UNI to Face Nation’s Top Wrestlers at Cliff Keen Invite

Four University of Northern Iowa Panther wrestlers are seeded in the top 10 for this weekend’s Cliff Keen Invite in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 33rd Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational will take place on December 5th & 6th, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  Wrestlers from 39 schools will compete.

“This is the best event we’ll wrestle this year, besides the MAC (tournament) and nationals,” said head coach Doug Schwab. “This is definitely going to be a huge measuring stick to see where we are at.”

Half of the weight classes will feature the nation’s top-ranked wrestler. Six more wrestlers ranked second in the nation are expected to compete.

“Every weight class has a lot of strong individuals and be able to make a name for ourselves,” said Schwab. “You only get a handful of opportunities like this, and you need to be ready to take advantage of it.”

UNI Wrestlers Receiving Seeds:

• 125 pounds – Dylan Peters (3)
• 133 pounds – Levi Wolfensperger (8)
• 165 pounds – Cooper Moore (6)
• 285 pounds – Blaize Cabell (9)

Peters and Curt Maas (174 pounds) are the only Panthers still defending a perfect record. Peters is 7-0 on the season and has five first-period falls. Maas is 8-0 so far this year.

UNI AT THE CLIFF KEEN:

The team finished sixth at last year’s Cliff Keen Invite. Joe Colon’s third place at 133 pounds was the highest finish for the Panthers. Moore took fourth, Peters was fifth and Joey Lazor was eighth at 141 pounds.

In 2012, Wolfensperger took fourth at 133 pounds. Also in 2012, Cody Caldwell placed seventh at 174 pounds.

“It’s time to see some proof for the work they are doing,” said Schwab.

UNI VS TOP SEEDS: (Flowrestling rankings/all pre-seeds – subject to change)

125 POUNDS (No. 6 Dylan Peters – pre-seeded third)

• No. 2 Nahshon Garrett, Cornell – Garrett leads 1-0, winning 4-2 at 2013 Cliff Keen. It was Peters’ first loss after pinning first nine opponents last season.
• 2. No. 4 Joey Dance, Virginia Tech – Dance leads 1-0, winning 10-8 at 2014 NCAA Tournament.
• 4. No. 8 Josh Martinez, Air Force - Martinez leads 1-0, winning 10-7 at 2013 Cliff Keen. It was Peters’ second loss of the year.
• 8. No. 10 Tim Lambert, Nebraska – Peters leads 3-0, winning 7-5 at 2014 NCAA tournament, 7-5 at 2012 Harold Nichols Cyclone Open and 8-1 at 2012 Midlands.

133 POUNDS (No. 18 Levi Wolfensperger – pre-seeded eighth)

• 4. No. 13 George DiCamillo, Virginia – Wolfensperger leads 1-0, winning 12-5 at the 2012 Cliff Keen Invite

165 POUNDS (No. 13 Cooper Moore – pre-seeded sixth)

• 2. No. 3 Michael Moreno, Iowa State – Moreno leads 2-0, winning 10-5 at 2013 Cliff Keen and 9-6 in a dual in the West Gym in 2014.
• 7. No. 17-Nick Wanzek, Minnesota – Moore leads 1-0, winning 8-2 in opening round at 2013 Midlands.
• 9. No. 15 Austin Wilson, Nebraska – Moore leads 1-0, winning 5-3 in the opening round of 2014 NCAA Tournament.

HEAVYWEIGHT (No. 17 Blaize Cabell – pre-seeded ninth)

• 4. No. 12 Ty Walz, Virginia Tech – Cabell leads 1-0, winning 9-7 at 2013 Cliff Keen Invite.
• 7. No. 10-Adam Fager, Utah Valley – Fager leads 1-0, winning 6-2 at 2013 Midlands
• 10. No. 15 Joe Stolfi, Bucknell – Stolfi leads 1-0, pinning Cabell in 3:24, knocking him out of the 2014 NCAA tourney

SCHEDULE: Friday, Dec. 5, 2014

• 11 a.m. CT: Pigtail Round, Round 1, Round 2, Consolation Pigtails & Consolation Round 1
• 8 p.m. CT: Quarterfinals & Consolation Round 2 & 3

SCHEDULE: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014

• 11 a.m. CT: Consolation Round 4
• noon CT: Semifinals and Consolation Round 5, Consolation Semifinals, Consolation Finals (5th & 6th, 7th & 8th)
• 5 p.m. CT: Championship Finals (1st & 2nd and 3rd & 4th)

Wrestling starts 11 a.m. CT Friday. The quarterfinals and consolation rounds 2 and 3 will start 8 p.m. CT Friday. Wrestling resumes 11 a.m. CT Saturday with consolation rounds. The consolation semifinals, and matches for fifth through eighth places will start noon Saturday.

The championship finals for first through fourth will start 5 p.m. CT Saturday.

Those not competing at the Cliff Keen will compete at the BVU Open in Storm Lake, Iowa, starting 9 a.m. Saturday.