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Wrestling Hopes To Cap 2015 In Style At 53rd Midlands Championships
December 28, 2015 | Wrestling
The 53rd Midlands Championships, one of the nation's most prestigious wrestling tournaments, begins Tuesday morning at Northwestern, and the Princeton wrestling team hopes to use it as a springboard to a memorable 2016 season.
The Tigers finished 15th at the 2014 Midlands Championships, with both Abram Ayala (5th) and Brett Harner (8th) placing at arguably the toughest in-season event on the collegiate schedule. Both will return to Evanston, Ill., this week to join a deep group of teammates looking to make a move up the rankings in a field loaded with Top-20 competitiors.
Harner is currently tied for Princeton's top-ranked wrestler (based on Intermat) at No. 13, but there are four 197-pounders ranked above him in the field, including fourth-ranked Nathan Burak of Iowa, who will likely get the top seed. Ayala is currently 16th at 184, and he also has four wrestlers ranked ahead of him at the weight class, including third-ranked Jack Dechow of Old Dominion.
Sophomore Jon Schleifer, who became Princeton's first Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season, is also ranked 13th at 174, but he may have one of the most loaded brackets in the field. There are five wrestlers ranked above him, including four in the Top 10. Alex Meyer of Iowa should be the top seed, as he is ranked third nationally.
Other Tigers will be looking to break into the national rankings with a good tournament, like Jordan Laster (141) and Ray O'Donnell (285). Freshman Pat D'Arcy, making his first Midlands appearance this weekend, has had an impressive start at 125, and he could face up to seven different ranked wrestlers.
GoPrincetonTigers.com will have recaps each evening, while @tigerwrestling will provide live updates both days.