STANFORD, Calif. - After more than three weeks away from competition, the Stanford wrestling team will be back in action Thursday, Dec. 17 as it hosts CSU Bakersfield for a Pac-12 dual at 5 p.m. PT in Maples Pavilion.
The dual will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks (National and Bay Area) with Jason Knapp, Ken Chertow and Anthony Robles on the call. It marks the second of four dual television appearances for the Cardinal this season. Stanford versus West Virginia and at Arizona State on Jan. 23 will also be televised.
Stanford has four wrestlers ranked in the top 20 of the most recent InterMat rankings (Dec. 15). Freshman Joey McKenna (141 pounds) is the highest-ranked Cardinal at No. 4, while redshirt junior Jim Wilson (165 pounds) comes in at No. 5. Redshirt sophomores Nathan Butler (285 pounds) and Connor Schram (125 pounds) are No. 18 and No. 20, respectively.
In its most recent outing, Stanford (2-1, 1-0 Pac-12) dropped a 31-12 decision to top-ranked Penn State on Nov. 22 in Maples. McKenna and Wilson picked up wins for the Cardinal against the Nittany Lions.
CSU Bakersfield (3-2, 0-0 Pac-12) is coming off a ninth-place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 3-4). The Roadrunners have two wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in the InterMat rankings, including No. 6 Reuban Franklin (197 pounds) and No. 7 Bryce Hammond (174 pounds).
Thursday marks the 37th meeting between Stanford and CSU Bakersfield. The Roadrunners lead the all-time series 26-10. The Cardinal has won five of the last six contests, including a 25-6 decision last season in Bakersfield, California.
Up next, Stanford travels to Reno, Nevada for the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Dec. 20. Last season, Wilson captured the 165-pound title, while a school-record seven Cardinal finished in the top 5 at the tournament. As a team, Stanford tied for second with Oregon State, which was a program-best finish, while its three finalists (Wilson, Isaiah Locsin and Evan Silver) were also a school record.
Thursday's Probable Match-Ups:
125: Sergio Mendez, 9-5 (CSBU) vs. Brian Rossi, 7-3 (STAN)
133: Carlos Herrera, 8-8 (CSUB) vs. Mason Pengilly, 6-4 (STAN)
141: Ian Nickell, 10-5 (CSUB) vs. No. 4 Joey McKenna, 7-0 (STAN)
149: Coleman Hammond, 7-5 (CSUB) vs. Paul Fox, 9-3 OR Tommy Pawelski, 2-3 (STAN)
157: AJ Fierro, 8-5 (CSUB) vs. Tommy Pawelski, 2-3 OR Paul Fox, 9-3 (STAN)
165: Adam Fierro, 7-3 (CSUB) vs. No. 5 Jim Wilson, 6-1 (STAN)
174: No. 7 Bryce Hammond, 10-3 (CSUB) vs. Keaton Subjeck, 6-2 (STAN)
184: Jesus Ambriz, 2-5 OR Dylan Bollinger, 6-4 (CSUB) vs. Zach Nevills, 2-2 (STAN)
197: No. 6 Reuben Franklin, 13-3 (CSUB) vs. Boomer Fleming, 5-6 (STAN)
285: Matt Williams, 11-6 (CSUB) vs. No. 18 Nathan Butler, 4-1 (STAN)
