Feb. 9, 2007

FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason will take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Saturday at 7 p.m. at John Linn Memorial Gym in the final home wrestling meet of the 2006-07 season prior to the Patriots hosting the CAA Championships at Linn Gym on March 2-3.

Mason enters tomorrow's action with a 9-8 record in dual meets. North Carolina State, an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship team as recently as 2004, currently has a 9-7 overall mark. The Wolfpack wrestle at Virginia tonight at 7 p.m.

The meet will be a test for the Patriots as N.C. State has four nationally-ranked wrestlers on its roster, including 141-pound freshman Darrion Caldwell (No. 20 InterMat), 157-pound junior Kody Hamrah (No. 18 InterMat/No. 20 Amateur Wrestling News), 197-pound redshirt sophomore Ryan Goodman (No. 15 InterMat/No. 17 Amateur Wrestling News) and senior heavyweight Jainor Palma (No. 9 InterMat/No. 19 Amateur Wrestling News).

The recent return of redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Tyler Tisdell, who has battled injuries all season, has been a big lift for the Patriots. Tisdell was a national qualifier last season and is 11-7 overall and 6-2 in dual matches this season. Redshirt junior Harry Zander leads the team in both wins, with 23, and pins, with 14, while wrestling at the 197-pound weight class.

Four seniors - David Emison, Robert Henry, Ryan Kittrick and Jim Martin - will be honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the nonconference dual wrestling action. Admission to the meet costs $5 for adults and $2 for youth and senior citizens.