Nationally-ranked Grand Canyon ends the home portion of its dual meet season Saturday with two crucial Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matches against Adams State and San Francisco State at Antelope Gymnasium.
Ranked No. 5 in the Basford Poll and No. 7 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, GCU takes on Adams State, ranked No. 9 in the NWCA and No. 14 in Basford, at 5 p.m. and San Francisco State, No. 20 in the NWCA, at 7 p.m.
Adams State and San Francisco State wrestle at 3 p.m.
GCU is 11-3 in dual meets and has won nine straight. Its only losses are to NWCA No. 1 St. Cloud State and No. 2 Newberry along with Division I Arizona State. The Antelopes, including their 13-match win streak to end the 2010-11 season have won 24 of their last 27 duals.
It will be the final home match for three GCU seniors,
Ted Bristol (157),
Victor Carazo (174) and
Jordan Johnson (285).
The GCU-Adams State contest has three matches with nationally-ranked wrestlers going head-to-head. At 125, GCU’s
Kyle McCrite and Adams State’s Jerry Huff are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the Basford Regional Poll. McCrite is No. 4 in the Basford National Poll, while Huff is listed as honorable mention. Huff is No. 4 in the NWCA rankings. With 23 wins, McCrite has won more matches this season than any other GCU wrestler.
At 149, Grand Canyon’s
Bobby Ward is 21-5 and ranked No. 7 nationally and No. 4, regionally, by Basford. He will take on Josh Hensley, the reigning RMAC Wrestler of the Week. Hensley is No. 3 regionally and No. 4 in the NWCA national rankings.
At 197, GCU’s
Celic Bell, No. 7 nationally and No. 4, regionally, by Basford will battle Luke McPeek, who is No. 2 in the NWCA, No. 3 nationally and No. 1, regionally, by Basford.
Fans can watch all the action on
www.GCULopes.com.