Blue White Illustrated

TOURNAMENT FROM PAGE 15 184 Last year, Penn State's Quentin Wright entered the national tournament with all the odds stacked against him, yet he walked away with the Nittany Lions' lone individual title. He entered the 2012 postseason with a significantly better record and a healthy shoulder, but Wright still isn't a shoo-in for another NCAA championship. Earlier in the sea- son, he lost to Minnesota's Kevin Steinhaus and Lehigh's Robert Hamlin, whom Wright beat in the final a year ago. Wyoming's Joe LeBlanc is the top-ranked 184- pounder in this meat-grinder of a weight class, and Iowa's Grant Gambrall has dropped down from 197 pounds just in time for the postseason. CHAMPION Joe LeBlanc, Wyoming DARK HORSE Ben Bennett, Central Michigan 197 The top 10 is stacked with fifth-year seniors, returning All- Americans and dangerous sopho- mores, so Penn State's true fresh- man Morgan McIntosh has a steep climb ahead to gain All-America status. Cornell's Cam Simaz and Edinboro's Chris Honeycutt are on a collision course for the NCAA final, while Indiana's Matt Powless, Pittsburgh's Matt Wilps and Maryland's Christian Boley have all defeated McIntosh this year. CHAMPION Chris Honeycutt, Edinboro DARK HORSE Christian Boley, Maryland 285 Seniors Ryan Flores of American and Zack Rey of Lehigh are more than familiar with one another. Both from the EIWA, Rey topped Flores for the NCAA cham- pionship last season. Flores wants a rematch in St. Louis. Penn State's Cameron Wade and Oregon State's Clayton Jack will do what- ever they can to replace one of those two in the final, while Minnesota's Tony Nelson might be the most dangerous heavyweight in the field. CHAMPION Zack Rey, Lehigh DARK HORSE Tony Nelson, Minnesota CORNER FROM PAGE 8 new recruiting philosophy. There will be a renewed emphasis on Pennsylvania, with all nine assis- tant coaches getting involved in in- state recruiting. But the Lions won't confine themselves to their backyard. They plan on competing in Ohio and are already getting positive feedback; the ninth-ranked player in the state's upcoming sen- ior class, cornerback Ross Douglas of Avon, committed to the Lions on Feb. 29. Penn State will also pay more attention to North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida, and will be venturing into the Deep South and Texas, places it rarely visited in previous years. If you need more evidence of the staff's national ambitions, take note of the fact that O'Brien has already made a verbal offer to defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes of Placer, Calif., the nation's No. 21 overall prospect according to Rivals.com. Yes, times are changing at Penn State. Things are going to be differ- ent with O'Brien as the Nittany Lions' coach. We'll see soon enough how the changes resonate with fans. But I'm certain of one thing: O'Brien knows the type of commitment it will take to be successful. POLLARD FROM PAGE 33 coaches is Anthony Scirrotto, the former Penn State defensive back. The two would talk not only about the Nittany Lion football program but the university in general. "I used to train with him, and he would tell me how great the school is," Pollard said. "Everything he said was right." Pollard said he's hoping to major in communications and work behind the scenes or possibly on camera. His best performance in a video to date was his football high- light tape from West Deptford. He can't wait to start accumulat- ing clips for his college highlight tape, as well. If Pollard keeps pro- gressing, there should be no short- age of material. W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M S C O R E C A R D 2012 FOOTBALL SEPTEMBER 1 8 OHIO................................................................. TBA at Virginia.......................................................... TBA 15 NAVY..................................................................TBA 22 29 OCTOBER 6 20 NORTHWESTERN................................................ TBA at Iowa.............................................................. TBA at Purdue...........................................................TBA at Nebraska.......................................................TBA INDIANA.............................................................TBA 24 WISCONSIN........................................................TBA 10 17 WRESTLING 13-1, 7-1 NOVEMBER 3 DECEMBER 4 INTRASQUAD DUAL 13 W BLOOMSBURG..........................................39-3 20 L MINNESOTA............................................23-14 NITTANY LION OPEN..............................6 champions 9 W at Lehigh................................................24-12 11 W WEST VIRGINIA......................................... 34-6 18 W at Lock Haven...........................................50-0 JANUARY 1-2 Southern Scuffle at Chattanooga, Tenn................ 1st 8 W at Michigan State......................................36-6 13 W at Northwestern........................................38-3 15 W at Wisconsin.............................................43-0 22 W IOWA......................................................22-12 29 W OHIO STATE..............................................34-9 FEBRUARY 3 W at Nebraska..............................................31-6 5 W MICHIGAN................................................ 34-7 11 W at Utah Valley............................................39-3 19 W PITTSBURGH.............................................33-6 MARCH 3-4 Big Ten Championships at Purdue 3 Opening Round/Semifinals 4 Consolations/Championship finals 15-17 NCAA Championships at St. Louis 15 1st and 2nd rounds/Consolations.......... All Day 16 Quarterfinals/Consolations/Semifinals...All Day 17 Medal Rounds............................................TBA 18 Championship Finals.................................. TBA NOVEMBER 5 W SLIPPERY ROCK (Exh.).............................64-47 12 W HARTFORD..............................................70-55 14-20 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament 14 W RADFORD........................................62-46 16 W LONG ISLAND..................................77-68 19 L Kentucky at Ucansville, Conn........... 85-47 20 W South Florida...................................53-49 MEN'S BASKETBALL 12-18, 4-13 23 W YOUNGSTOWN STATE..............................82-71 26 L 10 L L L at Saint Joseph's....................................65-47 30 W at Boston College................................... 62-54 DECEMBER 4 7 OLE MISS...............................................72-70 LAFAYETTE..............................................61-57 at Duquense...........................................66-59 18 W MOUNT ST. MARY'S.................................72-43 21 W CORNELL................................................74-67 29 JANUARY 1- 5 W PURDUE.................................................65-45 8 L L L at Michigan.............................................71-53 at Northwestern......................................68-56 INDIANA..................................................88-82 27 OHIO STATE........................................................TBA NOVEMBER 3 TEMPLE............................................................. TBA at Illinois............................................................TBA 11 15 at Nebraska............................................70-58 L MINNESOTA............................................80-66 L 19 W ILLINOIS.................................................54-52 22 25 31 at Indiana...............................................73-54 at Ohio State..........................................78-54 L WISCONSIN............................................52-46 L L FEBRUARY 4 8 L L L L L at Iowa...................................................77-64 at Michigan State....................................77-57 11 W NEBRASKA............................................. 67-51 16 W IOWA......................................................69-64 19 25 29 at Wisconsin...........................................65-55 NORTHWESTERN.....................................67-66 at Purdue............................................... 80-56 MARCH 4 MICHIGAN......................................................1 p.m. 8-11 Big Ten Tournament at Indianapolis..................... TBA 17 NOVEMBER 5 W BLOOMSBURG (Exh.).............................101-81 11-13 LADY LION CLASSIC 11 W WASHINGTON STATE........................72-60 13 W MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE..............65-49 L WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 23-5, 13-3 at Delaware............................................80-71 20 W at South Carolina....................................55-50 25-26 Nugget Classic at Reno, Nev. 25 W Iowa State...................................... 66-59 26 W Nevada.........................................103-65 30 W N. CAROLINA (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)......103-84 DECEMBER 3 L at Texas Tech (Big 12/Big Ten Challenge)..70-66 6 W VIRGINIA TECH........................................66-28 11 W MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE...................76-51 18 W WAGNER...............................................103-42 21 W at Bucknell..............................................78-54 30 L NEBRASKA..............................................71-63 JANUARY 2 W at Wisconsin...........................................82-49 7 L MICHIGAN STATE.....................................75-65 12 W MICHIGAN.............................................. 78-63 15 W at Nebraska............................................93-73 19 W at Illinois................................................71-65 22 W IOWA......................................................68-52 26 W at Michigan.............................................77-56 29 L at Michigan State....................................83-77 FEBRUARY 2 W INDIANA..................................................76-44 5 W at Minnesota..........................................68-65 9 W WISCONSIN............................................69-54 12 W at Northwestern......................................77-63 16 W at Purdue............................................... 74-63 20 W OHIO STATE............................................ 84-66 26 W MINNESOTA............................................74-51 MARCH 1-4 Big Ten Tournament at Indianapolis 2 Quarterfinal round Minnesota or Wisconsin......................... 6 p.m. MEN'S GYMNASTICS 4-1, 2-1 DECEMBER 9 L BLUE/WHITE SHOWCASE JANUARY 14 W ARMY...................................349.800-321.600 21 at Michigan.......................... 340.300-338.450 27-28 at West Point Open 27 Team & All-Around Finals.............................1st FEBRUARY 2-4 Winter Cup at Las Vegas, Nev. 12 W at Springfield College............ 350.500-323.500 18 W ILLINOIS...............................347.800-346.500 25 W at Ohio State........................355.500-347.200 MARCH 9 M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 2 vs. Puerto Rico National Team at San Juan, P.R...6 p.m. 37

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