The ASU wrestling team enters its first tournament of the season Friday for the 28th annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
The Sun Devils (3-2, 2-0 Pac-10) have competed in five duels so far this season, with four of those matches away from home.
Forty-four teams will be competing in the tournament, and 12 of those squads are currently ranked.
Three teams in the top 10 will be at the meet — No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 Boise State and No. 9 Cornell.
ASU head coach Shawn Charles said individuals who place at this tournament are often the same wrestlers who will be at the NCAA Championships.
“This is a great tournament,” he said. “We are looking for each individual to compete in their weight class.”
Injuries to sophomore Eric Starks (174) and sophomore Kyle DeBerry (165) leave two holes in the Sun Devils’ lineup.
Sophomore Te Edwards will move up a weight class to compete at 165 and leave the 157-pound spot open.
“[The tournament] is a great test to find out where our guys are individually,” Charles said.
ASU fell one spot in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll on Tuesday and is now ranked No. 21 in the country.
Individually, junior Anthony Robles (125) and junior Chris Drouin (141) remained ranked in the top five, but junior Ben Ashmore (133) fell out of the top 20 this week.
The last time the Sun Devils competed in Las Vegas, they finished 18th with 45 total points.
Only Robles and Drouin placed in the top eight of their weight classes at third and fifth, respectively.
Both Robles and Drouin are undefeated this season at 5-0.
The team will have a week off before returning to Nevada on Nov. 20 to compete in the Reno Tournament of Champions.
Reach the reporter at nathan.meacham@asu.edu.
