Attention Turns to Sun Devils

STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 25 Stanford wrestling team welcomes No. 9 Arizona State for a Pac-12 dual, Saturday, at 1 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion. Admission is free. 

Stanford, which is 6-1, 0-1 Pac-12, split its duals last week. The Cardinal overpowered Cal Baptist, 40-4, on Friday before falling at CSU Bakersfield, 20-13, on Sunday.

Stanford has four wrestlers ranked in the top 20 in the InterMat individual polls. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Traxler, a 2018 NCAA qualifier, is the highest-ranked Cardinal at No. 9 at 197 pounds. Redshirt sophomore Requir van der Merwe is No. 15 at 149 pounds, while sophomore Dominick Mandarino comes in at No. 18 at 157 pounds. Back in the rankings this week is junior Gabriel Townsell at No. 20 at 125 pounds. 

Arizona State is 4-8 in duals this season (1-0 Pac-12), after falling at No. 24 Lock Haven (23-14) and No. 21 Lehigh (23-13) last week. The Sun Devils boast four ranked wrestlers in this week's InterMat polls. Defending national champion Zahid Valencia is No. 2 at 174 pounds, while redshirt junior Josh Shields comes in at No. 4 at 165 pounds. Fifth-year senior Ryan Millhof is also in the top 10 at No. 8 at 125 pounds. Graduate Christian Pagdilao stands at No. 17 at 157 pounds. ASU won the last meeting against Stanford, 24-15 in Tempe on Jan. 19, 2018 after dropping the previous four contests. The Sun Devils' last win at Stanford was Jan. 6, 2013.

The Cardinal started 2019 with a program-best fourth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga. The Cardinal finished with nine placewinners - also a school record. Traxler was named the Pac-12 Wrestler of the Week after going 4-1 in the tournament and finishing as the runner-up at 197 pounds.

A runner-up finish at the Southern Scuffle helping the team to its best tournament finish in Chattanooga has earned @nathantraxler4 @pac12 Wrestler of the Week honors!

??? » https://t.co/9436kuZ9mw#GoStanford #CardinalCaliber pic.twitter.com/CNf8jMz8hn

— Stanford Wrestling (@CardWrestling) January 9, 2019

Head coach Jason Borrelli, now in his 11th season at the helm of the program, registered his 100th career win against No. 11 Northwestern in December and is now at 103 career victories. Chris Horpel is Stanford's all-time winningest coach with 105 dual victories.

Stanford has signed eight promising high school seniors to join the team in the fall. The incoming class consists of Jaden Abas (San Diego, Calif.), Nick Addison (Fair Haven, N.J.), Luciano Arroyo (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Logan Ashton (Buford, Ga.), Jackson DiSario (McDonough, Ga.), Seamus O'Malley (Lakewood, Ohio), Fabian Santillan (Eaglewood, Colo.) and Dawson Sihavong (Clovis, Calif.).
 

No. 25 Stanford vs. No. 9 Arizona State • Burnham Pavilion