Jan. 31, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina will step out of conference Saturday to face Philadelphia schools Penn and Drexel in wrestling action at The Palestra. The Tar Heels (6-4) will open the day at noon against the Dragons (9-8), followed immediately by a 2 p.m. tilt with the Quakers (5-4).

Atlantic Coast Conference rivals NC State and No. 21 Maryland will also be in action in Philadelphia, as a total of five matches will be held at the famed arena.

Nationally-ranked juniors Keegan Mueller and Justin Dobies continue to lead the way for Carolina. Both are an unblemished 10-0 in dual action and are unbeaten over their last 23 combined matches, including a 14-bout streak for Mueller. The nation's No. 18 heavyweight, Dobies is 21-5 on the season. Mueller, ranked No. 13 at 165, is 20-3.

Redshirt freshman Nick Stabile and Thomas Scotton rank third and fourth on the team with 18 and 14 victories, respectively. Stabile is 18-4 and 8-2 in duals at 141, while Scotton is 14-4 and 7-0 in dual action at 157.

Scotton will have a tough opponent at 157 against Drexel, as All-America Ryan Hluschak is one of two Dragons ranked 11th nationally. Steve Mytych is also rated No. 11 at 125.

Penn owns three ranked grapplers in its lineup in No. 8 Rollie Peterkin at 125, No. 14 Cesar Grajales at 149 and No. 17 Zack Shanaman at 165.

The Tar Heels return to Atlantic Coast Conference action next Friday, Feb. 8 at NC State at 7:30 p.m.