(Photo: Jessica Carnivale/WCSN)
The Arizona State Wrestling 2019-20 campaign is one that head coach Zeke Jones has had circled for much of his six year tenure in Tempe. Led by a strong crop of returning upperclassmen, coupled with a historically good recruiting class, the Sun Devil wrestlers have high hopes as winter approaches. On the heels of a successful 2018-19 season that saw the team go 11-3 overall, and culminated with a 12th place finish in the NCAA tournament. The upcoming ASU wrestling campaign will be defined by a juxtaposition of experience, leadership, and promising youth.
Following the annual Maroon vs Gold scrimmage Friday, an aura of excitement was palpable among the Sun Devil wrestlers and coaches at Desert Financial Arena. The event showcased most of this season’s key pieces, and they did not disappoint. One of the most notable performances came from Redshirt junior Anthony Valencia. The older brother of the two-time national champion Redshirt senior Zahid, Anthony showed Friday that Zahid will not be the only member of his family inciting fear in the Devil’s opponents.
“We’re excited to get started,” Anthony Valencia said following the scrimmage. “My goal during the offseason was to train and condition really hard, I want to be able to go hard for a full seven minutes.”
If his performance on Friday is any indication, his training has paid off. Anthony Valencia had arguably the most impressive showing, pinning his opponent and teammate in less than 30 seconds. There is no doubt the Valencia brothers will be the centerpiece of this powerful squad, and their goals are no small thing.
“Both personally and as a team, the goal is simple,” Anthony Valencia said. “An NCAA title.”
Of the many themes this year’s team will feature, the principal advantage the Sun Devils will have is experience and leadership. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the 2019-20 squad is its robust class of seniors. Highlighted by key pieces Josh Shields and the aforementioned Zahid Valencia, the statesmen will look to lead the team to victory in March.
As a fifth year senior, Shields expressed what the ASU wrestling team means to him, and made it clear what the team and individual goals are for his final season in Tempe.
“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say we can be national champs this year. Both on a team level and individually, I think that’s a realistic goal,” Shields said. “This program means the world to me, coming from Pennsylvania I’ve really felt like I’m part of a family here. From a wrestling standpoint, I owe my coaches and teammates everything.”
In order for Shield’s goals to become a reality, ASU must show up against national powers, specifically Big 10 titans like Penn State and Michigan. A matchup with the defending champion Nittany Lions will serve as an early test for the Sun Devils on November 22nd. When the calendar turns to 2020, ASU will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on perennial power Ohio State on January 5th, another matchup that will surely reveal the true colors of the Devil wrestlers.
“It’s definitely a big deal to have Penn State and Ohio state on the schedule,” coach Jones said. “It lets us know where we’re at in December and where we’re at in January, which will be a good thing. Of course, you want to win every match, but we also want to be prepared for the NCAA tournament.”
Opponents like Penn State and Ohio State will certainly prepare a team for elevated competition come tournament time. Matches against Missouri and North Carolina on February 9th and 23rd round out the tough non-league schedule for ASU.
Any opponents hoping to find weakness in the Sun Devil’s underclassmen will be greeted by one of the best freshman recruiting classes in the nation. According to The Open Mat, the newest Sun Devil wrestlers are ranked #2 in the country.
“I think you’re going to see (RSF) Jacori Teemer, and Julian Chlebove. Jacori has a tremendous amount of confidence when he wrestles, and they both won just about everything you can win in high school,” Jones said when asked about his team’s promising youth. “I also think [Teemer] is a guy who is going to feel the stress at times, because he wants to win and wants to be great. I think you’re going to see something special from him.”
