Pierce Harger will try to pick up his 100th career win in his final match at Welsh-Ryan Arena.Pierce Harger will try to pick up his 100th career win in his final match at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Northwestern to Honor Seniors Friday

Feb. 12, 2015

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2014-15 Northwestern Wrestling
Northwestern (9-8, 1-7 Big Ten) vs. Maryland (5-14, 0-8 Big Ten)
 Date Friday, Feb. 13 | 7 p.m. CT
 Location Welsh-Ryan Arena | Evanston, Ill.
 TV: BTN Plus on BTN2Go
 Live Results TrackWrestling.com
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EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will honor its four seniors before the Wildcats take on Maryland for the first time as conference rivals on Friday at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 7 p.m. The meet marks the final conference dual in the 2014-15 season.

Mike McMullan, Pierce Harger, Alex Polizzi and John Coukos will be recognized for their achievements while wrestling for the Wildcats.

McMullan is a three-time All-American and was an NCAA finalist in 2013. He is one of five Wildcats to be named an All-American three times and has a chance this season to join Mike Funk and Jake Herbert as the only four-time All-Americans in school history. McMullan is 20-2 this season with two wins over top-ranked opponents and has won 91 matches in his career.

Harger was named an All-American in 2014 and is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten and NWCA All-Academic Team honoree. He has qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of his three seasons and will look to win his 100th career match against Maryland.

Polizzi is a two-time NCAA qualifier. He has 69 career wins at 197 lbs. with 19 of those by fall. He is currently ranked eighth among all Division I wrestlers in that category with nine this season. His nine pins place him third in the Big Ten.

Coukos has wrestled at both 125 and 133 in his Northwestern career. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and has twice been named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

McMullan, Harger and Polizzi are all nationally ranked and are joined by sophomore Jason Tsirtsis as some of the best wrestlers in the country at their respective weight classes. Tsirtsis (27-1) is No. 3 at 149, McMullan (20-2) is fourth at 285, Harger (22-4) moved up a spot to seventh at 165 and Polizzi (22-7) is No. 16 at 197.

McMullan will match up against his fourth straight ranked foe on Friday in Maryland's No. 12 Spencer Myers. McMullan won each of the last three against nationally ranked opponents and has six such wins this season.

Northwestern Probable Lineup
125: Garrison White (12-12)
133: Dominick Malone (16-14)
141: Jameson Oster (15-10)
149: #3 Jason Tsirtsis (27-1)
157: Ben Sullivan (5-12)
165: #7 Pierce Harger (22-4)
174: Open
184: Mitch Sliga (9-15)
197: #16 Alex Polizzi (22-7)
285: #4 Mike McMullan (20-2)

Maryland comes to Evanston with an 0-8 conference record and a 5-14 mark overall. The Terrapins have lost seven straight meets and, most recently, dropped a 34-12 decision to Minnesota.

Maryland Probable Lineup
125: Josh Polacek (6-12)
133: #20 Geoffrey Alexander (13-7)
141: Shyheim Brown (17-10)
149: Ben Dorsay (3-8)
157: Lou Mascola (13-11) OR Justin Alexander (11-5)
165: T.J. Guidice (5-6)
174: Josh Snook (11-12)
184: Tony Gardner (1-13)
197: Rob Fitzgerald (9-14)
285: #12 Spencer Myers (5-2)

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