It will be the 76th meeting between the Buckeyes (1-3; 0-0 Big Ten) and the Boilermakers (10-0; 0-0 Big Ten)
PUCILLO MOVES TO 9-0
Mike Pucillo moved to 9-0 at 184 pounds on the season after posting a 19-4 technical fall against Eric Chine of Kent State Jan. 7. Pucillo's 19 points serves as his season best. Prior to that, Pucillo compiled 12 points on three occasions.
IN THE WIN COLUMN
Lance Palmer (149) has collected 11 wins in his last 16 (.688) matches, including a recent 5-0 win over Kent State's Jason McGee. The Lakewood, Ohio, native has a 15-9 record.
LEADER OF THE PACK
At 165 pounds, Chris Vondruska leads the Buckeyes in points (138), takedowns (35) and decisions (11). With his win over Sli Bostelman of Kent State, Vondruska now has won 14 of his last 17 (.824) matches. Vondruska's longest winning streak was nine bouts, between Dec. 2 at the Las Vegas Invitational and Dec. 30 at the Southern Scuffle. His overall record stands at 16-8.
MAKE IT A DOZEN
The Buckeye leader in team points with 63, J.D. Bergman (197) has improved his record to 12-3 on the year. Bergman also leads the team in falls with seven.
IN THE BIG TEN
Ohio State begins its Big Ten Conference schedule Sunday against Purdue. In 85 years as a member of the Big Ten Conference, the Buckeyes have compiled a 219-303-17 ledger.
IN THE BEGINNING...
Ohio State is 3-1 against Purdue in Big Ten openers. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series against the Boilermakers, 45-23-7. In the last six meetings, both teams are even with a 3-3 record.
Buckeyes vs. Boilermakers in conference openers
Jan. 21, 2001 - Ohio State 19, Purdue 12
Feb. 9, 1946 - Ohio State 16, Purdue 10
Jan. 7, 1942 - Purdue 21, Ohio State 3
Jan. 31, 1931 - Ohio State 26, Purdue 8
Last six meetings>
2006 - Purdue 19, Ohio State 15
2005 - Purdue 21, Ohio State 12
2004 - Ohio State 22, Purdue 18
2003 - Purdue 21, Ohio State 17
2002 - Ohio State 27, Purdue 8
2001 - Ohio State 19, Purdue 12
A LOOK AT PURDUE
Purdue enters its match against Ohio State with a 10-0 dual record. Leading the Boilermakers in wins is Nathan Moore with 25 at 197 pounds. A 2005 and 2006 NCAA qualifier, the senior out of Indianapolis, Ind., owns a 25-6 overall mark and is ranked 18th in the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA poll. Joining Moore in the national rankings is Jake Patacsil. With a 24-5 ledger at 149 pounds, Patacsil is No. 10.
Head coach for Purdue is Jessie Reyes (Cal State-Bakersfield, 1984). In his 15th season at the helm of the Boilermakers, Reyes has compiled a 179-112-3 record.
BERGMAN FINISHES SECOND AT SCUFFLE
J.D. Bergman captured a second-place finish at the 2006 Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C. Bergman, who wrestled at 197 pounds, had an impressive outing on day one of the event, recording two falls and a major decision en route to the quarterfinals. The following day, Bergman notched a decision to advance to the semifinals where he was slated to meet No. 2 seed and nationally No. 2-ranked Jerry Rinaldi of Cornell. However, Rinaldi was forced to take a medical forfeit and that set up the rematch between Bergman and No. 1 seed and top ranked Max Askren of Missouri. After leading 2-1 going into the third period, Askren was able to pin Bergman in 5:48.
LUCKY NO. 13
Chris Vondruska entered the 2006 Southern Scuffle with a five-match winning streak and winner of eight of his last nine. Vondruska then went on to win his first four match-ups at the Southern Scuffle, including recording two major decisions in the rounds of 64 and 32, to extend his winning streak to nine. Although he dropped his next two bouts, Vondruska rebounded in the fifth-place match with a 6-2 decision. He now has been victorious in 14 of his last 17 matches.
The fifth-place showing at the Southern Scuffle was Vondruska's third Top 5 tournament showing this season. Vondruska also finished third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December and fourth at the EMU Open in November.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Ohio State has competed in the Southern Scuffle two times in the tournament's four-year history and during that span the Buckeyes have collected nine individual Top 8 finishes. The Scarlet and Gray competed in the Southern Scuffle for the first time in 2005 and six Buckeyes placed, including J Jaggers who had a second-place outing at 149 pounds. In 2006, J.D. Bergman finished second at 197 pounds, while classmates Chris Vondruska and Lance Palmer placed fifth and seventh, respectively.
TOURNAMENT SUCCESS
During the past five seasons, Ohio State has posted impressive individual tournament outings. Since the 2002-03 season, the Buckeyes have captured 24 first-place finishes and 10 second-place outings. Ten third-place, fourth-place and fifth-place showings each have been collected during that span. A complete listing of Top 5 tournament finishes since 2002-03 can be found on page 8.
ROLLING INTO THE NEW YEAR
The Buckeyes began their busiest month in January, with seven duals on the schedule. Ohio State will host three meets during the month (Kent State, Purdue and Indiana), while traveling to the 18th Annual Wendy's Big Classic Duals where it will face Ohio, Cleveland State and Ashland, followed by a trip to Penn State.
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
Four Buckeyes in Lance Palmer, Chris Vondruska, Mike Pucillo and J.D. Bergman are ranked in the Top 20 of their respective weight classes in the latest edition (Jan. 9) of the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I wrestling poll.
Vondruska (165) made the biggest leap in the rankings from No. 18 to No. 15. Bergman (197) and Palmer (149) each moved up one spot. Bergman went from No. 4 to No. 3, while Palmer improved to No. 19 from No. 20. Pucillo (184) remained ranked third.
BUCKEYES FACE FOUR OHIO SQUADS IN 2007
In 2006-07, the Scarlet and Gray will compete against four Ohio schools - Kent State, Ohio, Cleveland State and Ashland. OSU has faced just four teams from the Buckeye state in a season on eight occasions - 1975, 1981-82, 1985-86, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2004-05 and 2006-07. Ohio State has met five Ohio teams in a season five times and has faced six Ohio squads during a campaign two times. The Buckeyes have met an all-time high seven Ohio opponents on one occasion in 1983-84.
SO LONG 2006
Ohio State finished the 2006 portion of its schedule 1-2 in dual action, while also participating in various open tournaments and invitationals. Starting the season at the Michigan State Open in East Lansing, Nov. 12, Ohio State's J.D. Bergman led the Buckeye contingent, winning the 197-pound crown. Sophomore Corey Morrison finished fourth at 285 pounds and Jason Johnstone took home fifth-place honors at 149 pounds. T.J. Enright was a sixth-place finisher at 133 pounds, while Blake Maurer was sixth at 174 pounds. Will Livingston was seventh at 125 pounds and Lance Palmer was eighth at 149 pounds.
Ohio State opened its dual schedule Nov. 16 with a home match-up against then-No. 3 Missouri. It was the home debut of first-year head coach Tom Ryan. The Buckeyes fell to the Tigers, 29-9, however, the Scarlet and Gray rebounded with an 18-17 upset victory against then-No. 9 Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y., ten days later. It was a match that came down to the final bout at 133 pounds with Enright going up against Cornell's Nick Bridge. With Ohio State down 17-15, Enright was able to secure a 5-3 win to give the Buckeyes the one-point edge. The win marked the first victory for Ryan as the OSU head coach and it served as his 110th career victory. Ohio State then took a break from dual action and competed at the Las Vegas Invitational in early December. Mike Pucillo paced the Buckeyes in the tournament, winning the 184-pound division. Pucillo recorded a pair of major decisions and a fall en route to defeating two Top 4 wrestlers in the semifinal and final for the title. Chris Vondruska and Palmer also placed for the Buckeyes, with Vondruska finishing third and Palmer taking home seventh place honors. Ohio State returned to dual action at home in St. John Arena Dec. 17 and played host to Chattanooga. OSU fell to the Mocs, 28-13. Three Buckeyes garnered victories in a match-up that did not feature injured Enright at 133 pounds or J Jaggers at 141 pounds.
OSU officially concluded 2006 with a final tournament outing at the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C. Bergman again led the Buckeye contingent, finishing second at 197 pounds. Vondruska went 5-2 in the event for a fifth-place showing while classmate Palmer finished seventh.
LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL CHAMPION
Redshirt-freshman Mike Pucillo won the 184-weight class at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 1-2 in Primm, Nev. Pucillo recorded two major decisions and a fall en route to the semifinal where he defeated No. 4 Raymond Jordan of Missouri, 3-1. In the championship bout against Michigan's and No. 3 Tyrel Todd, Pucillo notched a 12-6 victory for the title.
Pucillo became the first Buckeye to win a title at the event since current assistant coach Tommy Rowlands won in 2003 at heavyweight.
CONFERENCE LAURELS
After his winning performance at 184 pounds in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Mike Pucillo was named the Big Ten Conference Wrestler of the Week for the week of Dec. 4. Pucillo recorded two major decisions and a fall en route to the semifinal where he defeated No. 4 Raymond Jordan of Missouri, 3-1. In the championship bout against Michigan's and No. 3 Tyrel Todd, Pucillo notched a 12-6 victory for the title.
ONLY THE BEST
Ohio State has competed or will compete against some of the toughest teams in the nation in 2006-07. Eleven of the Buckeyes' opponents are ranked in the latest Top 25 of the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA poll (Jan. 9). Four opponents - Missouri (1), Iowa (5), Northwestern (8) and Penn State (10) are in the Top 10.
LIVE WEB STREAMING
Live web streaming of Ohio State's match-ups against Indiana (Jan. 28) and Michigan State (Feb. 2) are available on ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Log on to the official web site of the Ohio State Department of Athletics for more information.
EXPANDED COVERAGE
The NCAA and ESPN announced in October expanded live television coverage of the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships March 15-17 in Auburn Hills, Mich.
For the first time, in the 77-year history of the Division I Wrestling Championships, the Saturday morning medal round will be televised. Scheduled for 10 a.m. EST March 17 on ESPNU, the championships medal round determines the third through eighth place finishers who are honored as All-Americans.
The 2007 championships are March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. The University of Michigan and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission will serve as hosts.
Tickets for the 2007 championships are available by visiting http://www.detroitsports.org/wrestling/tickets/index.html.
UP NEXT
Ohio State will travel to the northeastern part of Ohio where it will participate in the 18th Annual Wendy's Big Classic Duals, hosted by Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. In the all-day event, the Buckeyes will face three Ohio schools in Ohio, Cleveland State and Ashland.
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