CSUB Wrestling To Open Season On East Coast

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield wrestling team will officially kick off the 2017-18 season this week with three road duals on the East Coast. The Roadrunners will open the season at Buffalo Nov. 2 before closing the week with a tri-dual Nov. 5 against Edinboro and Bucknell.

"These next three duals will be a great test for our team," said Manny Rivera, Head Coach of the `Runners. "All three teams that we are facing present different and tough challenges. It will be a great way for our guys to measure where they are at the beginning of the season."

Buffalo will welcome CSUB to New York on Thursday for a 7 p.m. (ET) dual. The Bulls were 11-6 last year in dual meets and sent three men to the NCAA Championships. Jake Gunning (R-Jr. Hwt), Kyle Akins (R-Jr., 125), and Bryan Lantry (R-Jr., 133) all return for the Bulls after qualifying for NCAAs a year ago.

Bucknell and the `Runners will meet in Edinboro, Pa. on Sunday to open the tri-dual hosted by Edinboro. Bucknell put together a 12-4 record a year ago and had four student-athletes qualify for NCAAs. Of those four, three Bisons have returned for the 2017-18 season: Tyler Smith (Sr., 141), Garrett Hoffman (So., 184/197), and Tom Sleigh (Sr., 197).

Edinboro is, on paper, the toughest opponent of the weekend as the Fighting Scots are ranked in the Top 25 of most of the major polls. EU placed 20th as a team at NCAAs a year ago with eight men competing in St. Louis, Mo. Six Scots have returned for this season including All-American Sean Russell (R-Jr., 125).

CSU Bakersfield went 5-7 in dual meets last year, but had great individual success, sending five men to the NCAA Championships. All five `Runners have returned this year including the reigning Pac-12 125-pound Champion, Sean Nickell. Russell Rohlfing (R-So., 141), Coleman Hammond (R-Sr., 149), Lorenzo De La Riva (R-So., 165), and Matt Williams (R-Sr. 197), the other four qualifiers, are all expected to hit the mat this weekend for CSUB.

Thursday's dual against Buffalo will be streamed live on ESPN3. In Edinboro, live stats will be available for both of CSUB's duals while live stream via FloWrestling ($) will be available for CSUB vs. Edinboro only. The `Runners are scheduled to begin against Bucknell at 10:30 a.m. (ET) and take on Edinboro at 12 p.m. (ET).

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

Lorenzo De La Riva: 165; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

Coleman Hammond: 149; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Sean Nickell: 133; 5' 7"; Redshirt Junior

Russell Rohlfing: 141; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

Matt Williams: 197; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Lorenzo De La Riva
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: 165

Coleman Hammond
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: 149

Sean Nickell
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Junior
: 133

Russell Rohlfing
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore
: 141

Matt Williams
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior
: 197