BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 17, 2025) -- This Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., the Morgan State wrestling team will take to the mats in the historic Hurt Gymnasium to host a highly anticipated non-conference matchup against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. Morgan, a school steeped in a rich wrestling tradition, is poised for a breakthrough as they prepare to capitalize on the momentum generated from their solid showing at the Davidson Duals this past Friday.  On the other side of the ring, the Blue Jays arrive with a strong roster that has experienced a setback, facing a tough three-match losing streak.

The matchup between Morgan and the Blue Jays promises to be a thrilling contest, as both teams look to make a statement and find their footing in a competitive season.

Fans unable to attend in person can catch all the action live on morganstatebears.com - here.

SCOUTING JOHNS HOPKINS
•  Johns Hopkins most recently closed action at the 2025 Virginia Duals on Saturday afternoon as the Blue Jays dropped a pair of duals to the Apprentice School (38-7) and Averett (35-11). 

•  Freshman Giorgio Difalco (141) led the way for the Blue Jays as he went 3-1 on the weekend with a pair of wins by decision and the one major to his credit. He currently has 20 wins on the season.

•  Also scoring victories for the Blue Jays on Saturday were sophomore Freddy Pimental (157), who added a major decision to Difalco's decision against Apprentice, and graduate student Chris Roybal (165) and junior Jacob Pomykata  (285), who added wins by decision and pin, respectively, against Averett.

•  Before competing in the Virgina Duals (Jan. 10-11), the Blue Jays competed at home against York on Jan. 4. York won three straight bouts to break open a close match and the Spartans went on to a 27-18 non-conference victory. 

•  Johns Hopkins is 2-7 in dual meets so far this year, with wins against Rowan College of South Jersey and Coker. The Blue Jays will attempt to snap a 3-match losing streak when they face the Bears on Sunday afternoon.

•  The meeting against Morgan State will Johns Hopkins' first dual meet against a team from the Baltimore area since Feb. 17, 1987, when they wrestled Coppin State.

•  Johns Hopkins is led by Head Coach Keith Norris, in his 25th season at the helm of the program. One of the most respected coaches in the nation, Norris was honored in October 2019 by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with one of its "Lifetime Service to Wrestling Awards". Norris has 107 career dual meet victories as the head coach at Johns Hopkins, which ties him with Andy Janquitto (1983-96) for the most wins in school history by a wrestling coach. Prior to taking the job at Hopkins, Norris served as the head coach at Calvert Hall. The Cardinal program flourished under his leadership, with three straight 15-win seasons and six team tournament titles.

NOTABLES
• Leading the return of NCAA Division I, Varsity-level men's wrestling to Maryland's largest Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Morgan State University announced the hiring of Kenny Monday as the Athletics Department's new men's wrestling coach, effective Aug. 24, 2022. Monday, the first Black wrestler in history to win an Olympic gold medal, is a National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, three-time Olympian and former NCAA All-American standout, who brings a championship-level coaching pedigree and an expansive yet impressive resume to a Bears' wrestling program looking to restart after a 25-year hiatus. Monday comes to Morgan after serving as the director of wrestling and head wrestling coach at Spire Academy, since 2021.

• Last season, Morgan was wrestling in its first competition in 25 years after the program was reinstated this season to make it the only HBCU with a Division I wrestling program.

• In October 2021, the University announced its plans to revive the men's wrestling program at Morgan with the support a $2.7-million gift from HBCU Wrestling (HBCUW), a new initiative reestablishing wrestling programs on HBCU campuses. The gift, which is among the largest received from a private donor to the University, provides funding for the program and supports up to nine full scholarships annually.

• The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association has approved the addition of Morgan State as its newest member institution. Morgan is the 12th member of the EIWA, the oldest wrestling conference in the nation.

• The EIWA announced Wednesday a division-based regular season dual schedule.  The 12 EIWA member programs will be grouped into divisions of seven and five for the 2024-25 season. A full divisional dual meet schedule will launch for 2025-26. Kyle Borshoff, Binghamton University Head Wrestling Coach & EIWA Coaches Association President says, "Creating two divisions within the EIWA provides the opportunity for member teams to establish dual meet consistency and create exciting rivalries that our fans can count on seeing year in and year out. Creating the Independence and Patriot divisions allows us to highlight the excitement that surrounds the dual meet portion of our season, as all of our teams work to establish themselves as divisional champions."

• Among the athletes to watch this season is sophomore Kingsley Menifee, an 184-pounder returning healthy after an injury sidelined him last year. Menifee has already demonstrated his potential with impressive matches against top-ranked wrestlers, establishing himself as one of the team's more seasoned competitors. Also poised for a strong season is sophomore Shawn Ryncarz, a 133-pounder who had an outstanding year last season.

• The coaching staff has been busy recruiting and welcoming Myrin Nixon, a promising 140-pounder from Great Bridge High School who excelled in high school.

• With former standout Jake Marsh's departure, several individuals are expected to step into leadership roles this season. Senior Darrien Roberts, a 170-pounder who transferred from the University of Oklahoma, is anticipated to take on significant leadership responsibilities. "He is going to fill those shoes," Monday stated.

• Junior Xavier Doolin, a transfer from the University of Northern Colorado, will also play a key role in guiding younger wrestlers. Monday emphasized the importance of Doolin's leadership, stating, "He brings valuable leadership experience from competing against high-level players, and we expect big things from him. Our goal is to help every wrestler achieve their best performance. With Darrien being a senior, we want him to have his best season ever in college."

• The historic setting of Hurt Gymnasium was the site of the Bears' matchup against Penn on December 8. This iconic gym, with its walls steeped in tradition, also served as the perfect backdrop for Morgan's contest versus Army. For fans and competitors alike, witnessing the final wrestling dual at Hurt was an opportunity to celebrate its legacy, making it a must-see event for anyone passionate about the sport, as the Bears prepare to shift their remaining matches to Hill Field House.

Season tickets and individual match tickets are now on sale for the 2024-25 Morgan State wrestling season - Click here