Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Wrestling Hosts Friday Night Pair; Harner Provides Midseason Video Update
January 08, 2015 | Wrestling
The Princeton wrestling team will host EIWA rivals Sacred Heart (5 pm) and Hofstra (7 pm) at Dillon Gym Friday night, and both matches will be streamed live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
While Princeton looks to pick up its first two home wins of the season, sophomore Brett Harner talks to GoPrincetonTigers.TV about the early part of the season, his own improvement goals and the importance of the dual match season. You can see the video by clicking the link above.
| Date • Time • Location | Jan. 9 • 5 pm/7 pm • Dillon Gym (free admission) |
| Follow Along | Live Video (subscription required) • Live Results: SH l Bing |
| @TigerWrestling l @PUTigers l @PUTigersLive | |
| Rosters | Princeton l Sacred Heart l Hofstra |
| Schedules | Princeton l Sacred Heart l Hofstra |
| What's Next? | Princeton heads to No. 3 Cornell Jan. 30 |
Princeton is 4-3 overall, 1-2 in the EIWA, and is looking to eliminate the bad taste from its home opener last month, a 20-16 loss at Binghamton. That was the only loss to a team outside the Top 20 this season, but it was one that has the Tigers motivated to regain their proper footing at home.
Two wrestlers could hit the 20-win mark this weekend. Junior Abram Ayala, currently ranked 13th at 197 (InterMat), is 19-3 this season and placed fifth at the Midlands Championships. Sophomore Brett Harner, who took eighth at 184 at Midlands, is 18-5 this season, with three of those losses coming to the same wrestler.
While both of them started during Princeton's 11-4 season last year, the Tigers are hoping for strong performances from a pair of freshmen this season. Both Francesco Fabozzi (157) and Jonathan Schleifer (165) reached the second day of Midlands last week, and each has already won at least 13 matches this season.
Sacred Heart (0-2) is guided by former Princeton assistant coach Andy Lausier. The Pioneers continue to develop their program, and they had five placewinners at the recent Wilkes Open.
Hofstra, under first-year head coach Dennis Papadatos, is 3-5 this season, including a win over Maryland during the Grapple at the Garden. The Pride have a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers in James Hudson (141, 17th InterMat) and Cody Ruggirello (149, 20th InterMat).