FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Feb. 3, 2015)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside wrestling squad looks to recapture the Sake Bottle Trophy on Wednesday night inside DeSimone Gymnasium, closing out its dual match slate against nemesis University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
 
The Rangers (4-2) and Warhawks (14-1) hit the mat at 7 p.m. on Wednesday with live video of the dual available at parksiderangers.com/watch.
 
About the Trophy: The Sake Bottle Trophy originated in 1975 when UW-Parkside coach Jim Koch and UW-Whitewater coach Willie Myers toured Japan and Korea with an NAIA All-State Team. Mr. Hatta, the former president of Japanese wrestling and considered the father of the sport in Japan, presented the two coaches with a Sake Bottle.
 
Series History: The two southeastern Wisconsin schools have battled 26 times on the mat since the Sake Bottle Trophy was instituted in 1975 with the Rangers winning 20 of those encounters. The dual was contested annually from 1975-1979 before getting mothballed for five years. The dual regained its status as an annual competition from 1986-1990 before taking a one year hiatus. It returned on an annual basis from 1992-1996 and was contested intermittently through 2008 before resuming as a yearly dual since 2010.
 
Recent Results: While Parkside has dominated the all-time series, Whitewater has seized two of the last three duals, including a 44-9 victory last season against a short-staffed Ranger team. UW-Parkside prevailed 22-15 in 2013 which marked the last time the dual was held in Somers.
 
About the Rangers: UW-Parkside finished ninth overall at the annual Pete Willson Invitational on Saturday in Wheaton, Illinois. Joseph Her highlighted the two-day tournament, winning the weight class title at 133-pounds while Ronzel Darling was third at 125-pounds and Adam Yde was fifth at 141-pounds.
 
The Rangers last dual was on Jan. 22 in Mequon, Wisconsin, winning the final two bouts of the night to escape with a 21-19 victory. Adam Yde tallied a 10-1 major decision win at 141-pounds to close within one point before Aaron Heidersheid sealed the match with a 10-4 victory at 149-pounds.
 
About the Warhawks: Defending NCAA Division III runner-up UW-Whitewater won the 32-team Pete Willson Invite on Saturday after winning two weight classes and placing runner-up in two more. Jordan Newman prevailed at 174-pounds while Shane Siefert bested the field at 197-pounds. Trevor Pruett was second at 133 after falling to Her in the finals while Matt Adcock secured second at 141-pounds.
 
UWW has won four straight duals, including a 32-12 win over Concordia Wisconsin and a 38-0 shutout of North Central College on Jan. 24 at the Border Brawl Duals.
 
Looking Ahead: UW-Parkside ships up to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Saturday for the Blugold Open to finish off the 2014-2015 regular season. The postseason gets underway for the Rangers on Feb. 28, competing at the NCAA Division II Super Regional.