No. 6 Ohio State Travels to Battle Pitt Friday

COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 6 Ohio State (3-0) takes to the road this week to battle Pittsburgh (2-0) at Fitzgeral Field House on the Pitt campus. Ohio State returns to dual competition following a third-place finish at the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite last weekend.  

Match time between the Buckeyes and Panthers is set for 7 p.m. with ACCNX providing the live stream.

• Jesse Mendez claimed the title at 141 Dec. 7 at the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite. Mendez went 3-0 with wins over No. 8 Joshua Koderhandt of Navy and No. 17 Latona Alabaster of Virgina Tech for the title. 
• Rocco Welsh (184), wrestling unattached, and Brandon Cannon (157) each won titles with 5-0 records at the 2024 Cleveland State Open Dec. 7. 
• Sammy Sasso returned to the mat after missing the 2023-24 season while recovering from wounds sustained during a robbery attempt in August of 2023. Sasso had last wrestled in the 2023 NCAA Championships, where he finished second with a 4-1 record. The four-time All-American owns a pair of Big Ten Titles at 149 (2021, 2023).
• He opened the 2024-25 season with a 12-6 win at 165 in the UT at Chattanooga home dual followed by a 13-9 victory in a dual at Edinboro. The Buckeyes defeated UTC 36-6 and Edinboro, 40-4.  
• Sasso got his 50th win in dual competition when the faced Kyle Mosher of Hofstra (W, 14-4). Sasso is 50-3 all-time in duals and has an overall record of 99-14. He is 34-0 in Big Ten duals over his career.   
• Mendez and redshirt sophomore Nick Feldman took part in the 2024 NWCA All Star Classic Nov. 16 at Rec Hall in State College, Pennsylvania. No. 2 Mendez defeated No. 3 Beau Bartlett (Penn State) 4-1. No. 3 Feldman fell to No. 7 Taye Ghadiali of Campbell, 8-3. 
• Ohio State and Pittsburgh have met 24 times previously with the Buckeyes owning a 14-10 record. The Panthers earned a 21-13 victory in Columbus in the last meeting in 2023.     

Lineup vs. the Panthers
 

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