Citadel Wrestling Heads to VMI for SoCon Finale

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel wrestling team is set to compete in its final Southern Conference dual of the season on Friday when it treks to Lexington, Va., to take on long-time rival VMI.

The Citadel (5-5, 4-2 SoCon) and VMI (1-12, 1-2 SoCon) have met 33 times since the 1978-79 season with the Keydets holding the slight 19-13 edge in the series, however the Bulldogs have racked up five consecutive wins over their military rival.

The two teams met earlier this season in a non-conference contest at the Virginia Duals where the Bulldogs dominated the Keydets, 38-3, earning wins at all but one weight class.

The Citadel will bring four wrestlers to the mats that are undefeated in conference action, two of which are ranked in the most recent NCAA coaches' rankings.

Ugi Khishignyam, who is ranked as the seventh-best grappler in the nation at 141, holds a 33-3 overall record and a perfect 8-0 dual mark in his first season.

Heavyweight Odie Delaney, ranked 13^th in the nation, has dominated his opponents of late, notching wins in 11 consecutive bouts en route to a 31-7 overall mark and 6-0 in the conference.

The redshirt senior has collected a career SoCon record of 19-3, wrestling without a conference defeat in three of his four seasons. Delaney's last conference loss was Jan. 16, 2010 when he fell to VMI's Josh Wilson in a 12-5 decision.

The Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., product sits in third place in school history with 114 wins leaving him just four shy of passing Travis Piccard ('06) for second and 12 shy of becoming the school's all-time wins leader (Sean Markey '06).

Summerville native Aaron Hansen, along with redshirt freshman Matt Frisch, remain unscathed in the conference with six wins apiece.

Following the VMI dual, the Bulldogs will close out regular season action at the UNC Duals where they will face No. 24 North Carolina and Duke on Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Friday's Probable Lineup