From Eddie Goldman’s ADCC News
CAN SECOND-RANKED ILLINOIS TAKE NATIONAL DUALS TITLE?
Submitted by: E.Goldman/Boxing & Wrestling Editor
Posted On 01/20/2005
The annual NWCA National Duals, which take place Sat., Jan. 22, and Sun., Jan. 23, will feature the greatest concentration of top college wrestlers in the U.S. prior to the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships in March. This event pits most of the top college wrestling teams against each other in a dual meet tournament format. It will be held at the Cleveland State Convocation Center on the campus of Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Competing will be seven of the top ten teams, including #1 Oklahoma State, #2 Illinois, #4 Michigan, #5 Lehigh, #6 Hofstra, #8 Minnesota, and #10 Oklahoma.
Also competing will be seven currently top-ranked wrestlers:
125 — Sam Hazewinkel, Oklahoma
149 — Zach Esposito, Oklahoma State
165 — Troy Letters, Lehigh
174 — Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State
184 — Greg Jones, West Virginia
197 — Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State
HWT — Steve Mocco, Oklahoma State
And in this tournament will be eight wrestlers who have been NCAA champions:
133 — Travis Lee, Cornell
141 — Teyon Ware, Oklahoma
157 — Ryan Bertin, Michigan
165 — Troy Letters, Lehigh
174 — Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State
184 — Greg Jones, West Virginia
197 — Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State
HWT — Steve Mocco, Oklahoma State
While the top-ranked, undefeated, and defending NCAA champion Oklahoma State Cowboys remain the favorite, they will face stiff competition from other undefeated teams, including second-ranked Illinois. Below is the Illinois preview of the National Duals.
No. 2 Illini Wrestlers In Search of National Dual Meet Title
Jan. 19, 2005
Cassie Arner
#2 Illinois (7-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at NWCA National Duals
Cleveland, Ohio – Jan. 22-23
– ILLINOIS is coming off its 10th straight dual win, dating back to 2004.
– ILLINOIS earned a No. 2 seed for the National Duals
– Brian Glynn (184) needs just one more win to reach the coveted 100-career win mark
– Junior Tyrone Byrd was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
– 133-pound Mark Jayne remains undefeated with 16-0 record and 125-pounder Kyle Ott is 6-0.
– Illinois enters this weekend’s competition with wrestlers ranked in 9 of 10 weight classes.
– The Illini return home next week to host No. 9 Iowa on Friday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m., where they hope to sell out Huff Hall for the event.
#2 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI TENTATIVE LINEUP
125: #2 Kyle Ott (Jr.) 6-0
133: #3 Mark Jayne (Sr.) 16-0
141: Cassio Pero (So.) 13-9
149: #19 Anton Dietzen (Sr.) 15-4
157: #2 Alex Tirapelle (Jr.) 14-1
165: #13 Donny Reynolds (So.) 13-3
174: #5 Pete Friedl (Jr.) 20-2
184: #4 Brian Glynn (Sr.) 18-2
197: #15 Tyrone Byrd (Jr.) 14-4
Hwt: #14 Mike Behnke (So.) 8-2
NATIONAL DUALS schedule
Saturday, Jan. 22
11 a.m. – First Round
3 p.m. – Quarterfinals & First Round Consolations
5 p.m. – Second Round Consolations
8:30 p.m. – Semifinals & Consolation Quarterfinals
Sunday, Jan. 23
11 a.m. – Consolation Semifinals
3 p.m. – Finals, Third-Place, Fifth-Place, Seventh-Place Matches
NATIONAL DUALS field
#1 Oklahoma St., #2 Illinois, #4 Michigan, #5 Lehigh, #6 Hofstra, #8 Minnesota, #10 Oklahoma, #11 Cornell, #12 Central Michigan, #14 Northern Iowa, #16 Arizona St., #21 Penn State, #22 West Virginia, The Citadel, Cal State-Poly and Cleveland St.
Illini Head to 16th Annual NWCA National Dual Tourney, Earn No. 2 Seed
For the first time in school history, the Illini will take part in the prestigious NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, on Jan. 22-23, in Cleveland, Ohio. The NCAA Tournament is an individual tournament in which wrestlers earn team points for their respective schools to determine the national champion. The National Duals allows 16 teams to go head-to-head in all 10 weight classes in a bracket format to determine the best overall team from top to bottom.
Action begins on Saturday at 11 a.m. with first round competition. The Illini drew the No. 2 seed, behind top-ranked Oklahoma State. The top-8 teams were seeded and the rest of the bracket filled in with a random draw of the remaining eight teams. Illinois’ first-round opponent will be No. 22 West Virginia. The Mountaineers have ranked wrestlers at five weight classes, including two-time NCAA Champion Greg Jones at 184 pounds. If the Illini advance, the stakes are raised in the quarterfinal matchups where Illinois could face No. 10 Oklahoma, who have 141-pound NCAA Champion Teyon Ware and No. 1 ranked Sam Hazewinkel at 125 pounds. The Illini look to be placed on the same side of the bracket as No. 4 Michigan, which could be a potential semifinal bout. The Wolverines are ranked at seven weight classes, including 157-pound national champion Ryan Bertin. Finally, the team to beat will be top-ranked and defending NCAA Champions Oklahoma State, who have three wrestlers who have won NCAA titles and one other NCAA Finalist.
This season the competition will feature some of the best teams in the country. Of the 16 teams in the field, 13 are ranked in the Top-22 and seven in the Top-10.
RANKED INDIVIDUALS AT THE NATIONAL DUALS
125 POUNDS (7)
1. Sam Hazewinkel, Oklahoma
2. Kyle Ott, Illinois
4. Bob Lowe, Minnesota
7. Vic Moreno, Cal Poly
11. Jeremy Mendoza, Arizona State
12. Luke Smith, Central Michigan
16. Adam Smith, Penn State
133 POUNDS (8)
2. Travis Lee, Cornell
3. Mark Jayne, Jr., Illinois
5. Mack Reiter, Minnesota
6. Matt Ciasulli, Lehigh
10. Jason Borrelli, Central Michigan
12. Mark Moos, Michigan
13. Nathan Morgan, Oklahoma State
20. Seth Lisa, West Virginia
141 POUNDS (7)
2. Teyon Ware, Oklahoma
4. Cory Cooperman, Lehigh
6. Ricky LaForge, Hofstra
8. Brandon Lauer, West Virginia
13. Josh Churella, Michigan
18. Dewitt Driscoll, Penn State
19. Ronnie Delk, Oklahoma State
149 POUNDS (11)
1. Zach Esposito, Oklahoma State
3. Matt Storniolo, Oklahoma
4. Dustin Manotti, Cornell
5. Jon Masa, Hofstra
7. Eric Tannenbaum, Michigan
9. Patrick Williams, Arizona State
10. Jeff Harrison, Northern Iowa
11. CP Schlatter, Minnesota
15. Mark Torriero, West Virginia
16. Mark DiSalvo, Central Michigan
19. Anton Dietzen, Illinois
157 POUNDS (7)
2. Alex Tirapelle, Illinois
4. Ryan Bertin, Michigan
8. Derek Zinck, Lehigh
9. Nathan Galloway, Penn State
10. Matt Lebe, West Virginia
14. Brian Stith, Arizona State
19. Kevin Ward, Oklahoma State
165 POUNDS (8)
1. Troy Letters, Lehigh
2. Ryan Churella, Michigan
3. Johny Hendricks, Oklahoma State
6. Matt Nagel, Minnesota
11. David Bolyard, Central Michigan
12. Nick Baima, Northern Iowa
13. Mike Patrovich, Hofstra
15. Donny Reynolds, Illinois
174 POUNDS (9)
1. Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State
5. Pete Friedl, Illinois
6. E.K. Waldhaus, Oklahoma
7. Eric Hauan, Northern Iowa
9. Joe Mazzurco, Cornell
10. Paul Siemon, Hofstra
11. Mitch Hancock, Central Michigan
184 POUNDS (9)
1. Greg Jones, West Virginia
4. Brian Glynn, Illinois
6. Eric Bradley, Penn State
7. Roger Kish, Minnesota
8. Tyler Baier, Cornell
9. Justin Dyer, Oklahoma
10. C.B. Dollaway, Arizona State
11. Ryan Halsey, Cal Poly
18. Alexander Lammers, Central Michigan
197 POUNDS (9)
1. Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State
2. Chris Skretkowicz, Hofstra
3. Jon Trenge, Lehigh
6. Ryan Bader, Arizona State
8. Sean Stender, Northern Iowa
10. Jerry Rinaldi, Cornell
11. Joel Flaggert, Oklahoma
14. Tyrone Byrd, Illinois
19. Wynn Michalak, Central Michigan
HWT (7)
1. Steve Mocco, Oklahoma State
2. Greg Wagner, Michigan
3. Cain Velasquez, Arizona State
4. Cole Konrad, Minnesota
10. Bill Stouffer, Central Michigan
12. Jake Hager, Oklahoma
14. Mike Behnke, Illinois
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