Kent State wrestling is having a far better season than last year’s record.

The Flashes are 11-7. Last year the team was 2-15, its worst record since 1971-72.

“Our team has gotten more experience and more understanding,” said coach Jim Andrassy. “We’ve wrestled very good teams this year, and even if we didn’t win, it was a good experience for the team.

“We have a good team, and we are continuously improving. These boys are working as hard as they can, and we just have to be positive and keep improving.”

Andrassy said the team had a number of wrestlers who can compete at the national level.

“Nick Monico, Tim Rooney, Kyle Conel and Anthony Tutolo have been ranked,” he said. “If they keep improving, they have a good chance of staying ranked.”

Those wrestlers and their records:

• Monico, is 19-10 ranked 30th at 149 pounds in the Division I NCAA wrestling coaches’ panel.

• Rooney, 25-10 record and ranked 33th at 141 pounds.

• Conel, 16-9 record and ranked 24th at 197 pounds.

• Tutolo, 21-10 record and ranked 31th at 133 pounds.

Rooney said his target is the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland in March.

“I felt good wrestling in my first two to three weeks, and I’m excited to get back into it and hopefully win the next couple of matches.” Rooney said.

Isaac Bast had the team’s only win at No. 5 Oklahoma State two weekends ago.

“Oklahoma (State) was one of my best matches,” Bast said. “It felt good to be putting in a full seven minutes.”

The Flashes compete Sunday at Eastern Michigan. Their next home meets are Feb. 9 against Old Dominion and Feb. 11 against Central Michigan.

Kayla Proctor is a sports reporter. Contact her at [email protected].