Wrestling Looks To Continue Historic Stretch By Claiming First Midlands Champion, Top Team Finish

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The last month has been fairly historic for the Princeton wrestling team, which has ended long droughts against both Lehigh and Rider in dual meet victories. Before the Tigers step into a promising 2019, they would love nothing more than to create a bit more program history to cap a memorable 2018 calendar year.

The 2018 Midlands Championships begin Saturday, Dec. 29, at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, and will run through Sunday night, when the finals will begin at 8 pm ET (7 pm local). Both FloWrestling and BTN Plus will be streaming the event, while TrackWrestling will provide live results and brackets throughout the weekend competition.

While Princeton has never had an individual champion — another streak the Tigers would love to end — it has produced finalists in each of the last three years. Jonathan Schleifer '18 was Princeton's first ever finalist in 2015, and he reached the final once again last year, while junior Matthew Kolodzik reached the final during his freshman season (2016). All three finals were closely contested, low scoring losses for the Princeton side.

Kolodzik could be one of two top-seeded Princeton wrestlers at the 56th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, as he enters the weekend as the nation's top-ranked competitor at 149 pounds. The two-time All-American is 6-0 on the season, and he added an exhibition victory over Duke's Mitch Finesilver at the NWCA All-Star Classic.

It's been four years since someone not named Brandon Sorensen has won the Midlands crown at 149 lbs.

Matthew Kolodzik is the No. 1 wrestler in the nation at the weight class. Does he bring home the #Midlands56 title? pic.twitter.com/4DNTlXJfQ0
— The Midlands (@MidlandsChamps) December 21, 2018

The other top seed could be 197-pound sophomore Patrick Brucki, who brings an 11-0 record into Midlands. The Princeton captain already has five wins over ranked wrestlers this season, and he placed fifth at his Midlands debut last season.

Not 1??, not 2??, but 3?? wrestlers in the top-10 at 197. #Midlands56 | #TopContenders pic.twitter.com/xC1eYreRVP
— The Midlands (@MidlandsChamps) December 28, 2018

Several Princeton freshmen will try to make memorable Midlands debuts this weekend, including nationally ranked 125-pounder Patrick Glory (9-1), who could be a top-five seed at his weight. If Glory makes it far enough, he could get a second look at the only wrestler to defeat him this season, Iowa sophomore and reigning NCAA champion Spencer Lee.

Among those joining Glory in hopes of reaching a Midlands final will be classmates Marshall Keller, Quincy Monday and Travis Stefanik, each of whom has had big moments already during their dual meet season. Another name to watch is junior Kevin Parker, the hero of the Dec. 20 dual victory over Rider. His second-period pin of Michale Fagg-Daves put the Tigers in position to claim the dual, and he already has a tournament victory on the season when he won the Tiger Open to begin his junior season.

Check GoPrincetonTigers.com after each day for a full wrap-up.

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