Men's Wrestling 12/10/2021 10:31:00 AM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

No. 11 Gannon to Host Fairmont State on Saturday

FAIRMONT STATE FALCONS (0-3, 0-3 MEC) at GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (0-2, 0-0 PSAC)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, December 11, 2021 | 7:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Recreation and Wellness Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's wrestling returns to action on Saturday, December 11 hosting Fairmont State. The dual is the first at home this season and will get underway at 7:00 p.m. at Gannon's Recreation and Wellness Center.

The Golden Knights last competed on Friday, December 3 at Edinboro, facing Division I Edinboro and Buffalo. They dropped a 30-9 decision to UB, followed by a 37-3 setback to the Fighting Scots. They were scheduled to wrestle at Seton Hill in their initial PSAC match on Wednesday, but that contest was postponed.

Three seniors who are graduating on Sunday will be recognized prior to the Fairmont State match. They include Owen Balas (Warren, Pa./Warren Area), Brad Crislip (Ravenna, Ohio/Ravenna), and Nicolas Marsico (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour).

Head coach Don Henry's team is currently ranked 11^th in the latest NWCA Division II Top 25. In addition, four wrestlers appear in the individual national rankings. Alex Farenchak (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) is the top-ranked wrestler at 165 lbs. after finishing as the national runner-up in the spring. However, the All-American is not expected to wrestle on Saturday.

Jacob Dunlop (Rostraver Township, Pa./Belle Vernon), a senior who earned All-American honors a year at 133 lbs., is ranked ninth at 125 lbs. and leads the Golden Knights with a 10-2 record. Freddie Nixon (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) is ranked 11th at heavyweight and comes in with a 9-1 record. The senior was named the PSAC Wrestler of the Week earlier this week after posting a win over Buffalo's heavyweight and taking Edinboro's heavyweight into sudden victory before dropping a 3-1 decision.

Joel Leise (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) is actually Gannon's highest-ranked wrestler in the lineup. A redshirt junior, Leise is ranked seventh at 197 lbs. He comes in with a 3-0 record while only competing in the Journeymen Classic.

Nick Young (Batavia, N.Y./Alexander) fell out of the 157 lbs. but is a returning All-American. He owns an 8-3 record.

In addition to the two duals, Gannon has enjoyed strong showings in the Mount Union Invitational, Journeymen Collegiate Classic, and Findlay Open.

Fairmont State's program is in just its third year. The Falcons come in with a 0-3 record, dropping duals to Davis & Elkins (40-6), Glenville State (55-0), and Campbellsville (33-15). They are led by Lukas Martin, the reigning national champion at 149 lbs. A transfer from West Virginia, Martin was named the NWCA Super Region 1 Wrestler of the Year and was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship. Martin finished 14-0 last year and currently owns a 0-1 record. However, Fairmont State head coach Colin Johnston did not list a starter at 149 lbs. in his probable lineup. Martin, who is currently ranked second, has not wrestled since the season-opening dual against Davis & Elkins.

GANNON PROBABLE LINEUP
Wt. -- Name -- Record
125 – No. 9 Jacob Dunlop (Rostraver Township, Pa./Belle Vernon) -- 10-2 / Chris Petteys (Hudson Falls, N.Y./Hudson Falls) – 1-6
133 -- Aseel Almudhala (Dearborn, Mich./Fordson) -- 3-5
141 -- Parker Loera (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) -- 2-8
149 -- Dom Means (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) -- 0-0
157 -- Nick Young (Batavia, N.Y./Alexander) -- 8-3
165 -- Evan Fisler (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township) -- 1-0
174 -- Joey Petrella (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) – 7-1 / Deven Abbott (Erie, Pa./Collegiate Academy (Erie)) – 2-6
184 -- Joey Petrella (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) / Deven Abbott (Erie, Pa./Collegiate Academy (Erie))    7-1 / 2-6
197 – No. 7 Joel Leise (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) -- 3-0
Hwt. – No. 11 Freddie Nixon (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) -- 9-1

FAIRMONT STATE PROBABLE LINEUP
Wt. – Name -- Record
125 -- Kaden Lundy -- 1-2
133 -- Dylan Dennison -- 1-6
141 -- Levi Smith – 4-4 / Pat Vega – 4-2
149 -- TBA
157 -- Jordan Hamlin -- 2-4 / Taven Swick -- 0-2
165 -- Cade Moisey -- 4-5
177 -- Davy Mundy -- 2-6
184 -- Austin Gibson -- 3-1
197 -- Jaxson Turner -- 1-7
Hwt. -- TJ Boyd -- 4-4 / Thomas Graxen – 0-2

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Players Mentioned

Deven Abbott: Junior; 157

Owen Balas: Junior; 174

Brad Crislip: Redshirt Junior; Hwt.

Jacob Dunlop: Senior; 125

Alex Farenchak: Redshirt Sophomore; 165

Evan Fisler: Redshirt Junior; 157

Joel Leise: Redshirt Junior; 184

Nicolas Marsico: Junior; 165

Dom Means: Redshirt Junior; 149

Freddie Nixon: Senior; 197

Players Mentioned

Deven Abbott
: Junior; 157

Owen Balas
: Junior; 174

Brad Crislip
: Redshirt Junior; Hwt.

Jacob Dunlop
: Senior; 125

Alex Farenchak
: Redshirt Sophomore; 165

Evan Fisler
: Redshirt Junior; 157

Joel Leise
: Redshirt Junior; 184

Nicolas Marsico
: Junior; 165

Dom Means
: Redshirt Junior; 149

Freddie Nixon
: Senior; 197

Gannon University Athletics

Scoreboard

No. 11 Gannon to Host Fairmont State on Saturday

Players Mentioned

Deven Abbott

Owen Balas

Brad Crislip

Jacob Dunlop

Alex Farenchak

Evan Fisler

Joel Leise

Nicolas Marsico

Dom Means

Freddie Nixon

Players Mentioned

Deven Abbott

Owen Balas

Brad Crislip

Jacob Dunlop

Alex Farenchak

Evan Fisler

Joel Leise

Nicolas Marsico

Dom Means

Freddie Nixon