University Park, Pa. -- The No. 21 ranked Penn State wrestling team drew a first round match-up with No. 10 Oklahoma in the first round of the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Dual Team Championships that start in Cleveland State Convocation Center in Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday at 11:00 a.m. The match can be heard live on WBLF (970 AM) and also on the internet at www.gopsusports.com.
Penn State takes a 4-4 record (0-2 in the Big Ten) into the Championships after dropping a pair of matches in Michigan last weekend. Oklahoma is 8-1 on the year with wins over No. 11 Cornell, No. 16 Arizona State, No. 19 Navy and No. 24 Army and a loss to No. 1 Oklahoma State. Penn State was unseeded in the tournament while Oklahoma is the No. 7 seed. A win would send the Nittany Lions into a second round match-up with No. 2 seed Illinois, the No. 2 ranked team in the country.
Oklahoma State drew the No. 1 seed in the tournament followed by Illinois, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Lehigh, No. 5 Hofstra, No. 6 Minnesota, Oklahoma and No. 8 seed Cornell.
Penn State is 14-9-1 all-time against Oklahoma and defeated the Sooners last year at the National Duals, 20-14. Penn State went 3-2 at the Duals last year and finished fourth in the tournament won by Oklahoma State.
The Nittany Lions are 41-23-3 all-time in National Duals competition and claimed titles in the event in 1991 and 1993. Penn State has placed in 12 of 14 tournament appearances and have competed in all but two of the National Dual Team Championships since the event took its current form in 1989.
Division I Pairings
All matches begin Saturday, Jan. 22 at 11:00 a.m.
Match 1, Mat 1 - No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. The Citadel
Match 2, Mat 2 - No. 8 Cornell vs. Cleveland State
Match 3, Mat 3 - No. 5 Hofstra vs. Northern Iowa
Match 4, Mat 4 - No. 4 Lehigh vs. California-Poly
Match 5, Mat 5 - No. 3 Michigan vs. Arizona State
Match 6, Mat 6 - No. 6 Minnesota vs. Central Michigan
Match 7, Mat 7 - No. 7 Oklahoma vs. Penn State
Match 8, Mat 8 - No. 2 Illinois vs. West Virginia
Saturday, Jan. 22
11 a.m.
Division I Preliminary (All)
3 p.m.
Division I Quarterfinals (1, 2, 3, 4)
Division I 1st Round Consolation (5, 6, 7, 8)
5 p.m.
Division I 2nd Round Consolation (1, 2, 3, 4)
8:30 p.m.
Division I Semifinals (1, 2)
Sunday, Jan. 23
11 a.m.
Division I Consolation Semifinals (1, 2)
3 p.m.
Division I Championship (1)
Division I Third-Place Match (2)
Division I Fifth-Place Match (4)
Division I Seventh-Place Match (3)