to the Las Vegas Invitational, held tomorrow and Saturday.
This 48-team national tournament includes No. 7 Missouri, No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 10 Michigan, No. 12 Hofstra, No. 14 Nebraska, No. 15 Edinboro, No. 16 Ohio State, No. 18 Illinois, No. 19 Pittsburgh, No. 20 Navy, No. 23 Harvard and No. 25 Old Dominion.
"There's probably going to be on average four of five of the top-ranked kids in the nation in each weight class," Penn coach Zeke Jones said.
With so much talent in this tournament, it makes sense the No. 22 Quakers treat this competition as a prelude to nationals lurking four months away in St. Louis.
"We use the Las Vegas Invitational as a first opportunity to find out where we are as a team," Jones said. "We use this tournament as a mini-national tournament to find out where we're at, what we need to improve on, and to simulate the national tournament. We need to see what it's like once before we actually get ready for the NCAAs."
Besides the level of competition, the format of the meet is very similar to the NCAAs. The Quakers only send their top wrestler at each weight, and the wrestlers compete in a double-elimination tournament for each weightclass. There will also be team points awarded.
Last year the Quakers (1-0) came in third at Las Vegas with five individual place winners.
But with three of those five wrestlers lost to graduation - and with early-season injuries especially in the 184-pound class - the Quakers might have a hard time finishing as high as they did last year.
And some weightclasses where Penn's best wrestlers compete will sport some tough competition.
"Nebraska will have a returning NCAA champion at the 125-pound level," Jones said, referring to Cornhuskers junior Paul Donahoe, "and that's [sophomore Rollie] Peterkin's weight. I know Rollie is excited. He was in here [Tuesday] watching film of that guy. But Rollie's got a way to go before he can compete with a guy like that."
Another weightclass with some tough competition will be 149 pounds, where junior Cesar Grajales looks prove his mettle.
"I'm definitely excited since a lot of guys in my weight class" are ranked, Grajales said. "It will be a good sign of where I stand right now.
"This is my first big tournament, since I didn't compete much last year." Grajales was hurt and went 6-2 last year after going 26-12 and qualifying for the NCAAs his freshman season.
Las Vegas seems as good a place as any to get back into the action.
