The Boston University wrestling team kicked off its 2008-09 campaign with a pair of wins Saturday against Wagner College and American International College, 49-0 and 37-6, respectively, at Case Gymnasium.
BU’s shutout against Wagner was highlighted by five pins, including one at 1:10 by sophomore John Hall, who recorded 20 wins last season.
BU coach Carl Adams said he was pleased with how his team handled a weaker Wagner squad.
‘Wagner is not the strongest team we’re going to face this year,’ Adams said. ‘The amount of pins we got was good.’
Redshirt freshman Freddy Santaite (125 pounds) set the tone early with a pin at 1:33.
Junior Abbie Rush and senior Mike Roberts each recorded pins in less than two minutes to give the Terriers a 22-0 advantage they would not relinquish.
The 149-pound Roberts, who led BU with a 28-11 record last season, is the top-ranked wrestler in the Colonial Athletic Association and was ranked 17th in the nation by an InterMat preseason poll.
The CAA preseason coaches’ poll picked BU, which has nine ranked wrestlers in the conference, to finish fifth in the CAA out of eight teams.
CAA Preseason All-Freshman Team selection Hunter Meys, who owns the national record for most pins in a high school career with 216, fittingly began his collegiate career with a pin at 2:06.
‘He’s a real special freshman,’ Adams said. ‘He was one of the most prized high school recruits in the country. We have high expectations for him.’
The Terriers received decision wins from senior Ben Mandelbraut (9-8), junior C.J. Inglin (2-0), redshirt freshman Dan Kennedy (10-3) and a major decision victory from sophomore Alex Cournoyer (13-1).
BU capped a clean sweep over Wagner with a win by forfeit from heavyweight senior Jim Connors.
Against AIC, BU looked slightly fatigued but still came away with a lopsided 37-6 victory.
‘We were a little flat in places against AIC,’ Adams said. ‘Your first match of the season is always a little more of a struggle. You’ve got to get everything going physically, mentally and technically.’
At 141 pounds, Rush notched the only pin for the Terriers ‘-‘- his second of the night ‘-‘- at 1:23. The former high school All-American racked up 25 wins as a true freshman in 2006-07.
BU got decision wins from Roberts (10-6), senior Carlo Ferrandino (11-5), Kennedy (1-0) and Connors (7-4).
Meys and Hall each won by major decision, 11-3 and 15-3, respectively. Inglin won by technical fall (15-0) and Santaite won by forfeit.
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