Logan Stieber will face Kendric Maple at 149 pounds on Nov. 2 (Photos/WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"You will only see this match up in the All-Star Classic as they won't be in the same weight class at the national tournament," said George Mason head coach Joe Russell. "My hat goes off to these two great competitors for agreeing to put it on the line at the NWCA All-Star Classic."
Maple and Stieber are coming off of nearly identical seasons where both wrestlers were undefeated and capped perfect seasons with NCAA championships. Maple posted a 31-0 record at 141 pounds while Stieber posted a 27-0 record at 133 pounds.
Steiber, who has a 60-2 career record, is a two-time NCAA champion who earned a spot on the U.S. National Team at 60 kilos this offseason after placing third at the World Team Trials.
Maple enters his final season at Oklahoma as a two-time All-American with a career record of 102-18. In addition to an NCAA Championship this past year, Maple earned All-American honors in 2011-12 with a fourth-place finish at 141 pounds.
"We believe wrestling fans deserve to see stars square off" said Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan. "Logan is a leader in the sport as is Maple. We are all looking forward to watching these two elite athletes wrestle in the All-Star meet.
The new concept of out of weight class match-ups is expected to create excitement for wrestling fans across the nation to start the college wrestling season.
"I appreciate the vision of Wade Schalles for originally pitching the idea of out of weight class matches, Tom Brands for helping push the idea forward, Tom Ryan and Mark Cody for encouraging and allowing their wrestlers to compete in a true All-Star bout," said Russell. "Nov. 2 will be an electric night in the Patriot Center."
The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter.
About the NWCA
Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year.
About George Mason University (GMU)
Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year.
About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN)
The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.
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