Both Drexel (2-4) and Bucknell (1-3) will pose a challenge to the young Princeton squad. Senior captain and 184-pounder Travis Erdman noted that Bucknell almost always has a very strong team. Drexel is less challenging, he said, but will still be a difficult team to beat.
Bucknell narrowly lost to No. 22 Nebraska 19-16 over Thanksgiving break and has since faced No. 2 Oklahoma and then No. 15 Lehigh, losing in both matches but gaining valuable experience against some of the top teams in the country.
Drexel also took on Lehigh and lost in its season-opener. The Dragons’ two wins came against Campbell and The Citadel.
“We could beat them both,” Erdman said.
Mental toughness will be a key factor in the matches, as it falls on the first weekend of Princeton’s winter break. “Sometimes guys are kind of looking past the matches towards Christmas break,” Erdman said. “That’s something this week in practice our coaches have stressed, that we need to finish these matches before we go on break.”
Sophomore 141-pounder Luis Ramos said the team has been focusing on the psychology aspect of wrestling all fall, and this weekend will be no different.
“We’ve been trying to be mentally tougher in the wrestling sense of things,” he said. “You’ve got to love the grind of things and embrace the pain.”
The Tigers also have other obstacles to overcome. Last weekend, Princeton earned its first win of the season against George Mason but lost to Rider and No. 13 Rutgers. The Tigers were forced to compete without a full lineup because of injuries and illness, problems that affect some other teams less.
“We’ve had a smaller roster than other teams, so we’ve had to deal with forfeits once in a while,” Erdman said.
Last weekend, they automatically forfeited two of 10 matches since wrestlers were injured or sick, but this weekend will be different.
“We should have one guy back,” Erdman said. “That one guy alone makes a huge difference.”
Freshman Ryan Callahan will be back on the mat at 174 pounds after sitting out due to an illness.
“It was a bummer for him to watch from the sidelines last weekend,” Erdman said. “This could be a great weekend for him to bounce back after being sick and having a chance to rest.”
With an improved lineup, the Tigers will have a better sense of where they stand as they head into the new year.
“It’s a good point for us to see where we are individually and as a team,” Ramos said. “We’re still a really, really young team.”
Youth has been a factor this season for the Tigers. Of the 21 wrestlers on the team, 16 are freshmen and sophomores, and Erdman is the only senior.
“We have a really young team,” Erdman said. “It’s new territory for [the freshmen].”
If the Tigers hope to win this weekend, underclassmen will have to contribute heavily.
“This is just another opportunity for the freshmen to close the gap between themselves and the upperclassmen,” Ramos said.
“It’s going to take some guys stepping up their mental toughness,” Erdman said.
Erdman is optimistic that the younger wrestlers will rise to the challenge and that the Tigers will add to their wins column.
“I’m looking forward to two wins even with a forfeit in the lineup,” he said.
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