Wrestling earns four titles in Wyo.
(11/13/01 10:00am)
This past weekend Penn wrestling galloped into the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo., and rode out with four wrestlers placing first in their weight classes.
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Motivation, energy the forte of new Wrestling asst. coach
(11/08/01 10:00am)
Even the best things occasionally need fine-tuning.
Music: How's My Hair?
(11/01/01 10:00am)
Ascending from rural obscurity, rapper Bubba Sparxxx attempts to make an impact with Dark Days, Bright Nights, the first album to be released on hip-hop super-producer Timbaland's new label, Beat Club. Haling from Athens, Ga., Bubba, the latest white rapper to make it into the limelight, raps with a self proclaimed "southern drawl." While comparisons to fellow white rapper Eminem are almost inevitable, Bubba fails to transcend those resemblances. Although his rhymes can be entertaining, like on "Well Water" and "Take Off," the majority of the content seems like regurgitated Eminem-esque themes of drugs, poverty and misogyny. Even with those limitations, Dark Days, Bright Nights highlights some lyrical promise for Bubba, as it is quite audibly accessible.
Music: Chillin' In His Choo-Choo
(10/25/01 9:00am)
In an ideal world, the highest-caliber music would sell the best. Instead, as New Orleans rapper Juvenile's fifth solo release Project English reminds us, sales and talent don't always correlate. The shameless materialism and outlandish bragging that appears on this album by the commercially successful Juvenile and his bling-blinging crew, the Cash Money Millionaires, runs quite shallow.
Music: Men Experimenting With Each Other
(10/18/01 9:00am)
What happens when three talented musicians from different musical backgrounds convene in a studio for three days of extensive jamming and recording? Out comes The Philadelphia Experiment, the tantalizing jazz debut from the trio featuring hip hop drumming guru Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (of the Roots), acoustic bassist Christian McBride and classical and avant garde jazz pianist Uri Caine (a Penn grad). While the trio has had experience in the past playing together (?uestlove and McBride were classmates at Philadelphia's High School for the Creative and Performing Arts), their energy and spontaneity shine through in this dynamic record.
Author's book examines the underlying causes of racism
(10/04/01 9:00am)
People may not realize it, but by conceptualizing different races, the world is supporting an ill-conceived way of thinking that ostracizes certain groups.
Offensive woes doom Field Hockey again
(09/27/01 9:00am)
There's no secret to winning field hockey games -- you need to score goals.
M. Lax unable to bounce back from early deficit
(05/02/01 9:00am)
In a game stereotypical of most Penn men's lacrosse contests this season, the Quakers fell behind early before mounting their habitual late-quarter charge. But against Delaware (6-8) on Saturday, Penn's late charge wasn't enough, as the Quakers fell, 12-10, in their final game of the season. In a first quarter that saw nine goals scored between the two teams, the No. 20 Quakers (6-7) only garnered two. Five of the seven Blue Hen goals came from the stick of one man -- Jason Lavey. "Our defense just didn't show up to play in the first quarter and first half," Penn defender Steve Brown said. "You can't spot a good team four goals to start out with." Penn coach Marc van Arsdale also found the Quakers' defense -- or lack thereof -- to be the main cause of Delaware's first-quarter offensive outburst. "We didn't get any stops early. but then the defense played strong after the first quarter," van Arsdale said. In fact, the defense shut out the Blue Hens in the second quarter and only allowed one goal in the third. At the half, the Red and Blue found itself down by only two goals, and with 5:55 left to play in the third, the game was deadlocked at seven. Yet after the full 60 minutes had elapsed, the Blue Hens found themselves clutching a 12-10 lead. "The problem was digging the hole early in the game," van Arsdale said. "You leave yourself little room for error." This was the fifth time this season that the Quakers lost by a margin of two or fewer goals. This typified the Red and Blue's season, as more than one third of this year's games ended in such a slim defeat. Van Arsdale has not been surprised with the change of momentum and closeness of the games his team has battled in this season. "It's typical of Division I college lacrosse," van Arsdale said. "A lot of our wins and losses were tight games." Penn finished the season just short of .500 overall, but managed to break even in Ivy League play. The Quakers' 3-3 Ivy mark matches their best performances in the last decade. The Quakers, though, were not as enthusiastic about their 6-7 overall record. "In the sense that we had some close games we can look back on the season that way," Brown said. But Brown and van Arsdale are already looking ahead to next season. "We went .500 in the Ivy League and it's something to look forward to next year," Brown said. "There are things to get excited about," van Arsdale added.
Comeback win for gutsy M.Lax
(04/16/01 9:00am)
Going into the locker room halfway through its last Ivy League game of the season, the Penn men's lacrosse team was in danger of finishing with a losing league record for the ninth time in 10 years. Brown (3-6, 1-3 Ivy League) was riding a two-goal lead, as Penn (5-4, 3-3) had only tallied one goal in the first half. The Bears were controlling nearly all ground-balls and, as a result, the game. But a different Penn team re-appeared on the field at the start of the second half. The Quakers rallied to tie the host Bears by the end of the third period behind the goals of Sonny Sarker and Peter Scott. With 15 minutes to play, recording the first .500 season since Penn coach Marc van Arsdale's first year at the helm in 1997, was in sight. Penn sophomore Jake Martin rifled a shot past Brown goalie Mike Levin with only 51 seconds elapsed in the final frame to give the Quakers the lead. Martin tallied for the second time 13 minutes later, as the Quakers accumulated four goals in the fourth quarter to seal the 7-3 victory and the 3-3 Ancient Eight record. "I think it's a pretty nice accomplishment, but it's something we won't look back on until the end of the season," van Arsdale said. The head coach of the Quakers attributed the startling turn around in the second half to ground ball play as well as defense. In the first half, Penn controlled few ground balls and as a result fell into a 3-1 hole at halftime. "The most telling thing was the ground ball factor. We were out-ground-balled 22-8 in the first half," van Arsdale said. "The ground ball stats were even more in favor of us in the second half than they were of Brown in the first." Penn collected 27 ground balls in the second half alone, eight more than Brown's total of 19. Van Arsdale also credited the team's defense for keeping the Quakers in the game during their offensively-deprived first half. "The defense did a particularly good job in not letting Brown get away from us," van Arsdale said. "Steve Brown in particular did a great job in the fourth quarter." Brown, Penn's sophomore defenseman, picked up 10 ground balls throughout the game, nearly a third of all of Penn's ground ball pickups. Brown also tallied the first point of his Penn career, as he assisted Mike Iannacone's eighth goal of the season. Ironically, Brown was pulled from the game in the first quarter after he was held accountable for a goal by the Bears' Dan Creighton. "I got pulled out of the game and Coach van said to me 'you owe the team a couple,'" Brown said. "I knew I had to do something to step up my game. Penn goalie Ryan Kelly also had a stellar performance on Saturday. Kelly allowed just three shots by him all day, saving 16 shots and helping the Quakers to the big win. "We've stepped up our play in the last couple of games," Brown said. "It means a lot to the team to finish 3-3 in the Ivies -- and we're looking ahead to five victories."
Big Red squeeze by M. Lax in thriller
(04/03/01 9:00am)
The Penn men's lacrosse team waged its second-consecutive epic battle last weekend. But this time, the roles were reversed, as the Red and Blue were unsuccessful in their invasion of Cornell. Penn was unable to upset No. 7 Big Red, as the Quakers fell, 10-9, in New Canaan, Conn. In a game destined for a captivating finish, the score was tied 4-4 at the half. However, the Big Red rallied to an 8-5 lead and seemed to be in control with 11 minutes remaining. Then, everything turned around, as Penn's Kevin Cadin found the net twice. The Quakers were suddenly within one. After a Big Red goal from Andrew Schardt, Penn found itself in a 2-goal hole with a minute left to play. But the Quakers refused to roll over. With just 52.7 seconds left, the Quakers staged a last-minute charge, as Scott Solow found the back of the net. "We knew we had to do something," Solow said. "I cut across the middle, got the ball and put it in." Following Solow's goal, Penn coach Marc van Arsdale signaled for a time-out and laid out a play he envisioned would provide the tying goal. The play gave Andrew Solow a shot on goal, but Cornell's Cynar blocked the ball, giving Cadin the opportunity for a rebound score -- an opportunity he fully capitalized on, sending a game many would have written off into overtime. "I got the rebound and put it in; I was in the right place at the right time," Cadin said. The two goals gave the Quakers the momentum, and Penn won the opening face-off in the overtime period. But Cornell's Frank Sands beat Penn goalie Ryan Kelly only 67 seconds into the extra frame. Van Arsdale noted that it was an emotionally difficult loss, but that the Quakers won a nearly identical game just last week against Harvard. "Both teams fought a hard- fought, even game," Van Arsdale said. "We were fortunate to get the 10-9 win the week before." The Quakers will look to avenge their second Ivy loss today as they host rival Princeton at 4:30 p.m. at Franklin Field. The Red and Blue fell victim to the Tigers last season by a score of 10-4. "Princeton hasn't lost an Ivy game in so long; we definitely want to be the team that stops their streak," Cadin said. An energized van Arsdale feels strongly that he and his team are ready to dethrone reigning Ivy champ Princeton tomorrow, despite the emotional hardship of the Cornell loss. "You'd like to have more time to prepare for a team like Princeton, but in terms of the emotional side we don't have time to dwell," Van Arsdale said. Solow, who began the last minute rally against Cornell, believes his team can and will leave the field tomorrow with a victory. "We're going to the game expecting to play hard and expecting to get a win," Solow said.
M. Lax ekes out win against No. 18 Harvard
(03/26/01 10:00am)
In a game more volatile than the Nasdaq stock market, the Penn lacrosse team left No. 18 Harvard in the red by a score of 10-9. The first Ivy league win (1-1) and third win overall for the Quakers (3-2) came in dramatic fashion. With 9:20 elapsed in the final quarter, junior Sonny Sarker netted the game winner. Peter Scott, who tallied a goal in the first period, was cutting to the cage when the ball hit off the post. Sarker was there to retrieve the ball and fired it into the back of the net. "I just happened to be there and I picked it up and put it in," Sarker said. Coach Marc Van Arsdale was not only pleased with his team's upset of Harvard but also with its ability to win on the road. "We beat a good team on the road in a hard fought game," Van Arsdale said. "It was a game we had to battle to win." Penn goalie Ryan Kelly, who held the lead by keeping the remaining Crimson shots out of the back of the net, thought that Penn emerged victorious due to the team's unselfishness on the field. "It was up and down the whole way, and no one decided they needed to win the game by themselves," Kelly said. "We won as a team." Kelly finished with 21 saves on the day, and thought that the defense was what ultimately enabled the Quakers to hand the Crimson its first loss of the season. "We played sound defense throughout the whole game and just kept doing it," Kelly said. At the end of the first quarter of play, Penn was in possession of a 3-2 lead. Yet, by the end of the second period, the Quakers headed to the sidelines behind by a single goal, 5-4. This roller-coaster like battle for the lead continued in the third quarter as Harvard broadened its lead to 7-4. Following Harvard's biggest lead of the game, the Red and Blue beat the Crimson goalie five times in a row, ending the period ahead by a 9-7 score. In the final period, the Crimson battled back once again, tying the game at the 6:42 mark. Sarker then scored Penn's game-winning goal to put an end to the see-saw battle. In addition to Sarker, Kevin Cadin and Todd Minerley were the driving forces of the Quakers offense. Cadin and Minerley each tallied four points a piece before the final horn. Both losses thus far for the Red and Blue have come to the likes of top 20 teams -- No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 20 Yale. With the upset of No. 18 Harvard, the Quakers have a chance to break into the top 20. However, Sarker pointed out that the team focuses more on beating its opponents than on the voting that occurs off the field each week. "We really don't look at polls; we just try to win the next game," Sarker said. The Red and Blue will try to build on their momentum coming from this win and build an Ivy winning streak against Cornell on Saturday, in New Cannaan, Conn.
Wrestling takes 20th at NCAAs
(03/20/01 10:00am)
The NCAA Championships, the grandest of all college wrestling tournaments, was invaded by five Penn wrestlers -- Yoshi Nakamura, Mike Fickell, Tim Ortman, Mason Lenhard, and Josh Henson -- from March 15-17. During these three days, Penn seniors Yoshi Nakamura and Mike Fickell earned All-American spots, and the Quakers placed 20th in a field of 78 teams. The Red and Blue finished first among its Ivy League competitors and had twice as many All-Americans as all other Ivy teams combined. Penn Coach Roger Reina was generally pleased with the result of his shortened squad in the Penn wrestling team's final performance of the 2000-01 campaign. "All five of our qualifiers went there with the intention of competing successfully, and they all put forward a lot of effort," Reina said. "To come away with the third top-20 finish in three years and two All-Americans was a positive statement." Penn's highest seeded wrestler, Yoshi Nakamura, was surprised in his first match of the tournament by unseeded Griff Powell. The Quakers 157-pounder lost by a score of 3-2. "I got off to a slow start and never really got my engine started, which was a bad thing," Nakamura said. The third-seed battled back however, as he tore through the back-bracket of the double-elimination tournament. In the process, Nakamura avenged his sole regular season loss to Lehigh's Ryan Bernholz, 10-5, and once again defeated Iowa's seventh-seeded Cole Sanderson, 10-5. Nakamura eventually fell victim to fifth-seeded Kirk White, in what Reina termed a "very controversial" 2-1 decision. "It was a close match," Nakamura said. "He hung on and played a close tactical match, got a stalling call on me, and ended up winning." Nakamura left Iowa with not only a seventh place finish but his first-ever selection to the All-American team. Penn's other All-American was 197 pounder Mike Fickell. The 11th-seeded Fickell ripped through the brackets until the semi-finals, and ultimately finished in fifth-place to mark the end of the Penn senior's prolific wrestling career. "I always said I wanted to go out with no regrets, and I went out and wrestled hard and came out with All-American status," Fickell said. "In that sense I feel good about it." Mason Lenhard finished a successful freshmen season that had included an EIWA Championship at 125 pounds with two consecutive losses. The unseeded Lenhard was ousted from the championship bracket by eighth-seeded Ben Vombaur. Tim Ortman, the EIWA's 165-pound titleholder, could not equal his success of two weeks ago. He fell short to Michigan's tenth-seeded Charles Martelli, 6-3, in the first round of the Championship bracket. Ortman, however, faired well in the back-bracket, garnering two wins and upsetting eighth-seeded Carl Fronhofer in the process. Penn's fifth and final wrestler, junior Joe Henson, gained a victory over Duquesne's Erick Glasse before departing from the 149-pound championship bracket. Reflecting upon the season as a whole, Reina remained upbeat as he considered the youth on his team and its steady improvement during the final weeks of the season. "This season was challenging in a lot of ways," he said. "Seven out of 10 starters were new to the program. After the Virginia Duals [on January 12-13] our performance improved week by week."
Penn wrestlers shine individually at EIWAs
(03/06/01 10:00am)
Finishing second in a sporting event is often difficult to accept. But, when one is runner-up in a field of 12 highly competitive teams -- including a team ranked No. 10 in the nation -- it is a little easier to endure. And when that team's bridesmaid finish includes four out of a possible 10 individual champions, that finish is even sweeter. This was the nature of the Quakers' second-place finish to Harvard at last weekend's EIWA Championships. And while the Quakers could not come out on top, they managed to defeat No.10 Lehigh. Although the regular season is now over for the Quakers, five Penn wrestlers will don the red and blue at the upcoming NCAA National Championships. Penn coach Roger Reina is optimistic about his wrestlers' chances in the biggest wrestling tournament of the year. "We've got five guys going out who can all put a lot of points on the board," Reina said. "It's time to refocus and prepare for key opponents we'll be facing." The five grapplers Penn will send are seniors Yoshi Nakamura, Mike Fickell and Tim Ortman, freshman Mason Lenhard and junior Joe Henson. At 157 pounds, 1999 and 2001 EIWA Champion Nakamura will represent the Red and Blue. The eight-time national judo champion is currently ranked third in the nation and holds an intimidating 24-1 record this season. Nakamura faced No. 12 Leo Urbinelli of Cornell in the EIWA finals last Sunday. In the match, Urbinelli seemed to be attempting to avoid Nakamura -- he was eventually cited for a stalling violation -- and Nakamura won a 6-2 decision. Nakamura is widely regarded as having a chance to win the entire championship, and recognizes this. "My goal is to be at the top of the podium by the end of nationals," he said. EIWA Champion Fickell will also be heading to Iowa to compete in the national championships. Fickell, who holds a 20-3 record on the season, soundly defeated last season's EIWA 197-pound champion Corey Anderson with an 11-3 major decision. Another Penn EIWA champion, Lenhard defeated Lehigh's Mario Stuart at 125 to gain his EIWA Championship last Sunday. Following a first period that saw no scoring, Lenhard picked up the pace and eventually won a 9-7 decision. In his first collegiate season, Lenhard will be grappling for the Quakers on March 15-17, and is excited about the opportunity to capture an All-America title. "Being an All-American, I'm not looking at it as a learning experience, but as a freshman, there's no pressure on me," Lenhard said. The winner at 165 at last weekend's EIWAs, Ortman is also heading to nationals. Ortman won a hotly contested 3-2 victory over Brian Bonfiglio of Princeton to capture his first EIWA championship. The senior is now eagerly anticipating the NCAAS. "I've set my goals high at the beginning of the season, and my goal stands at top four," Ortman said. "I've never lost by more than two points all season, so I have high goals." The fifth and final wrestler headed to Iowa is Henson, who grapples at 149. After placing third this weekend, Henson was selected to compete in NCAAs as a wild-card. Although the regular match season has come to an end for this year's Penn team, these five potential national champions look to continue their wrestling dominance.
Wrestling takes second at EIWAs
(03/05/01 10:00am)
Despite four tournament champions and five NCAA qualifiers, the Penn wrestling team finished second this weekend at the EIWA Championships. In the two-day, 12-team event, the Red and Blue were just nine points shy of eventual champion Harvard. The Crimson finished with 123 total team points, ahead of Penn's 114 and Lehigh's 109.5. Harvard's Dawid Rechul pinned four wrestlers during the course of the weekend tournament and earned the Sheraton award for most pins as well as the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler award. Penn coach Roger Reina was generally pleased about his team's second-place finish, but he noted the Quakers' ultimate goal was to win the tournament. Reina also alluded to the performances of seniors Tim Ortman and Mike Fickell, who were able to avenge earlier season losses. "Several opponents we had been beaten by before, and we were able to turn around and beat them," Reina said. Penn's had four wrestlers advance to the finals, and all four -- freshman Mason Lenhard and seniors Yoshi Nakamura, Tim Ortman and Mike Fickell -- won their matches to claim an individual title. Lenhard opened the championship finals last night by earning his and Penn's first 2001 EIWA individual championship. The 125-pounder defeated Lehigh's Mario Stuart by a final score of 9-7. "I wanted to win this -- it was a goal of mine from the beginning of the season," Lenhard said. "I'm glad I came through for the team." In the 157-pound weight class, Penn co-captain Yoshi Nakamura continued his season-long domination of opponents, as he defeated Cornell's two-time NCAA qualifier Leo Urbinelli, 6-2. Nakamura improved his stellar record to 24-1, as the eight-time national judo champion won his second EIWA Championship. "It's good to repeat. You're showing the true mark of a champion," Nakamura said. In the very next match, Tim Ortman won Penn's third individual championship of the night by defeating Lehigh's Ryan Bonfiglio, 4-2. "It feels great," Ortman said. "I've just placed in the last three years and missed nationals. There's a huge burden off my back." Fickell, meanwhile, won the 197-pound crown by defeating defending EIWA champion Cory Anderson by an 11-3 major decision. Anderson had beaten Fickell in last year's EIWA semifinals. "Winning in front of the Palestra is special and in front of my old teammates was even more special," Fickell said. Penn now looks toward the NCAA Championships at the University of Iowa. Lenhard, Nakamura, Ortman and Fickell, as well as junior Joe Henson -- who earned a wild-card bid at 149 for his third-place finish -- will head to the Championships, which will be held March 15-17 at the University of Iowa.
Wrestling taken down by ASU
(02/12/01 10:00am)
Following three consecutive victories, the Penn wrestling team looked to continue riding its recent success into the state of Arizona. However, powerhouse Arizona State, ranked No. 14 in the nation, proved to be a major roadblock for the Quakers (5-6) and their chances for a fourth straight victory. In a star-studded match that contained 11 wrestlers ranked within the top 25 in their respective divisions, the Sun Devils (10-3) defeated the Red and Blue, 25-13. The Sun Devils didn't shine so brightly at first though, as the Quakers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after freshman Mason Lenhard recorded a 19-7 major decision over ASU's Chris Knox. Arizona State then accumulated 13 unanswered points in the next three matches. David Douglas, ranked No. 11 nationally at 133 pounds, defeated Penn's Jeff Eveleth by major decision, 15-5. At 141 pounds, the Sun Devil's Eric Larkin, ranked third in his weight class, pinned the Quakers' Dan Mousetis at the 2:45 mark. Surprisingly, at 149, ASU's Dana Holland upset nationally ranked No. 14 Joe Henson by a slim 12-9 margin. But the string of losses for the Quakers stopped there, as No. 2 Yoshi Nakamura stepped to the mat next. In a match between two wrestlers ranked within the top 15 in the nation at 157, Nakamura edged out No. 13 Rocky Smart in overtime by a 2-1 count. "My opponent wrestled an ideal match for himself and kept it close the whole time," Nakamura said. Nakamura's national ranking is causing his opponents to be extremely cautious in his presence. "They are straying away and trying to tie me up and hold on the whole time," Nakamura said. "But I'm still putting forth my best effort and I'm still pushing forward for a national championship." Nakamura has defeated every opponent he has faced this season and holds an impressive 18-0 record. The third and final victory for the Quakers came from the 197-pound division. Mike Fickell, now ranked 10th in the country, pinned Andy Swanson of ASU at 1:45. In the Quakers' final two dual meets, Penn will battle Princeton at the Palestra on February 14 and travel to Lehigh on February 18. The Red and Blue will look to regain the momentum they had prior to the Arizona State match in these two matches, as the season-defining EIWA and NCAA championships quickly approach.
Wrestling falls to Penn State
(02/01/01 10:00am)
When the final two wrestlers walked off the mats at Penn State last night, both the Penn and Nittany Lions wrestling teams had accumulated five match victories. The tied-match finish was not unexpected by Penn Coach Roger Reina. "We knew going into the meet it could end up being 5-5, and bonus points could determine the outcome," Reina said. They did, but not for the team the 15-year Quakers coach had hoped. With a major decision and two pins, the No. 21 Penn St. squad ultimately accrued more bonus points on the evening, claiming a 22-16 victory over the visiting Red and Blue (2-5). Penn has not finished a season with a losing record in a decade -- the last time was 1990-1991, when the Quakers ended up 8-9. After having lost three of its last four dual meets to a trio of premier wrestling teams -- Michigan, Cornell and the Nittany Lions -- the No. 24 Quakers must return to the winning ways they had seen earlier this season to prevent a relapse into their '90-'91 form. In fact, Penn will have to defeat five of the final six teams it grapples with to finish the season with a winning record. There is saving salvation, though, to a season that Penn was once marching through. In this disappointing team loss, some positive individual results emerged. Yoshi Nakamura was able to extend his unbeaten record to 16-0. He soundly defeated the Nittany Lions' Aaron Wright, 11-6. But Nakamura was unable to gain some added bonus points in the match, as Wright was extremely cautious in grappling with the EIWA's No.1 wrestler at 157 pounds. "I got off to a slow start," Nakamura said. "I wanted to beat him by more than six points." Nakamura is earning more national respect with each victory he accumulates. In some rankings, Penn's senior captain is listed as high as second in the nation. Last night also marked the return of Penn senior Mike Fickell. Fickell had been absent from the Penn lineup at the 197-pound slot in last Saturday's loss to Cornell. The return of Fickell benefited the Quakers, as he won a 7-3 decision over Penn St.'s Pete Nielmik. Nielmik had won the last contest between the two wrestlers. Another highlight for the Quakers was the performance of 125-pound freshman Mason Lenhard. Lenhard avenged the loss he had suffered to Penn St.'s Josh Moore the last time the two teams faced. He surprised Moore last night in a dominating 17-7 win. The other two wins for Penn came from senior Tim Ortman and junior Josh Henson. Ortman scored an 8-6 decision over Zach Vecchio at 165-pounds, and Henson pulled out a 3-2 decision against the Nittany Lions' Mark Becks at 174. Despite the loss to Penn State, the Quakers are still 1-1 in the Ivy League and continue to remain confident in their chances for the Ancient Eight title. "There's a reasonable likelihood we could win share of the Ivy," Reina said. The final five matches the Quakers have scheduled are all against beatable opponents for the reigning Ivy League champions. Brown, George Mason, Arizona State, Princeton, and Lehigh represent the final teams the Quakers will face before the all-important EIWA and NCAA championships.
Wrestling falls to Penn State
(02/01/01 10:00am)
When the final two wrestlers walked off the mats at Penn State last night, both the Penn and Nittany Lions wrestling teams had accumulated five match victories. The tied-match finish was not unexpected by Penn Coach Roger Reina. "We knew going into the meet it could end up being 5-5, and bonus points could determine the outcome," Reina said. They did, but not for the team the 15-year Quakers coach had hoped. With a major decision and two pins, the No. 21 Penn St. squad ultimately accrued more bonus points on the evening, claiming a 22-16 victory over the visiting Red and Blue (2-5). Penn has not finished a season with a losing record in a decade -- the last time was 1990-1991, when the Quakers ended up 8-9. After having lost three of its last four dual meets to a trio of premier wrestling teams -- Michigan, Cornell and the Nittany Lions -- the No. 24 Quakers must return to the winning ways they had seen earlier this season to prevent a relapse into their '90-'91 form. In fact, Penn will have to defeat five of the final six teams it grapples with to finish the season with a winning record. There is saving salvation, though, to a season that Penn was once marching through. In this disappointing team loss, some positive individual results emerged. Yoshi Nakamura was able to extend his unbeaten record to 16-0. He soundly defeated the Nittany Lions' Aaron Wright, 11-6. But Nakamura was unable to gain some added bonus points in the match, as Wright was extremely cautious in grappling with the EIWA's No.1 wrestler at 157 pounds. "I got off to a slow start," Nakamura said. "I wanted to beat him by more than six points." Nakamura is earning more national respect with each victory he accumulates. In some rankings, Penn's senior captain is listed as high as second in the nation. Last night also marked the return of Penn senior Mike Fickell. Fickell had been absent from the Penn lineup at the 197-pound slot in last Saturday's loss to Cornell. The return of Fickell benefited the Quakers, as he won a 7-3 decision over Penn St.'s Pete Nielmik. Nielmik had won the last contest between the two wrestlers. Another highlight for the Quakers was the performance of 125-pound freshman Mason Lenhard. Lenhard avenged the loss he had suffered to Penn St.'s Josh Moore the last time the two teams faced. He surprised Moore last night in a dominating 17-7 win. The other two wins for Penn came from senior Tim Ortman and junior Josh Henson. Ortman scored an 8-6 decision over Zach Vecchio at 165-pounds, and Henson pulled out a 3-2 decision against the Nittany Lions' Mark Becks at 174. Despite the loss to Penn State, the Quakers are still 1-1 in the Ivy League and continue to remain confident in their chances for the Ancient Eight title. "There's a reasonable likelihood we could win share of the Ivy," Reina said. The final five matches the Quakers have scheduled are all against beatable opponents for the reigning Ivy League champions. Brown, George Mason, Arizona State, Princeton, and Lehigh represent the final teams the Quakers will face before the all-important EIWA and NCAA championships.
Wrestling is in New York state of mind
(01/26/01 10:00am)
The Penn men's wrestling team will look to continue to ride its historical heat wave of success in the Ivy League as it ventures into frigid Manhattan and Ithaca, N.Y., this weekend. When the Quakers cross the New York state line, their Ivy dual-meet season will finally commence. Penn battles Columbia on Friday. The Lions, who do not rank in the EIWA's top-eight, are expected to pose little threat to the No. 2 Quakers. In last year's meet, Penn de-clawed the Lions in a 44-6 uprooting. Yet senior captain Yoshi Nakamura, ranked No. 1 at the 157-lb. slot in the EIWA, is quick to note the importance of Ivy League matches. "Each team we wrestle in the Ivy League we can't look past," Nakamura said. "To show our dominance in the Ivy League we have to beat the best, and beat the teams that are less competitive by a bigger margin." Following the Columbia match, Penn will travel north to Cornell, where fiercer competition lurks. Cornell is currently ranked third in the EIWA, only one spot behind the Red and Blue. With six wrestlers ranked sixth or better, the Big Red pose a significant threat to Penn's quest for winning its sixth consecutive league championship. Cornell's strongest wrestlers hail from the 157-, 165- and 197-lb. weight classes. In the 157-pound division, Cornell sends No. 3 Leo Urbinelli to the mat. Yet Urbinelli's grappling will be greatly tested. He will face Penn senior Yoshi Nakamura, who is widely regarded as the second-best wrestler in the country in that weight class. Nakamura (10-0), will be attempting to remain perfect on the season. He defeated Urbinelli last season in a 6-2 decision. "You can never take anybody lightly, and I think he is ranked No. 13 in the country," Nakamura said. Also, Cornell will put forth Clint Wattenberg -- the EIWA No. 1 in the 165-lb. division -- and last year's EIWA champion, Corey Anderson, in the 197-pound division. Penn coach Roger Reina is looking for his team to unleash its potency this weekend. "We have great potential with our squad, and I am very confident we are on the right road," Reina said. "So I'm excited to see this group just go out and do what they're fully capable of." Following their stay in New York, the Penn wrestlers will head home to the Palestra, where they will begin training for a matchup with Penn State on January 31. Prior to traveling to Penn State, coach Reina and Nakamura will attend the NWCA National All-Star meet. Nakamura will wrestle in the 157-lb. bracket and Reina will act as an honorary coach.
Wrestling: No respite 'til NCAAs
(12/14/00 10:00am)
While the common Penn student recuperates in bed from a sleep-deprived exam week this winter break, 37 men will shed their covers of protection and go to battle. On December 29, January 7 and January 12, the Quakers men's wrestling team will look to continue its assault on its opponents. This time frame may constitute a vacation to some, but not to the Penn wrestlers, who will be grappling with arguably the most competitive portion of this year's schedule, prior to the NCAAs. The first destination for the Red and Blue wrestling train is Evanston, Ill., and the Northwestern campus. Here, Penn will attempt to derail strong opposition in The Midlands Open. "The Midlands is annually one of, if not the best collegiate tournament leading up to the NCAAs, and is a true test of where we stand nationally," Penn coach Roger Reina said. Reina will be looking at this tournament as a test of the Red and Blue's current abilities, in preparation for the grand-daddy of them al -- the NCAAs. "It takes place with two months remaining in the season, so that improvements can still be made after the Midlands and before the NCAAs," Reina said. Last season, the Quakers placed fourth out of the 56 teams in the Midlands field, a field that includes the elite teams of the Big Ten. The reigning Ivy League champions will return home to the Palestra on January 7, when they will attempt to avenge last season's 18-17 loss at Michigan. Penn's match with the Wolverines is part of a home-and-home agreement, as the Quakers traveled to Ann Arbor last January. "Michigan is a highlight of our home dual meet season," Reina said. Finally, the Red and Blue will travel to Hampton, Va., on January 16 to take part in the 16-team Virginia Duals. "The Virginia Duals is a national caliber event -- very prestigious," Reina said. The notable teams the Quakers will be wrestling against in the Hampton Coliseum are Cornell, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Rider, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Reina is looking to finalize his dual meet team prior to the Virginia Duals, noting the ranking implications the tournament holds. "We expect to have our dual-meet lineup solidified by then and look forward to gaining on our national ranking at this event," Reina noted. So when your head aches from lack of sleep or your stomach feels queasy from egg-nog, just remember, some of your classmates will be attacking the premier wrestlers in the country, bleeding red and blue.
Wrestling looks to be tough at Penn St.
(12/01/00 10:00am)
When the Penn wrestling team boards a bus en route to Happy Valley and Penn State this weekend, the Red and Blue will be in search of not only a tournament victory but also team development. The Penn State Open will include a medley of teams, most of which hail from the East. At 9 a.m., the the grappling will begin, as the Quakers square off against the likes of Navy, Rider, Seton Hall, and the host Nittany Lions. Yet, as this is an open event, Penn coach Roger Reina noted that currently unknown competition could appear. "It will be an open event, an event that will have a very wide range of teams being represented," Reina said. Within a field that should prove to be of large proportions, the Quakers will be targeting Navy and Penn State. Navy, a fellow EIWA conference member, is ranked eighth in the conference. Penn holds the third position. Navy cannot be overlooked, however, since the Midshipmen pose a threat within the competitive EIWA. "Facing Navy will be important, in terms of our conference," Reina said. "It will have bearings on the individual rankings within the conference, which will impact the seedings for the Eastern Championships." Penn State, will also be a marked team for the Red and Blue this Sunday. Ranked 25th nationally and fifth in the Atlantic Regional Division I Preseason Rankings, the Nittany Lions are projected to have a talented team this winter. Penn ranked fourth in the Atlantic preseason poll, and 15th nationally. This will be the first of two meetings between the Quakers and Lions. "We'll have a good chance to take a look at them [Penn State], and we'll have a dual meet with them in January," Reina said. Penn State is coming off of a fourth-place finish in it's last showing, at the Mat-Town Classic. Rider and Seton Hall, teams that the Red and Blue bested in the Keystone Classic two weekends ago, will also be making appearances. Both teams failed to upend Penn, finishing second and fourth respectively to the Quakers, the tournament victor. Regardless of the other competition that appears at Penn State's Recreational Hall on Sunday morning, Coach Reina is looking forward to a strong showing by the Quakers. "We've competed very well at this tournament every time that we've gone," Reina said. Reina, who has constructed arguably the best wrestling program in the state, intends to use this weekend's result as an evaluation of the team's progress thus far. "We use this tournament as an opportunity to get a high number of matches in and evaluate our technical progress," Reina said. Individually, Penn wrestlers will be aiming to utilize this tournament to help elevate their rankings. Yoshi Nakamura is currently ranked eight in the 157-pound weight division by Amateur Wrestling News, second in the EIWA and fifth by Intermat. The Outstanding Wrestler of the Keystone Classic will be looking to sustain or possibly even elevate his current rankings by wrestling well at Penn State this weekend. Also, Jody Giuricich and Mike Fickell, both ranked number two by the EIWA, will be attempting to dominate the field in their respective 175-pound and 191-pound weight classes. Most importantly, the Red and Blue wrestling team will return to the Penn Campus as a more experienced and technically inclined team. "Our focus is on our own technical development, not the teams that will be there," said Reina. News and Notes The last time Penn faced Penn State, the Quakers defeated the Nittany Lions, 22-16, last December at the Palestra. At the 1998 Penn State Open, the Red and Blue performed well. Rick Springman, who is sitting out this season, won the 165-pound title at the tournament.