Isaac Jordan gets in on a shot against Bo Jordan in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)MANHEIM, Pa. -- Mat wrestling will be at a premium as Wisconsin's Isaac Jordan and Missouri's Daniel Lewis have agreed to compete at 165 pounds at the 51st annual NWCA All-Star Classic on November 5 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center.
The event, presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company and hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network, has served as the major kick-off event for the wrestling season since becoming and early-season event. In 2012, the event moved to the first weekend of the major college wrestling calendar and has been a fixture ever since.
Both Jordan and Lewis are known for the extreme proficiency of their mat work. Jordan, a returning NCAA finalist, can latch on and keep nearly anyone down while Lewis has no problem taking top against some of the nation's best wrestlers.
"This match truly has the makings of being an NCAA finals preview," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "While we know how good these athletes are on the mat, let's not forget that to be this good, you've got to be great in all positions. I think the fans in Ohio will be glad to see another native son (Jordan) come back to compete, too."
Jordan, a three-time All-American, is looking to become just the fifth Wisconsin wrestler in school history to earn All-American honors four times. He comes into the bout with a 86-12 career record including a 29-1 record last season. A three-time high school state champion, Jordan hails from Ohio wrestling powerhouse Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio where he was coached by his uncle Jeff Jordan. Father Jim is a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a two-time NCAA champion at Wisconsin.
Lewis burst onto the national scene last season, finishing a stellar redshirt freshman season with a fourth-place finish at 165 pounds. Lewis was the Mid-American Conference champion and the conference's freshman of the year and finished the season with a 29-6 mark. In high school, Lewis wrestled for Missouri power Blue Springs under coach Mike Hagerty. Lewis won four state championships, the first wrestler in school history to do so, and was the second wrestler in state history to win four titles at four different weights. The other was current Mizzou teammate and Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox.
This will be the first official meeting between the two as they did not meet last season. Jordan joins teammate Connor Medbery as one of two Badgers in the event and will be the 26th wrestler from Wisconsin to compete in the event. Badger wrestlers are 11-12-1 all-time in the All-Star Classic with the last win coming from Donny Pritzlaff in 2001.
Lewis will make Missouri's 12th appearance at the All-Star Classic. Tiger wrestlers are 7-4 all-time in the event with Alan Waters earning the last victory at the 2015 All-Star Classic in Philadelphia, beating Virginia Tech's Joey Dance at 125 pounds.
2016 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company
Hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network
November 5, 2016 - Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University
Time: Showcase Matches 6 p.m.; Main Event 7 p.m.
Tickets: $15 GA, $100 Preferred Seating/Social. Group options available.
Tickets available at www.goallstarclassic.com or Wolstein Center Box Office ( 844-407-2279) or Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Marts.
Streaming: Trackwrestling.com
Officially Announced Matchups
125:
133:
141:
149:
157:
165: Isaac Jordan, Sr. (Wisconsin) vs. Daniel Lewis, So. (Missouri)
174:
184:
197:
285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin)
About the National Wrestling Coaches Association
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling.
About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN)
Wrestlers in Business Network is a registered 501 C-3 that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have graduated from the sport and are now in their respective careers. Our mission is to build a community that serves as a platform to connect our members and facilitate business and job opportunities across the nation by leveraging a talent rich pipeline of wrestling alumni, with the ultimate byproduct of increasing reinvestment back to the sport.
www.wrestlersinbusiness.org
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