Northwestern University Athletics
Wrestling at Big Ten Championships This Weekend
3/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 7, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - How strong is Big Ten wrestling? Just check out these quick facts.
* The Big Ten boasts the top four teams in the nation and eight of the top 25.
* Half the individual weight classes have Big Ten grapplers ranked number one.
* Out of 110 wrestlers at this year's Big Ten Championships, 70 will earn berths to the NCAA Championships-by far the most by any conference.
* Twenty-one of the past 27 NCAA Team Champions have hailed from the Big Ten, including last year's first-time winner Minnesota.
Northwestern enters this weekends championships as one of only three Big Ten teams not ranked in the top 25. They went 0-8 in the conference this season, but all that means nothing now as the 11 teams gather for one final meet this weekend at the University of Illinois. The top seven placers will move on to the NCAA Championships March 21-23 in Albany, N.Y.
Sophomore Ryan Kane (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) earned the highest seed among NU wrestlers at number four in the 165-pound division. Kane went 5-1 in Big Ten dual action this season. His only loss came to top-seeded Matt Lackey.
Junior 141-pounder John Giacche (Flemington, N.J./Blair Academy) is seeded seventh in his weight class. Giacche won his first six Big Ten matches before falling to Wisconsin and Indiana in the season's final duals.
After sitting out the first half of the season with an injury, junior Jason Erwinski (Tinley Park, Ill./Mt. Carmel) battled back to secure an eighth seed at 174 pounds. He posted a 2-6 mark in the Big Ten, defeating Penn State and Indiana. Last season, Erwinski was awarded the fourth seed at 157 pounds.
Defending Big Ten and National Champion Minnesota garnered the most top seeds with three, Leroy Vega (125), Ryan Lewis (133) and Luke Becker (157).
A full weekend schedule is listed below. Actual brackets will not be available until after the coaches meeting on Friday evening.
Championship Schedule:
Sat., March 9
Session I-noon
Session II-7 p.m.
Sun., March 10
Session III-11 a.m.
Finals-3 p.m.
125 Pounds
1. Leroy Vega, Minnesota
2. Chris Fleeger, Purdue
3. A.J. Grant, Michigan
4. Chris Williams, Michigan State
5. Twan Pham, Illinois
6. Luke Eustice, Iowa
7. Greg Schaefer, Indiana
8. Jesse Leng, Ohio State
Tony Black, Wisconsin
Adam Smith, Penn State
Rob Potashnick, Northwestern
Justin Kast, Penn State
133 Pounds
1. Ryan Lewis, Minnesota
2. Kevin Black, Wisconsin
3. Foley Dowd, Michigan
4. Cliff Moore, Iowa
5. Marat Tomaev, Penn State
6. Chad Hay, Illinois
7. Jeff Ratliff, Ohio State
8. Ryan L'Amoreaux, Michigan State
Brian Smiley, Indiana
Tommy Vargas, Northwestern
Rene Hernandez, Purdue
141 Pounds
1. Scott Moore, Penn State
2. Robert Sessley, Ohio State
3. Grant Hoerr, Wisconsin
4. Chad Erikson, Minnesota
5. Coyte Cooper, Indiana
6. Luke Moffitt, Iowa
7. John Giacche, Northwestern
Erik Novak, Illinois
Nick Velissaris, Michigan
Charlie Sageman, Michigan State
Randy Pursley, Purdue
Mark Jayne, Illinois
149 Pounds
1. Mike Zadick, Iowa
2. Jared Lawrence, Minnesota
3. Mike Kulczycki, Michigan
4. Keaton Anderson, Ohio State
5. Ryan Berger, Illinois
6. Karl Nadolsky, Michigan State
7. Nate Wachter, Penn State
8. Steve Amy, Indiana
Josh Ballard, Northwestern
Dan Jankowski, Purdue
157 Pounds
1. Luke Becker, Minnesota
2. Ryan Bertin, Michigan
3. Griff Powell, Illinois
4. Josh Janson, Ohio State
5. Matt Anderson, Northwestern
6. B. Gray Maynard, Michigan State
7. James Woodall, Penn State
8. Brad Harper, Purdue
Mike Kimberlin, Northwestern
Adam Turner, Wisconsin
Jason Bader, Indiana
Rocky Mantella, Indiana
Chris Borchart, Wisconsin
165 Pounds
1. Matt Lackey, Illinois
2. Johnny Clark, Ohio State
3. Doc Vecchio, Penn State
4. Ryan Kane, Northwestern
5. Oscar Santiago, Purdue
6. Anton Hall, Michigan State
7. Charles Martelli, Michigan
8. Nate Baker, Iowa
Ben Shirk, Iowa
Alex LaPointe, Indiana
Ryan Lewis, Wisconsin
174 Pounds
1. Otto Olsen, Michigan
2. Tyler Nixt, Iowa
3. Jacob Volkmann, Minnesota
4. Ryan Lange, Purdue
5. Rashad Evans, Michigan State
6. Brady Reinke, Wisconsin
7. Brian Glynn, Illinois
8. Jason Erwinski, Northwestern
Andrew Wolfe, Indiana
Jack Barnhisel, Indiana
Phillip Freeman, Ohio State
Todd Brennan, Penn State
184 Pounds
1. Andy Hrovat, Michigan
2. Viktor Sveda, Indiana
3. Damion Hahn, Minnesota
4. Jessman Smith, Iowa
5. Jason Potter, Illinois
6. Ralph DeNisco, Wisconsin
7. Mark Becks, Penn State
8. Anton Talamantes, Ohio State
Nate Mesyn, Michigan State
Andrew Curran, Northwestern
Jon Fitch, Purdue
197 Pounds
1. Nick Preston, Ohio State
2. Owen Elzen, Minnesota
3. Kyle Smith, Michigan
4. Jon Bush, Purdue
5. Pat DeGain, Indiana
6. Trey Clark, Iowa
7. Jarek Horton, Wisconsin
8. Pete Mielnik, Penn State
Tyrone Byrd, Illinois
John Wechter, Michigan State
Brendan Curran, Northwestern
Heavyweight
1. Steve Mocco, Iowa
2. Tommy Rowlands, Ohio State
3. Garrett Lowney, Minnesota
4. Jake Vercelli, Purdue
5. John Lockhart, Illinois
6. Matt Brink, Michigan
7. Pat Cummins, Penn State
8. Justin Staebler, Wisconsin
Ty Matthews, Indiana
Mike Keenan, Michigan State
D.J. Radnovich, Indiana
Mike Little, Northwestern
