Indiana wrestling started off the new year against Ohio University on Tuesday at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio. The match marked the first meeting between the two teams since 1926.
This was the first event Indiana has participated in since the Cleveland State Open on Dec. 11, 2021. Indiana was scheduled to participate in the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships from Dec. 29-30, 2021, but the event was canceled out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of all tournament participants, according to a Northwestern press release. Indiana then added and withdrew from the MatMen Open due to COVID-19 issues within Indiana’s program.
This was also Indiana’s first dual match since the tri-dual on Nov. 7, 2021 at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Indiana is currently 2-0 at dual meets following a pair of 40-3 wins against Bellarmine and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
What was originally scheduled to be a dual meet ended up being ruled as a no-contest due to COVID-19 issues within both the Indiana and Ohio programs. Only six weight classes, including two extra matches in the 125 and 184 pound-classes participated. The 157, 174, 197, and 285 weight classes did not participate in the meet.
13 Indiana wrestlers traveled for the match against Ohio. In the opening match of the meet, No. 27-ranked wrestler Indiana sophomore Jacob Moran lost to Ohio sophomore Oscar Sanchez in a 4-3 regular decision in the 125-pound class.
No. 19-ranked graduate student Brock Hudkins won the 133-pound class match against Ohio junior Gio DiSabato in a 6-2 regular decision, which improved Hudkins’ record to 5-0 for the season.
No. 25-ranked junior Cayden Rooks wrestled for Indiana in the 141-pound class in the first of two matches between brothers from the respective programs. Rooks lost to Ohio senior Kyran Hagan in a 5-2 regular decision. In the second match, Indiana junior Graham Rooks lost to Ohio senior Alec Hagan in a 3-2 regular decision in the 149-pound class.
Indiana senior Sammy Cokeley lost in the 165-pound class to Ohio sophomore Sean O’Dwyer in a 7-4 decision. No. 9-ranked junior Donnell Washington won the 184-pound class against Ohio freshman Zayne Lehman 16-6, the first major decision for Washington this season. Washington is now off to an undefeated personal record for the season so far at 10-0.
In the extra matches, junior Sean Grim made his season debut with Indiana against Ohio senior Logan Stanley. Grim fell to Stanley at 4:24 second mark. In the final match of the night, Indiana freshman Noah Gochberg defeated Ohio junior Tommy Hoskins in a 2-0 decision.
Indiana will open Big Ten play at No. 12 Rutgers on Friday at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey.
