The Princeton University wrestling team’s first matchup against a Big Ten team didn’t go so well this season.
It hopes it will fare a little better on the second and third go-around, and the health of one of its two national finalists could go a long way towards a more positive result.
Princeton will join fellow New Jersey school Rutgers at Sunday’s Garden State Grapple at the Prudential Center in Newark. The event pairs four Big Ten schools and four EIWA schools in two cross-over matches each.
Princeton will face No. 11 Wisconsin and Michigan State, while No. 19 Rutgers takes on No. 21 Penn and Drexel. Indiana and Binghamton are also part of the event.
After coming out of the gates in their own Princeton Open, the Tigers made their dual-meet debut at Indiana on Nov, 18, suffering a 22-13 loss that knocked them out of the national rankings.
While Princeton coach Chris Ayres thought the Tigers should have overcome his absence, 125-pound national finalist Pat Glory being out because of a soft tissue injury was the likely swing in the match. Princeton forfeited the 125-pound weight class.
“One team just showed up, and the other team didn’t just show up, they showed up to wrestle and wanted to take us out,” said Ayres. “We have a target on our backs now. We have to get used to that. We were not as physical as we needed to be. We didn’t come out firing. So what’s our reaction? We had a bad performance, so how do we react?”
Ayres called Glory day-to-day, and while last year’s starting 133-pounder Nick Kayal is cutting down to 125, he won’t make the weight on Sunday. So if Glory is unavailable, Princeton will start both of Sunday’s matches in a six-point hole.
Princeton will definitely be without 149-pound senior Marshall Keller for a second straight match as well, but like Glory he is close to returning and unlike 125 the Tigers do have other options at the weight.
• OTHER LINEUP DECISIONS: Princeton now has four heavyweights competing for the starting spot - Travis Stefanik, Matt Cover, Jack DelGarbino and Sebastian Garibaldi.
Cover defeated Stefanik in the finals of the Princeton Open, while Stefanik drew the assignment against Indiana.
The 133-pound weight class is still up in the air, though Sean Pierson has an early edge. Anthony Clark and Kayal are other possibilities.
Blaine Bergey has taken the lead at 165, which also profiled as a competitive weight class coming into the season.
Ayres said with two matches Sunday he may split the assignments at several weights.
• A UNIQUE EVENT: Rutgers competed in last year’s Garden State Grapple - the first time it was held at the Prudential Center - but this will be Princeton’s first time. Ayres said he likes the EIWA vs. Big Ten format.
“It’s a fun event,” said Ayres. “I know (event organizer) Dylan (Wanagiel) very well and the Grapple at the Garden is very unique. I love the Prudential Center. We saw last year was a well-run event, and Wisconsin and Michigan State are both very good. It’s a long day, and we’re going to get tested.”
Wanagiel said he hopes the event becomes a springboard to the NCAA Tournament coming to New Jersey, which can’t happen until at least 2027. Ayres said it’s an idea he would certainly get behind.
• MONDAY FALLS: Princeton’s other national finalist, 157-pounder Quincy Monday, fell to national champion David Carr of Iowa State, 2-1, on a riding time point at the NWCA All-Star Classic.
Monday and Carr’s fathers were both national champions, Olympic medalists and competitors. Carr will be competing at 165 pounds this year, while Monday remains the favorite at 157.
• NEXT FOR THE TIGERS: After the Garden State Grapple, Princeton will face its fourth straight Big Ten team when it hosts Rutgers next Sunday at Jadwin Gym.
Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
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