Special Olympics Arizona and several UFC fighters will be on hand at Senior Day as the ASU wrestling team takes on No. 22 Cal Poly Sunday afternoon.
Senior standouts Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins will be honored during the Sun Devils’ final home dual of the season, though ASU will once again have to forfeit the 157 and 174 weight classes due to injuries.
“For us to win the dual, we’re going to have to all show up, and six out of eight guys have got to win,” heavyweight redshirt sophomore Levi Cooper said. “Giving up those 12 points [due to forfeit], it hurts.”
In order to come away with the win, ASU must not only win nearly every match but also come away with bonus points in those victories.
“Bonus points [are the key],” junior Te Edwards said. “We got to get them where we should get them, and guys that aren’t expected to get them can’t give them up.”
The Mustangs, who upset No. 20 Oregon State less than a week ago, will provide a formidable challenge for the worn-down Sun Devils.
“They’re pretty tough,” Cooper said. “It should be a good match.”
Jenkins, who will be unable to participate on his own Senior Day due to a knee injury, will be on hand to root on his teammates and sign autographs with Robles and the UFC fighters after the match.
“It’s a little bit difficult because it’s my last year and I want to get in as many matches as I can,” Jenkins said. “It bites a little bit, but being a cheerleader and going to support my team, that’s something I do whether I’m healthy or I’m hurting.”
The ASU squad will need all the support it can get on Sunday from both Jenkins and fans alike.
“The team’s feeling a little withered. We got some injuries here, some guys banged up there, and even a couple of guys who are still in the line-up have some dings and dats,” Jenkins said. “It’s been a long season, it’s been up and down, it’s been a little bit rocky, but I think the team’s feeling pretty good going into the last couple weeks.”
Edwards agreed with this sentiment, saying the team’s attitude heading into this weekend is the best it has been all season long.
“I’ve think we’ve definitely come really far [since day one],” Edwards said. “The whole vibe in the room has changed; we’ve got a good work ethic now, we’ve got a lot of structure, and everybody’s on the same page. We turned that corner after the Christmas break.”
The Sun Devils will need consistency in order to steal a win in Sunday’s dual.
The competition doesn’t get any easier following Sunday’s competition, as ASU travels to Lincoln to take on No. 16 Nebraska on Feb. 4. The Sun Devils then head to Ames, Iowa, the following day to face-off against No. 15 Iowa State.
Reach the reporter at kyle.j.newman@asu.edu
