UNI Wrestling Opens Home Duals With #8 Cornell

Sunday, December 16

West Gym - Cedar Falls, Iowa

2 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

#8 Cornell University

Photo by: Jason Rubin / JMRImages

UNI Wrestling Opens Home Duals With #8 Cornell

12/12/2018 9:54:00 AM | Wrestling

No. 8 Cornell (2-0 overall / 1-0 EIWA) vs No. 16 UNI Wrestling (1-1 overall / 1-0 Big 12) - NWCA rankings

2 p.m. Dec. 16
UNI West Gym | Cedar Falls, Iowa
Tickets: $10 / UNIPanthers.com/tickets
Stats (Trackwrestling)
FloWrestling ($)

COMPLETE PDF OF NOTES WITH POTENTIAL LINEUPS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – UNI wrestling fans potentially could see three top-15 matchups when the Panthers host No. 8 Cornell 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Panthers are coming off their highest finish at the Cliff Keen Invite since head coach Doug Schwab took the helm. UNI finished fourth the last two years at the prestigious tournament. The invite gave UNI a chance to see some of the Cornell wrestlers expected to compete this weekend.

REMATCHES

Taylor Lujan leads the series against his Cornell matchup:

133 POUNDS: Chas Tucker (Cornell) leads Jack Skudlarczyk (UNI), 1-0

Nov. 30, 2018: Tucker (Cornell) maj. dec. Skudlarczyk, 11-2 (first round of 2018 Cliff Keen Invite)

141 POUNDS: Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) leads Josh Alber (UNI), 2-0

Nov. 17, 2017: Diakomihalis (Cornell) dec. Alber, 5-2 (dual)
Dec. 2, 2017: Diakomihalis (Cornell) dec. Alber, 8-2 (in championships for 2017 Cliff Keen title)

174 POUNDS: Taylor Lujan (UNI) leads Brandon Womack (Cornell), 2-0

Nov. 30, 2018: Lujan (UNI) dec. #16 Womack, 16-9 (2018 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite)
Nov. 17, 2017: Lujan (UNI) dec. #6 Womack, 5-3 (dual)

184 POUNDS: Max Dean (Cornell) leads Drew Foster (UNI), 2-1

March 15, 2018: #11 Dean (Cornell) dec. Foster, 6-0 (NCAA Championships)
Dec. 2, 2017: Foster (UNI) dec. #13 Dean, 9-5 (2017 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite)
Nov. 17, 2017: #17 Dean (Cornell) dec. Foster, 9-7 (dual)

* Ben Honis (197 for Cornell) is 1-0 over Carter Isley (HWT for UNI)

CLINIC SUPPORTS 8-YEAR-OLD BATTLING CANCER

Prior to Sunday's dual, UNI will conduct a youth clinic to support 8-year-old Aidan Williams, who is in his ninth month of a two-year treatment plan. Aidan is the son of TJ Williams, a former national champion for the University of Iowa. Williams and UNI head coach Doug Schwab were college teammates.

The annual clinic is designed to offer wrestling instruction to youths from kindergarten to eighth grade while also collecting funds to support someone affected by cancer.

HONORARY CAPTAINS

Prior to the dual, UNI wrestling will honor Sandy Stevens and Cornell's head coach Rob Koll and his family for the support they have given UNI wrestling.

A well-known announcer for wrestling events locally, nationally and internationally, Stevens is a prominent ambassador for wrestling and UNI. Her work to create the Pledges for Pins boosts UNI's funding in addition to the scholarships she has endowed for several Panthers.

Rob Koll is the son of war hero and wrestling great Bill Koll, who went undefeated as a Panther to earn three NCAA wrestling titles in the late 1940s. UNI's wrestling room is named in Bill's honor thanks to Stevens. Koll and his family created an endowed scholarship to help future Panthers.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Big 12 Conference and the Tulsa Sports Commission announced a partnership to host the Big 12 Wrestling Championship at Tulsa's BOK Center through 2024.

Tulsa has previously hosted the tournament in 2017 and 2018, and the Tulsa Sports Commission announced earlier this year an extension of that partnership through 2020.

"Based on the experience through the first two years of our partnership with the Tulsa Sports Commission for this to be the preeminent collegiate wrestling championship, continuing our presence in this market speaks to the dedication of all involved," commented Big 12 associate commissioner Bob Burda. "Being able to build upon the foundation already established for the next six years clearly puts a stake in the ground for the Big 12 to grow this championship in Tulsa into the foreseeable future."

The 2018 Championship set an all-time tournament record with more than 18,000 tickets sold.

The 2019 Championship will be held March 9 and 10, while the 2020 Championship will be March 7 and 8.

"We have great pride in the lasting relationship we've forged with the Big 12 Conference over the last five years," said Vince Trinidad, executive director of the Tulsa Sports Commission.

"The Big 12 Wrestling Championship adds a high level collegiate competition to Tulsa's amateur wrestling résumé, and the execution of a well-run event makes this an amazing experience for the universities, student-athletes, coaches and fans."

The Big 12 Wrestling Championship is the largest neutral-site wrestling conference championship in the NCAA. Cultivating this relationship with the conference has been a strategic priority of the Tulsa Sports Commission for the past five years.

"The Tulsa Sports Commission has worked diligently to meet our strategic goals to recruit, retain, enhance and develop tourism opportunities throughout the Tulsa region," said David Jeter, chair of the Tulsa Regional Tourism executive board and senior vice president and regional manager of business banking for BOK Financial. "Hosting the Big 12 Wrestling Championship through 2024 proves our strategy is working, and we appreciate the opportunity to be the chosen destination for collegiate wrestling."

Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Tulsa Regional Tourism is an umbrella organization that administers VisitTulsa, the city's convention and visitors bureau; the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture, an accredited film commission; and the Tulsa Sports Commission, which markets Tulsa as a destination for amateur sporting events.

"Tulsa's competitive identity as a premier visitor destination for top-tier events is enhanced by the strategic relationships we've maintained with our venue and hotel partners, higher education institutions, the City of Tulsa, and the region's business community," said Ray Hoyt, president of Tulsa Regional Tourism. "We appreciate our local stakeholders for making significant investments in Tulsa's tourism industry, and the Big 12 Conference for believing in Tulsa and recognizing the benefits of these great partnerships."