Purdue carries an 8-2 record into the conference season, including seven straight dual victories. The youthful Boilermaker lineup has seen several successes throughout the non-conference schedule, including those of junior tri-captain Jake Patacsil and freshman A.J. Kissel. Patacsil is ranked 15th in the country at 149 pounds with an 18-4 record to his credit. He recently broke the Boilermakers' career back point record, and now has 419 nearfall points in less than three seasons at Purdue. He also leads the nation in technical falls with 10 on the year. Kissel is rewriting the Purdue record books as well, already tying the Boilermakers' single-season pin record just 26 matches into his collegiate career. His 15 pins match the total posted by Dave Lilovich in 1986, and move him into 17th all-time at Purdue. Kissel is tied for third in the country in falls, just two behind the national leader.
Also doing damage for the Old Gold and Black have been junior Nick Corpe and freshmen Logan Brown and Luke Manuel. Corpe is 19-7 on the year and boasts a team-best 66 takedowns, while Brown touts a 17-7 mark at 197 pounds and Manuel stands at 18-5 at 165 pounds.
No. 6 Michigan is 13-3 in dual competition this season, but has lost two of their last three bouts, including a 21-13 loss to fifth-ranked Central Michigan on Sunday. The Wolverines' lineup is decorated with nationally-ranked grapplers, highlighted by second-ranked 184-pounder Tyrel Todd and third-ranked 165-pounder Eric Tannenbaum. Freshman Kellen Russell, junior Steve Luke and senior Josh Churella all hold respective spots in the national top-10 as well, while freshman Anthony Biondo has a place on the national top-20 list. Russell is third at 141 pounds, Luke is fourth at 174, Churella stands eighth at 149 and Biondo is 15th at 197.
The Boilermakers' only clash with Michigan this season came at 184 pounds at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, where Kissel suffered a hard-fought 4-0 loss at the hands of Todd.
Michigan State enters the weekend at 3-5 in dual competition and host the fourth-ranked University of Minnesota on Friday before welcoming the Boilermakers on Sunday. The Spartans have a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers in 133-pound sophomore Franklin Gomez and 197-pound senior Joe Williams. Gomez is fifth in the country at 16-1, while Williams ranks 15th at 19-7.
Purdue has seen extensive success against the Spartans in the preseason tournaments, building a 9-1 record against Michigan State grapplers throughout the ranks. Patacsil has a pair of technical falls against the Spartans, and sophomore heavyweight Chris Kasten stuck MSU's Alan O'Donnell at the Eastern Michigan Open.
Results will be available upon the conclusion of each match at purduesports.com.
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