Duke wrestling looks to get back on track at Appalachian State Open

After three straight losses in dual meets, a new format might be just what the doctor ordered for the Blue Devils.

Duke will head to Boone, N.C., Saturday to participate in the Appalachian State Open. It will be the ninth straight road event in a two-month-long road swing for the weary Blue Devils, who will compete against several different teams and regions at the all-day event.

After three consecutive losses, Duke (5-4) will get the chance to sharpen its skills before competing in 10 consecutive dual meets to close out the regular season. Saturday's meet marks the Blue Devils' 10th consecutive event away from home, but Duke could build momentum to carry back to Durham—where it will compete in five of its next six duals—with a strong showing. In their most recent dual meet, the Blue Devils beat then-No. 22 N.C. State Jan. 7, but fell to Eastern Michigan and No. 9 Pitt Jan. 11 and were trounced by No. 14 Virginia 30-9 Jan. 16.

After a week off, Duke's more experienced wrestlers will look to get in a rhythm while less experienced competitors will get the opportunity to showcase their skills in a unique setting. Captains Immanuel Kerr-Brown and Conner Hartmann are the only two top-25 Blue Devils in their respective weight classes, but a handful of teammates are not far from breaking into the rankings.

A junior, Hartmann is ranked No. 7 at 197 pounds and is unbeaten in conference play. Kerr-Brown has also been a consistent presence for head coach Glenn Lanham and is currently ranked 24th at 157 pounds. The redshirt senior is 15-5 on the year. Jacob Kasper, Marcus Cain and Brian Dorsey are also ranked in the top 32 in their respective 184-, 149- and 165-pound classes. Evan Botwin has also stood out in three ACC duals by going unbeaten at 141 pounds in league play along with Hartmann.

But although Duke’s regular competitors will look to get rejuvenated before a grueling stretch of the season, Saturday offers a chance for some less familiar faces to see time on the mat.

Andrew DeHart and Randy Roden had solid performances at the Southern Scuffle Jan. 1-2, but have not had many chances to build momentum in recent duals. The duo will try to get back in the groove Saturday as inexperienced teammates Spencer Neff and Alex Belaia-Martiniouk try to get their feet wet in an exciting atmosphere with several teams in attendance.

Following the Appalachian State Open, the Blue Devils will face another busy day Jan. 31 when they face Drexel, Appalachian State and American in a trio of home duals.