TheMat.com Weekly College Recap
1/10/2005
John Fuller/TheMat.com
Cael’s Streak in Jeopardy?
Last week, we spoke of the longest Division I win streak in the nation, but this week, we will speak of the longest winning streak in the nation.
Marcus LeVesseur of Augsburg has now posted 99 consecutive wins, tying him with Dan Gable for the second longest win streak in college history. With 21 more wins this year, LeVesseur, a junior, will be on pace to break Cael Sanderson’s mark of 159 straight wins.
Of course, some would argue that this record is not as good since he is a Division III wrestler. However, that could all be changed next season if the NWCA invites LeVesseur to the All-Star Classic and if he competes in the Midlands Championships.
Rankings
The Lone Star Duals this weekend in Grand Prairie, Texas cleared up two things. 1) Michigan may be the team to be in the Big Ten this year and 2) Wisconsin is for real.
Last week, the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll had some teams possibly out of place. In my opinion, this is what the top 10 teams should look like this week:
1. Oklahoma State
2. Illinois
3. Iowa State
4. Lehigh
5. Michigan
6. Iowa
7. Nebraska
8. Wisconsin
9. Oklahoma
10. Nebraska
The Badgers, yes a team I picked to finish last in the Big Ten this year, are on a roll, tying Nebraska at the Lone Star Duals and upping their season record to 7-0-1. It is safe to say that this team, barring injuries, most likely won’t finish last in the conference this year.
The Wolverines posted a win over Nebraska, 25-12 and have been dominant since a 22-15 loss to Lehigh to open the season.
Sad News
Last week was a bad week for Division I programs. 2003 NCAA finalist Chris Fleeger of Purdue was ruled academically ineligible and Davidson head coach T.J. Jaworsky was fired following an arrest for cocaine possession.
It is apparent that the Boilermakers will greatly miss Fleeger’s services this year, going 1-2 at the Lone Star Duals this weekend.
However, Davidson wrestlers responded with their first two duals wins of the season over the weekend, defeating Duquesne 29-22 and Slippery Rock 20-19. Kudos to the Davidson wrestlers for not letting a bad week spoil their season.
Branded
Virginia Tech was flat-out beat up last weekend in head coach Tom Brands’ first return to his home state of Iowa.
It was expected to be an emotional weekend for the coaches of both teams as well as the wrestlers. However, someone forgot to tell the Virginia Tech wrestlers, as the team was trounced 38-0 by Iowa and defeated handily by Northern Iowa, 32-10.
Brands was unhappy with his team’s performance following the weekend, but it must be a relief knowing that the ACC schedule now begins for his team.
Northwestern on the Rise
Northwestern has not had a winning record sine going 9-8 in the 1997-98 season, but by starting with a 6-0 dual record so far this year, and nine dual meets remaining, the Wildcats are just two wins from clinching a winning record.
The Wildcats’ latest victims were North Carolina-Greensboro, Drexel and Buffalo at the Buckeye Duals in Columbus, Ohio this weekend. Freshmen Ryan Lang (141 lbs.) and Jake Herbert (174) each posted three wins on the day, leading their team to victory.
Look for this tandem to provide excitement for this program over the next four years.
Knights in Shining Armor
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) is responsible for the beginning of hundreds of club wrestling teams around the country. While the talent level on these teams is clearly not as strong as that on teams with NCAA status, it affords wrestlers an opportunity to do what they love best “wrestle.
This past weekend, one of those teams made a statement.
Central Florida posted a 2-2 record at the Lone Star Duals. The wins were over NAIA member Bacone College, 45-9, and NCWA member Texas-Dallas, 49-0, but the losses were well challenged, going down to Division II power Central Oklahoma, 31-9, and Division I Army, 30-19.
197-pound Todd Hauser is the leader of this squad, and he posted a 3-0 record with another win by forfeit in the tournament.
Wrestling Gear
