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1999 Big Ten Conference Wrestling Championships Saturday-Sunday, March 6-7 * Crisler Arena * Ann Arbor, Mich. 1999 CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW Iowa Puts Streak on the Line, Faces Challenges at All Classes Could the 1999 Big Ten Wrestling Championships go into the record books as one of historic proportions? Defending champion Iowa puts its 25-year string of consecutive Big Ten titles on the line, facing stiff competition from four teams ranked among the nation's top 10 teams. Minnesota, ranked second nationally, is the squad most observers feel could snap third-ranked Iowa's win string. The Hawkeye streak dates back to 1974, when they became the first non-State of Michigan university in 11 years to win the league's wrestling championship. Big Ten teams among the nation's top 10 poised to spoil any Minnesota and Iowa celebrations include No. 6 Illinois, host and ninth-ranked Michigan, and No. 10 Penn State.
A weight-by-weight breakdown:
The race for the 125-pound conference crown could be one of the most wide open in the tournament. Penn State's Jeremy Hunter, last year's runner-up and a 1998 All-American, is the favorite. He is ranks second in the nation and has defeated each of the other contenders en route to a perfect 24-0 season record. Minnesota's seventh-ranked Leroy Vega, Michigan's eighth-ranked Chris Viola and Purdue's 11th-ranked Jason Silverstein are expected to challenge Hunter.
This weight class will likely come down to three wrestlers. Eric Juergens of Iowa and Pat McNamara of Michigan State come in with the highest national rankings. Juergens is ranked second nationally while McNamara carries a No. 5 ranking. No. 6 Joe Warren of Michigan, last year's runner-up at 126 pounds, is also a formidable contender. Robert Sessley (Ohio State), Nate Parker (Penn State) and Josh Hutchens (Purdue) also rank among the top 20 nationally and could factor into the battle for the top spot.
The 141-pound weight class should provide plenty of intrigue for spectators with top-ranked competitors providing a close race for the title. Five wrestlers rank among the nation's top 20 with four listed among the nation's elite eight. No. 4 Doug Schwab (Iowa), who finished the season wrestling at 149 pounds, is expected to compete at 141 this weekend. He and No. 5 Damion Logan (Michigan) are two likely championship bout wrestlers. No. 6 Carl Perry of Illinois and No. 8 Scott Schatzman of Northwestern are two who could threaten Schwab and Logan.
T.J. Williams, the favorite from Iowa, brings a 31-0 record into the weekend along with a No. 1 national ranking. Barring an upset, Williams will likely meet one of four other wrestlers in the title bout: No. 5 Troy Marr of Minnesota, No. 8 Adam Tirapelle of Illinois and No. 15 Corey Grant of Michigan. Grant has been hot of late, defeating three consecutive ranked opponents, including Tirapelle. Also challenging will be Ohio State's 16th-ranked Jeff Bucher.
Three-time All-American Chad Kraft from Minnesota is the favorite at 157 pounds. The senior boasts a 22-1 record and No. 1 ranking. Last season, Kraft placed third at the Big Ten Championships and second at the NCAA Championships at 150 pounds. Kraft's only loss of the 1998-99 season came in a 3-2 decision to Oklahoma State's Jimmy Arias. Either Penn State's third-ranked Pat Musser or Purdue's seventh-ranked Willie Wineberg is likely to challenge Kraft for the conference crown. Eighth-ranked Jamie Heidt could set up an Iowa-Minnesota championship bout as well.
Don Pritzlaff, the top wrestler from Wisconsin, heads into the Big Ten Championships with a No. 3 national ranking. Wrestling at 150 pounds a year ago, he finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships and sixth at the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors as a true freshman. Pritzlaff will be looking over his shoulder for competition from Minnesota's Josh Holiday, the eighth-ranked 165-pounder in the country, and No. 18 Peter Rogers from Ohio State.
Perhaps the strongest and deepest weight class in the Big Ten Championships is 174 pounds. Nine individuals are ranked among the nation's top 20, and five are ranked in the top seven. The race has no clear favorite, but Michigan's Otto Olson may have the strongest resume, with a 27-3 record that includes a 15-0 mark in dual meets and victories over the other four top conference contenders. The foursome of No. 4 Glenn Pritzlaff (Penn State), No. 5 Kole Clauson (Wisconsin), No. 6 Mark Bybee (Northwestern) and No. 7 Gabe McMahan (Iowa) are expected to be challengers for the 174-pound crown.
Minnesota's Brandon Eggum is the favorite as he brings in a 26-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking into the conference meet. The junior won 1998 All-America honors following a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Eggum carries a 74-17 career record. Victor Sveda of Indiana boasts a No. 10 national ranking, with Illinois' Nate Patrick (No. 13) and Michigan's Andy Hrovat (No. 18) all seen as top challengers in the weight class.
If the favorites advance, this could be the best matchup of the 1999 Big Ten Championship as the top two 197-pounders in the nation come from the top two teams in the Big Ten. The 197-pound championship could also be a pivotal match in deciding the Big Ten team championship. No. 1-ranked Tim Hartung of Minnesota (31-0) and No. 2 Lee Fullhart of Iowa (28-3) could square off in a rematch of last year's 190-pound title match, won by Hartung in a 3-1 sudden death overtime. Other contenders include No. 5 Sam Neider of Northwestern and No. 6 Nick Muzashvilli of Michigan State.
If the Big Ten Championship team race is close, the heavyweight match could be another epic battle to remember. Again, the top two wrestlers in the conference come from the top two teams. Minnesota's second-ranked Brock Lesnar has been a force since joining the varsity team in January following a transfer, while Iowa's third-ranked Wes Hand has been equally impressive, sporting a 23-2 record. Another challenger could be fifth-ranked Karl Roesler from Illinois.
Last updated: Thursday, 04-Mar-1999 20:23:14 EST
Athletic Department 1000 South State Street Ann Arbor MI 48109-2201 General Information (734) 647-BLUE (647-2583) Ticket Information (734) 764-0247
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