Newberry wrestling announces 2009-2010 schedule

NEWBERRY, S.C. – Newberry College and head wrestling coach Jason Valek are proud to announce the wrestling team’s 2009-2010 schedule. This year’s campaign features matches and tournaments that pit the scarlet and gray against top teams from both the Division I and Division II levels.

Newberry will look to build off of a sparkling 2008-2009 season that saw the team take second place at the NCAA Division II Tournament, where two Newberry wrestlers earned the first two NCAA individual championships in school history.

Defending national champion and two-time All-American Keeno Griffin will return for 2009-2010. Griffin also took an individual title at the Super Region I championships in 2009 en route to a team title. Griffin will be joined by returning All-Americans Matt Oliver, Bryant Blanton and Brandon Kelly as well as national qualifiers Josh Whitelock and Latra Collick, among other strong talent coming back to look for a championship.

The team will also welcome several transfers into the fold. Among them, NCAA Division II runner-up Mike Rogers will wrestle at the 149 lbs. weight class and 2006 NAIA National Champion Curtis Chenowith will wrestle at 174 lbs.

“The upcoming season should bring a high level excitement to our program. We return the majority of our starting lineup and plan to infuse several quality transfers and true freshmen into that,” Valek said. “We also look forward to watching transfers like Rogers and Chenowith and how they help our program.”

The season features three tournaments first with a mix of duals and tournaments to follow, including several prestigious events taking place at Newberry.

“Our schedule will allow us a lot of flexibility in determining what weights are the best for our guys. With three open tournaments to start the season, we’ll be well-suited for the dual schedule ahead once our lineup shakes out,” Valek said. “Overall, I wouldn’t be surprised if we mix it up a bit by moving some kids around to find out what is best for our team. They’re willing to do what it takes to make it over that last hurdle and be national champions.”

Newberry wrestlers will taste their first competition of the year when they battle each other for starting spots at the Scarlet and Gray Wrestle-Offs on Sunday, November 1.

The regular season begins on Sunday, November 8, at the Hokie Open in Salem, Va., where the team will face Division I schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 2008, Newberry faced and defeated ACC teams North Carolina and then-No. 22 North Carolina State.

The three-tournament series swing to begin 2009 continues on Saturday, November 14, when the team travels to Pembroke, N.C., to compete in the Braves Open.

One week later, the scarlet and gray will head north to Raleigh, N.C., for the Wolfpack Open. The Open will feature ACC teams as well as Division I Hofstra University, who finished 23rd in last year’s USA Today/NWCA/Intermat Top 25 Coaches Poll.

The team then heads to Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday, November 28, to battle Division I programs Virginia Tech and Campbell University. Virginia Tech finished at No. 15 in the final ranking last season and also sent eight wrestlers to the 2009 NCAA Championship last year, including two which advanced to the round of 12. The Hokies could return several or all of those eight this year. Newberry battles Campbell after Virginia Tech.

The scarlet and gray return home for the Newberry Duals on Saturday, December 5. Newberry will play host to and compete with top Division II wrestling teams from around the country. Adams State College (Colo.), Belmont Abbey College, the University of Findlay (Ohio), Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) and UNC Pembroke will head to Newberry for the third installment of the Duals.

The five other teams will bring strong pedigrees into the Duals. Adams State finished fifth at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2008 and two Grizzlies won individual titles who could return this year. The program has produced six national champions and finished in the top 10 the past seven years. Belmont Abbey sent one wrestler to the NCAA Championship finals in 2009. Findlay sent several wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, including two who were not seniors. Grand Canyon University’s team featured several wrestlers who finished near the top in regular season and conference tournaments.

One week later, Newberry wrestling will visit Kent, Ohio, on Sunday, December 13. There the team will face off against Kent State University and the University of Michigan. Both teams finished in the top 25 last year, with Kent State finishing at No. 20 and Michigan taking No. 18. The Wolverines finished 11th in team standings at last year’s NCAA Championships, with one wrestler capturing All-American honors who will return in 2009.

After taking a two-week break from competition during the holidays, Newberry hits the mats for the first time in 2010 on Saturday, January 2, for the Midwest Classic in Indianapolis, Ind. A week later from January 9-10, the squad travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the NWCA National Duals. Fifteen other teams will take part in the Duals, including the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Kearney and the University of Central Oklahoma. Those three teams have combined for every NCAA Division II team national championship dating back to 2002 and 13 dating back to 1991.

Last year at the NWCA Duals, Newberry placed second after facing Nebraska-Kearney and Nebraska-Omaha, which went on to take the Division II National Championship crown in March.

After a Friday, January 15, trip to Laurinburg, N.C., to take on St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Newberry will host the Super Region I Duals from January 22 to January 23. Anderson University, American International College (Mass.), Belmont Abbey College, Kutztown (Pa.) University, Limestone College, Mercyhurst (Pa.) College, the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Seton Hill University (Pa.), Shippensburg (Pa.) University, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, UNC Pembroke and West Liberty State College (W. Va.) will descend on Newberry to participate.

On Saturday, January 30, the scarlet and gray will go to Erie, Pa., to face off against Mercyhurst College and Gannon University (Pa.). The team then heads to Pembroke, N.C., for a matchup with UNC Pembroke on Tuesday, February 2.

The team then enjoys a three-match homestand that begins with Belmont Abbey on Tuesday, February 9, followed by Limestone College on the same day and away matches with Gardner-Webb on Monday, February 15 and Anderson University on Sunday, February 17.

The regular season then wraps up with a trip to Raleigh, N.C., to take on North Carolina State. The scarlet and gray toppled a No. 22 North Carolina State squad early last season.

The postseason begins with the NCAA Division II Super Region I Tournament at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown on Friday, February 26, and Saturday, February 27.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha will host the NCAA Division II National Tournament, held on March 12 and 13.

Click here to view the Newberry 2009-2010 wrestling schedule in PDF format.