Feb. 1, 2008

FAIRFAX, Va. - Hours before the kickoff of Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, the George Mason wrestling team will host the 22nd-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs in a Super Sunday scuffle at the Fieldhouse. The two teams are scheduled to hit the mat at 11 a.m.

Two George Mason wrestlers have seen recent success and been acknowledged at both the conference and national levels. The CAA named senior Randy Oates the Co-Wrestler of the Week in the conference after his pin of Binghamton's Josh Patterson, who was ranked 19th in the nation by InterMat and 20th by Amateur Wrestling News at the time of the match. Freshman Cayle Byers performance has also earned him recognition as he climbed into the national rankings in the 197-pound weight class. In the most recent polls, InterMat ranked Byers 16th, while Amateur Wrestling News ranked him 20th. Byers has compiled a 28-5 record in his freshman season at Mason.

As a team, the Patriots are 9-3 overall and 5-2 in CAA competition. Mason will face a formidable challenge in the Old Dominion Monarchs. ODU holds the 22nd spot in the latest USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll with a 13-3 overall record and a 4-1 mark in conference duals. Five ODU wrestlers hold top-20 rankings in their respective weight classes in the Amateur Wrestling News individual rankings and four hold top-20 rankings in InterMat's latest national rankings.

Tickets to Sunday's meet will cost $5 for adults and $2 for youth and senior citizens. All full-time enrolled students at George Mason University will be admitted free with a valid Mason student ID.