WRESTLING vs. Davidson / at Rider
WHEN:  Friday, Jan. 12 | 7 p.m. / Saturday, Jan. 13 | 7 p.m.
WHERE:  Recreation Athletic Complex | Fairfax, Va. / Alumni Gym | Lawrenceville, N.J.
FRIDAY COVERAGE:  Live video ($) | SATURDAY COVERAGE:  Live Video 

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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason wrestling team hosts Davidson on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Recreation Athletic Complex in Fairfax, Va.  The Patriots will then take on Rider in Eastern Wrestling League action at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Last time out, Mason (2-5, 0-1 EWL) redshirt junior Tejon Anthony took second at 149 pounds and redshirt senior Ibrahim Bunduka placed fourth at 125 pounds at the Franklin & Marshall Open on Jan. 6.

The Patriots defeated Davidson 30-6 last season at the Belk Arena in Davidson, N.C.  Mason won eight of ten bouts overall against the Wildcats, with four by major decision, one by technical fall and three by decision.  Austin Harrison (184), Matthew Voss (285) and Bunduka (125) were among the Patriots to earn a victory as Mason defeated Davidson for the third straight time.

Last season against Rider, the Patriots won the first four bouts to build a 15-0 match score advantage before the Broncs rallied for a 24-18 victory at the Recreation Athletic Complex.

Lio Quezada (133), Sahid Kargbo (149) Bunduka (125), Anthony (141) and Voss (285) each picked up a win in the match against Rider.

This season, Bunduka (15-7) leads the team with 15 wins, while Anthony (14-6) and Voss (14-9) are tied for second with 14 victories each. 

Voss, who paced the Patriots with five pins during the 2016-17 campaign, is Mason's leader with five pins this season.

MASON PROBABLE STARTERS

125 | RSr. Ibrahim Bunduka (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams)
133 | RFr. Victor Echeverria (Centreville, Va./Centreville)
- or - So. Trevor Mello (Gainesville, Va./Battlefield)
141 |
149 | RJr. Tejon Anthony (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech)
- or - RSo. Ryan Yorkdale (Centreville, Va.Westfield)
- or - RSo. Justin Yorkdale (Centreville, Va./Westfield)
157 | Fr. Bryce Reddington (Eagleville, Pa./Methacton)
165 | Fr. Austin Wilkerson (Lynchburg, Va.Brookville)
174 | Fr. Levko Higgins (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area)
- or - RFr. Philip Stolfi (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area)
184 | RJr. Austin Harrison (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech)
197 | RFr.  Eli Spencer (Columbus, Ohio/Stuttgart)
285 | RJr. Matthew Voss (Edgewood, WA/Puyallup)

SCOUTING DAVIDSON

Davidson finished the 2016-17 season with an overall dual record of 4-14, including a mark of 0-7 against Southern Conference opponents.  The Wildcats went 2-5 at home, 1-7 on the road and 1-2 in duals held at a neutral site.

The Wildcats (1-4, 0-2 SoCon) fell 43-3 to Chattanooga last Saturday.  Senior Will Cooley recorded a 5-1 decision at 285 pounds in the final bout of the match.

Sophomore Conor Fenn (184) and senior Konnor Pritchard (197) each posted two victories, while Cooley picked up two consolation bracket wins at the Franklin & Marshall Open Jan. 6.

DAVIDSON PROBABLE STARTERS

125 | Michael McClelland (0-9, 0-2) Freshman (Waxhaw, N.C)
133 | Zamir Ode (0-9, 0-2) Junior (Land O' Lakes, Fla.)
141 | Dustin Runzo (3-9, 0-2) Senior (Virginia Beach, Va.)
149 | Aidan Conroy (7-5, 0-1) Junior (Ardsley, N.Y.)
157 | Tony Palumbo (8-6, 0-2) Junior (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
165 | Hunter Costa (2-3, 0-2) Sophomore (Danvers, Mass.)
174 | Noah Satterfield (6-7, 0-2) Freshman (Marysville, Ohio)
184 | Conor Fenn (5-5, 0-1) Sophomore (Cumming, Ga.)
197 | Konner Pritchard (3-5, 0-1) Senior (Virginia Beach, Va.)
285 | Will Cooley (3-5, 1-0) Senior (Branchburg, N.J.)

SCOUTING RIDER

Rider finished the 2016-17 season with an overall dual record of 13-1.  The Broncs went 5-1 against conference opponents and finished second at the EWL Championship.

The Broncs (5-2, 0-0 EWL) are ranked No. 21 in the latest USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll and InterMat, while Trackwrestling has Rider ranked No. 25. 

Rider will wrestle at home for the first time this season on Saturday, hosting Princeton at 1 p.m. before facing Mason at 7 p.m. at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J. 

Rider defeated Columbia 37-7, North Dakota State 22-18 and Franklin & Marshall 44-0 at the South Beach Duals held in Deerfield Beach, Fla. on Dec. 29-30.  The Broncs also suffered a 31-8 loss to No. 4 Missouri.

Senior Chad Walsh is ranked No. 3 at 165 pounds by InterMat, while classmate B.J. Clagon is ranked No. 11 by FloWrestling.

Senior J.R Wert, who is ranked No. 20 at 125 pounds, was named the EWL Wrestler of the Week after winning all four of his matches at the South Beach Duals to improve to 9-1 on the season. 

RIDER PROBABLE STARTERS

125 | #20 J.R. Wert (9-1) Redshirt Senior (Christianburg, Va.)
133 | Anthony Cefolo (9-5) Junior (Florham Park, N.J.)
141 | Tyson Dippery (8-3) Redshirt Senior (Harrisburg, Pa.)
149 | Gary Dinmore (9-7) Sophomore (Skillman, N.J.)
157 | #15 B.J. Clagon (5-5) Redshirt Senior (Toms River, N.J.)
165 | #3 Chad Walsh (12-0) Redshirt Senior (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
174 | Dean Sherry (8-6) Junior (Brick, N.J.)
- or - Wayne Stinson (6-5) Redshirt Senior (Wrightstown, N.J.)
184 | Michale Fagg-Daves (8-7) Senior (Somerset, N.J.)
197 | Ethan Laird (7-8) Freshman (Waterford, Pa.)
285 | Mauro Correnti (9-4) Redshirt Senior (Delran, N.J.)
- or - Ryan Cloud (11-5) Junior (Brookville, Oh

MAT FACTS

With Mason and Davidson the only Atlantic 10 Conference schools that compete in wrestling, Friday's match is for A-10 Championship bragging rights.  The Patriots have won the last three duals against the Wildcats.