F&M Wrestling vs. Sacred Heart (Saturday, January 25; 7:30 p.m.)

Last Time out

• F&M dropped its first-ever EIWA Independence Division match during the team's home opener against Binghamton, 36-4
• Bryce Kresho (141 lbs.) notched the Diplomats' win with his Division I-leading 27th victory of the season
• Kresho's 12-3 major decision came against the Bearcat's Nate Lucier to avenge an earlier defeat this season at the Journeymen College Classic as he outscored the Binghamton wrestler 10-0 over the final two periods during their most recent meeting
• Josh Hillard (149 lbs.) nearly made it back-to-back victories as a single second of riding time was the difference in his 7-6 match
• The dual started at 125 lbs. where Jack Parker (125 lbs.) was able to save a team point against the No. 33 wrestler in the country as his takedown during the final seconds resulted in a 12-6 decision

Sacred Heart

Saturday, January 25 (7:30 p.m.)

• EIWA & Independence Division Dual
• The EIWA and the EIWA Coaches Association announced a new, division-based, regular season dual meet schedule for the 2024-25 season
• Teams will be grouped into two divisions, competing against each other for Divisional Championships beginning this season, with a full divisional dual meet schedule starting in 2025-26
• Independence Division: Binghamton, Drexel, Franklin & Marshall, Hofstra, Long Island University, Morgan State, Sacred Heart
• Patriot Division: American, Army, Bucknell, Lehigh, Navy

F&M vs. Sacred Heart History

• All-Time Series: F&M leads; 12-4
• First matchup: F&M won 34-13 (February 19, 2000)
• Most recent: F&M won 33-10 (January 27, 2024)
• Last 10: F&M 8-2
• Current streak: F&M +3
• Longest F&M winning streak: 8 (2011-2018)
• Largest F&M Margin of Victory: W, 43-0 (January 17, 2014)
• Smallest F&M Margin of Victory: W, 19-17 (February 20, 2016)
• Last Sacred Heart win: W, 18-17 (January 19, 2020) - dual was decided by total match points (SHU: 65-64)

F&M vs. Sacred Heart Notables

• Sacred Heart enters the weekend with a 1-10 record (0-1 EIWA)
• The only common opponents on the team's schedule so far has been VMI
• F&M defeated VMI by a 23-22 score, while Sacred Heart fell to the Keydets by a 24-19 score
• Sacred Heart won its only dual of the year during its opener, a 32-11 victory over Presbyterian
• Sacred Heart's only EIWA dual of the year to date came against Hofstra (L, 33-12). The Diplomats and Pride will wrestle next weekend
• The Diplomats and Pioneers both wrestled at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic back in November
• F&M went 8-1 in those head-to-head matches during the pool tournament
• There are no expected rematches from the previously contested nine bouts based on the probable lineups entering this weekend
• F&M vs. Sacred Heart Matchups during the 2024-25 season
• 157: Luke Bender dec. Dakota Asuncion; 13-11
• 157: Luke Bender WBF Nicholas Mackland-Rivera; 2:26
• 157: Jake Neill WBF Alex Guiliani; 2:40
• 165: Josh Palmucci TF Connor MacDonald; 3:28 (21-4)
• 174: Nick Alvarez WBF Calum Price; 0:42
• 174: Nick Alvarez dec. Nicky Eboli; 9-4
• 174: Owen Ayotte dec. Noah Bash; 8-3
• 197: RJ Moore dec. Kevin Taylor; 9-7
• 285: Brody Kline WBF Connor White; 5:51

National Leaders

Bryce Kresho (141 lbs.)

• Kresho, a junior team captain, is currently leading all Division I wrestlers with 27 victories on the season
• He is one of just seven wrestlers in the entire country who has at least 20 DI victories on the year
• Kresho has also secured seven pins versus Division I competition to rank in a tie for seventh nationally in that category
• At 141 lbs., Kresho is the only wrestler at that weight with at least seven falls on the year

Assistant Coach Steve Borja

• 12th season at Franklin & Marshall
• Previously served as an assistant coach at Millersville University and Manheim Central High School
• Graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 where he was a two-time first-team All-CC wrestler who was ranked as high as fourth in the country during the 2007 season

UP NEXT - at LIU & Hofstra

Sunday, February 2

at LIU (12 p.m.); Brooklyn, N.Y

at Hofstra (4 p.m.); Hempstead, N.Y