Eastern will have its hands full this Sunday at 1 p.m. when it welcomes the Indiana Hoosiers and its six ranked wrestlers to Lantz Arena.

The meet will be the first dual meet of the season for each of the teams, which have been competing in open tournaments . The Hoosiers currently have six wrestlers ranked in the top 20 of their weight classes. Those wrestlers include No. 7 Joseph Dubuque (125 lbs.), No. 11 Mike Simpson (141 lbs.), No. 17 Brandon Becker (157 lbs.), No. 16 Brady Richardson (174 lbs.), No. 14 Andy Rios (184 lbs.) and No. 5 Pat Degain (285 lbs.).

“They’re reloaded this season,” Eastern Head Coach Ralph McCausland said. “It’ll be a challenge for us.”

The Panthers have been taking it easy this week with shorter practices as they prepare for the Hoosiers.

“It’s difficult to keep focus because everyone has stress from other things,” McCausland said. “At this point in the season it’s a mental thing.”

One of the top matches of the meet will come at 174 lbs. when Eastern’s No. 19 Kenny Robertson hooks up with the Hoosiers Richardson. This is the second time this season the pair wrestled, with Robertson winning the first match. It will be their fourth time wrestling overall, with Richardson leading the series 2-1.

“We’ve let that lie,” McCausland said. “(Robertson) knows what’s there.”

Robertson is 17-4 on the season and is making his first appearance on the national rankings. There will also be a rematch at the 197 lbs. weight class where the Panther’s Jason Sherko will face off against the Hoosiers’ Josh Buuck. Buuck pinned Sherko at the Missouri open.

The Panthers will be without sophomore Adam Beeler (149 lbs.). Freshman Shane Dintelman, who has six pins on the season, will fill in for him. The Panthers will be without any wrestlers at the 285 lbs. weight class, which they will forfeit.

Eastern will see Indiana later this season at its regional tournament.