Purdue Westling

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 18th-ranked Purdue wrestling team will take its dual reputation to the national stage this weekend, set to compete in the 23rd-Annual NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, presented by Hibiclens and The U.S. Marines and hosted by the University of Northern Iowa. Saturday will mark the Boilermakers’ third appearance at the event in school history and their first since 1993, as they open the weekend with second-ranked Oklahoma State University at 11 a.m. (CT).

“We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s best,” said Purdue head coach Scott Hinkel. “We have a great team, and a great dual meet team, and we plan to take full advantage of our appearance on this stage.”

The Boilermakers head to Cedar Falls, Iowa with a 3-1-1 dual mark this season, including an 18-15 victory over No. 13 Missouri on Dec. 12. The strength of the Purdue lineup continues to lie in its four ranked grapplers: Colton Salazar, Luke Manuel, A.J. Kissel and Logan Brown. Salazar sits 12th in the country at 9-2 at 157 pounds, Manuel is 7-3 and 10th in the nation at 174 pounds, 12th-ranked A.J. Kissel is 12-3 at 184 pounds and Brown sits 11-1 and ninth in the nation at 197 pounds. Brown enters the weekend with a pair of significant career marks in reach as he’s just two wins shy of 100 and five takedowns shy of 300. He looks to become just the 16th wrestler in Purdue history to hit the 100-win plateau and just the sixth Boilermaker to score 300 career takedowns.

Senior Akif Eren and junior Jake Fleckenstein will make season premieres at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, this weekend, switching spots in the Boilermaker lineup. Eren returns to 133 pounds, where he posted a career-best 24 wins and qualified for the NCAA Championships last season, while Fleckenstein bumps back up to 141 pounds, where he was 15-6 last year with 91 takedowns before a season-ending injury.

“I think both guys are excited about the move,” said Hinkel. “Akif has been very strong at 141, and will keep that strength against some smaller guys at 133, while Jake has a pair of outstanding wins this season at 133, but we feel he’s at his most competitive weight at 141.” Eren is 7-7 on the year at 141, while Fleckenstein is 4-5 at 133 pounds with wins over fifth-ranked Lou Ruggirello of Hofstra and Missouri’s Nathan McCormick.

Purdue has a stiff test in its first-round matchup with the second-ranked Cowboys on Saturday, as Oklahoma State fields nationally-ranked wrestlers in nine of the 10 weight classes, including six top-10 athletes and the country’s No. 1 ranked grappler at 133 pounds. Top-ranked sophomore Jordan Oliver is 8-0 on the early season and topped former No. 1 ranked Andrew Hochstrasser of Boise State at the NWCA All-Star Dual in November. Other standouts include fifth-ranked 125-pound freshman Jon Morrison, No. 5 149-pound junior Jamal Parks, ninth-ranked 165-pound freshman Dallas Bailey, ninth-ranked 174-pound junior Mike Benefiel and No. 3 197-pound senior Clayton Foster. Highly anticipated clashes in Saturday’s opener include Salazar and No. 14 Albert White at 157 pounds, Manuel and Benefiel at 174, Kissel and No. 11 freshman Chris Perry at 184 and Brown and Foster at 197.

Depending on wins and losses in the opening round, Purdue will follow its opener with either No. 12 Virginia Tech or No. 17 Central Michigan in the second round at 3 p.m. (CT). The 12th-ranked Hokies are 6-2 this season, featuring ranked individuals at seven weights, while the No. 17 Chippewas are just 1-3 and boast a trio of standouts in the national rankings. Virginia Tech’s strength sits in the lower half of the lineup, highlighted by No. 5 Chris Diaz at 141 pounds and fifth-ranked Jesse Dong at 157 pounds, while each of Central Michigan’s individual standouts are in the top-10 of their respective weight classes.

The remainder of the field includes more of the nation’s best in top-ranked Cornell, No. 4 Wisconsin, fifth-ranked Minnesota and sixth-ranked Boise State. Rounding out the list of teams is 11th-ranked Oregon State, No. 13 Missouri, No. 14 Iowa State, 22nd-ranked American, No. 24 Ohio State, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State and the hosts, Northern Iowa.