Lions visit American; Host No. 13 Oklahoma State

Friday, January 13

Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m.

Columbia

American

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Lions visit American; Host No. 13 Oklahoma State

1/12/2023 1:52:00 PM | Men's Wrestling

Watch on ESPN+ (At American)Watch on ESPN+ (Vs. Oklahoma State)

The Lions are back in action with two big matches this weekend to start 2023

By: Garret Sulak

NEW YORK – Wrestling will travel to American (4-5) on Friday, Jan. 13 for the first EIWA dual of the season before returning home to host the No. 13 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1) in a 1 p.m. dual on Sunday, Jan. 15 at Levien Gym.

HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW

Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Entry to Sunday's match against Oklahoma State at Levien Gym is free. Updates for both matches will also be provided through the Columbia Wrestling Twitter account (@CULionsWR).

RETURNING TO ACTION IN 2023

The Lions will be back on the mat for the first time in 2023 on Friday night in Washington, D.C. to take on American. It will be the first dual match for the Lions since a narrow 19-18 loss at home to No. 15 Pittsburgh on Dec. 11. Friday's matchup will also mark the first EIWA dual of the season. Columbia will face an EIWA/Ivy League slate this season that includes duals against Princeton, Penn, Lehigh, Cornell, Bucknell, Harvard and Brown.

Proving true to the No. 2 strength of schedule in the country according to the WrestlingByPirate index, the Lions are set to host No. 13 Oklahoma State on Sunday. It will be the fourth dual against a top 15 ranked opponent this season for the Lions.

RANKED LIONS

Columbia enters the weekend with five wrestlers ranked nationally by FloWrestling and Intermat in the latest polls. Angelo Rini (133) is listed as honorable mention (FloWrestling) and No. 32 (Intermat). Matt Kazimir (141) comes in as honorable mention (FloWrestling) and No. 27 (Intermat). Cesar Alvan (157) is also honorable mention (FloWrestling) and No. 27 (Intermat). Joshua Ogunsanya (165) is ranked in both polls at No. 22 (FloWrestling) and No. 17 (Intermat). Lennox Wolak (174) is listed as honorable mention (FloWrestling) and No. 32 (Intermat).

SUCCESS AT THE SOLDIER SALUTE

Nick Babin (125), Rini (133), Kazimir (141), Danny Fongaro (149) and Wolak (174) secured top five finishes in their divisions at the inaugural Soldier Salute tournament at the end of December.

The Lions finished in fourth place as a team behind Iowa, Army West Point and Wyoming.

AMERICAN MATCHUP

Columbia won the past meeting in 2020 as the Lions earned a slim 21-20 dual victory. American won the dual match in 2019.

The Eagles are 4-5 this season coming off a loss to No. 8 Virginia Tech last weekend. American has dual wins over Duke, Bloomsburg, Sacred Heart and Hofstra this season.

PROJECTED LINEUPS VS. AMERICAN

Columbia at American
Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)

125 | Maximilian Leete (AU) vs. Nick Babin (COL)
133 | Shamil Kalmatov/Jack Maida (AU) vs. HM/32 Angelo Rini (COL)
141 | Ethan Szerencsits/Raymond Lopez (AU) vs. HM/27 Matt Kazimir (COL)
149 | Patrick Ryan/Antonio Segura (AU) vs. Danny Fongaro (COL)
157 | Jack Nies (AU) vs. HM/27 Cesar Alvan/Andy Garr (COL)
165 | Caleb Campos (AU) vs. 22/17 Joshua Ogunsanya (COL)
174 | Lucas White (AU) vs. HM/32 Lennox Wolak/Nick Fine (COL)
184 | Colin Shannon/Carsten Rawls (AU) vs. Jack Wehmeyer/Aaron Ayzerov (COL)
197 | Connor Bourne/Liam Volk-Klos (AU) vs. Javen Jovero (COL)
HWT | Will Jarrell/ Isaac Righter (AU) vs. Dan Conley/Billy McChesney (COL)

OKLAHOMA STATE MATCHUP

Columbia will welcome the No. 13 Cowboys to Levien Gym for a 1 p.m. dual match on Sunday. Oklahoma State leads the series 1-0 after earning a 35-6 win over the Lions last season in Stillwater.

The Cowboys are 5-1 in duals this season with wins against Lehigh, Bucknell, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Oregon State. The Cowboys took a 20-12 win over Oregon State last weekend.

Oklahoma State has 10 wrestlers in the current rankings. That list features No. 13/16 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (125), No. 2/2 Daton Fix (133), No. 19/25 Carter Young (141), HM/No. 19 Victor Voinovich (149), No. 13/13 Kaden Gfeller (157), No. 20/22 Wyatt Sheets (165), No. 2/6 Dustin Plott (174), No. 12/13 Travis Wittlake (184), HM/No. 21 Luke Surber (197) and HM/No. 26 Konner Doucet (HWT).

PROJECTED LINEUPS VS. OKLAHOMA STATE

Columbia vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State
New York, N.Y. (Levien Gym)

125 | Nick Babin (COL) vs. 13/16 Trevor Mastrogiovanni
133 | HM/32 Angelo Rini (COL) vs. 2/2 Daton Fix
141 | HM/27 Matt Kazimir (COL) vs. 19/25 Carter Young
149 | Danny Fongaro (COL) vs. HM/19 Victor Voinovich
157 | HM/27 Cesar Alvan/Andy Garr (COL) vs. 13/13 Kaden Gfeller
165 | 22/17 Joshua Ogunsanya (COL) vs. 20/22 Wyatt Sheets
174 | No. 32 Lennox Wolak/Nick Fine (COL) vs. 2/6 Dustin Plott
184 | Jack Wehmeyer/Aaron Ayzerov (COL) vs. 12/13 Travis Wittlake
197 | Javen Jovero (COL) vs. HM/21 Luke Surber
HWT | Dan Conley/Billy McChesney (COL) vs. HM/26 Konner Doucet

FOLLOWING THE LIONS

Stay up to date on all things Columbia Wrestling by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsWR), Instagram (@culionswr) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).