Sunday, January 8, 2023 – 2:00 p.m.
Rider vs #18 Rutgers
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ Alumni Gym.
WATCH- ESPN+
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider Broncs return home as they open up action in Alumni Gym as they host a Garden State foe in #18 Rutgers.
What You Need To Know
Last Time Out
- Rider is coming off a long hiatus from duals with their last taking place over a month ago vs #1 Penn St.
- During Rider's dual with Penn St #10 Ethan Laird was able to take down the reigning national champion at 197 and at the time top-ranked Max Dean.
- McKenzie Bell continued his impressive campaign last weekend taking fourth at the Southern Scuffle.
- Rider finished the Scuffle with three Broncs' on the podium as both Laird and Quinn Kinner finished #6th following medical forfeits in their final bouts.
Series History
- Rider holds the all-time series lead vs Rutgers 12-10.
- Rutgers has dominated the series as of late winning each of the last eight matchups with the Broncs.
- Last year Rutgers took down Rider 36-3 Shane Reitsma (Howell, NJ/Howell) earned the lone win of the night for Rider.
Scouting Rutgers
- Rutgers comes into the Dual vs Rider ranked #18 in the NWCA Coaches Polls
- Rutgers goes into the weekend facing off with a pair MAC squads as they travel to Bloomsburg before coming back to the Garden State to battle with the Broncs
Broncs In The Rankings
- #29 McKenzie Bell, #23 Quinn Kinner at 149, and #10
Ethan Laird at 197. (Intermat)
Bronc Notes
- The Broncs are coming off a tough season in 2022 in which injuries and redshirt seasons limited the team. Rider finished 8th at MAC Championships.
- Rider returns five NCAA Qualifiers, including two from last season.
- A three-time NCAA Qualifier, Ethan Laird returns following a redshirt season in 2021-22. He qualified for NCAA's at 197 in his true sophomore and junior years, before bumping to heavyweight for 2020-21. He'll wrestle at 197 this season.
- Richie Koehler is a two-time NCAA Qualifier, earning the honor in each of the last two seasons at 133.
- Quinn Kinner, who was an NCAA Qualifier at 141 in his first season at Rider last year, will bump up to 149 this season.
- 2021 NCAA Qualifiers McKenzie Bell and
Jake Silverstein also return this season. Bell redshirted last year after going to NCAA's at 141 as a true freshman. Silverstein suffered through injuries last season after qualifying for NCAA's at 165 in 2021.
- John Hangey returns for his sixth season as Rider's Head Coach. The 2020 MAC Co-Coach of the Year has posted a 43-24 dual record with 19 of his wrestlers qualifying for NCAA's in his first five years.
- The Broncs finished 35th at NCAA's last season with 5.5 points.
Projected Matches
#18 RUTGERS SCARLETT KNIGHTS (6-1, 0-0 B1G)
125: 18/NR Dean Peterson (13-4) -OR- 20/18 Dylan Shawver (12-5)
133: 9/14 Joe Heilmann (15-4)
141: 14/HM Sammy Alvarez (12-2)
149: 26/HM Anthony White (8-4)
157: NR/HM Andrew Clark (14-6) -OR- Al DeSantis (10-5)
165: Connor O'Neill (9-10) -OR- Luke Gayer (10-6)
174: 31/HM Jackson Turley (3-4) -OR- Eric Freeman (3-4)
184: 12/14 Brian Soldano (13-3)
197: Billy Janzer (2-4) -OR- Kyle Epperly (5-2)
HWT: 23/24 Boone McDermott (12-2)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
RIDER BRONCS (2-1, 1-0 MAC)
125 Tyler Klinsky Jr. Middletown, N.J./Middletown North 8-8
133 Richie Koehler Sr. Middletown, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy 4-4
141 #29 McKenzie Bell Jr. Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional 15-6
149 #23 Quinn Kinner Jr. Mullica Hill, N.J./Kingsway Regional 12-4
157 Colton Washleski So. Flemington, NJ/ Hunterdon Reg 3-5
165 Hunter Mays. Fr. Levittown, PA/ Howell HA 12-7
174 Shane Reitsma Jr. Howell, NJ/ Howell HS 3-1
184 Ray Weed Fr Galloway NJ/ Absegami HS 0-0
-OR-
184 Asa Terrell Jr. Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel 0-7
197 #10 Ethan Laird Gr. Waterford, Pa./General McLane 11-1
285 David Szuba So. Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial 10-7
Intermat Rankings
