Sports

POSTED AT 12:00 AM ON Dec. 1, 2006 

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The Hoosier wrestling team will compete at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Invitational in Primm, Nev., starting Friday. The CKLV tournament is in its 25th year, and IU is one of 49 teams scheduled to participate in the two-day affair.

The wrestling matches will be held at Star of the Desert Arena, a 6,500-seat facility that regularly hosts concerts, boxing bouts and rodeos. Considered an important tournament of the early season, the CKLV is an opportunity for the Hoosiers to see how they match up with teams around the country.

Coach Duane Goldman said he's looking forward to this tournament and predicts IU is ranked in the top 20 going into it. Although he has high hopes, Goldman knows the team faces challenges.

"We have a lot of young guys," Goldman said. "And for a lot of them, it's going to be the biggest tournament they've ever been in."

Despite its inexperience, Goldman believes the team is doing well. Many of the team veterans have competed on a large stage before, and the younger members are learning, he said.

"We have some real talented young freshmen," Goldman said. "We have a lot to go out there and shoot for."

Some of this talent has been evident in freshmen Angel Escobedo and Trevor Perry. Escobedo was recently named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week after his 5-0 performance last weekend at the Hoosier Duals. But knowing that he's doing well against Big Ten teams isn't enough for Escobedo.

"I'm excited to go out there and wrestle with great competition, see where I'm at in the nation," Escobedo said.

For Perry, this is his first time competing on a grand scale.

"I'm excited for it. It's going to be great competition," Perry said. "As a freshman coming in, everyone's a challenge. No one knows me. Everyone else has got a name already."

The CKLV tournament begins at 9 a.m. Friday and concludes Saturday evening.