ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Led by three individual champions, the University of Minnesota claimed the team title at the 85th Big Ten Conference Wrestling Championships, hosted by the University of Michigan Saturday and Sunday (March 6-7) in Crisler Arena. The second-ranked Golden Gophers broke the University of Iowa's 25-year stranglehold on the Big Ten title, becoming the first champion other than Iowa since 1973, when Michigan took the conference crown.

Minnesota wrestled five individuals into championship bouts and crowned three champions en route to 139 points, 18 better than second-place Iowa (121), which boasted four finalists and scored three champions as well. Rounding out the top five were Penn State (109), Illinois (82.5) and the host Wolverines (76.5).

The conference crowned nine new individual champions, with one repeat champion, Iowa's Tim Hartung, who claimed the 197-pound title following two seasons as the 190-pound winner.

At 125 pounds, Penn State's top-seeded Jeremy Hunter defeated Indiana's Pat Cassidy, a No. 6 seed, 3-1. At 133 pounds, Michigan State's Pat McNamara defeated rival Joe Warren of Michigan, 12-10. It was the fourth time in four tries this season McNamara defeated Warren.

Iowa claimed titles at the next three weights, starting with 141 pounds, in which the Hawkeyes' Doug Schwab, the top seeded 141-pounder, stopped No. 2 seed Damion Logan of Michigan in a narrow 6-4 match. At 149 pounds, top-seeded T.J. Williams of Iowa downed second-seeded Troy Marr 8-3 in the title bout. The Hawkeyes also earned a victory at 157 pounds as fourth-seeded Jamie Heidt toppled Penn States Clint Musser, a No. 2 seed, 6-2.

The 165-pound matchup pitted Wisconsin's top-seeded Don Pritzlaff against No. 2 seed Josh Holiday of Minnesota. The match required overtime, but Pritzlaff prevailed 5-1 in the extra session. At 174 pounds, Penn State's Glenn Pritzlaff, cousin of Don Pritzlaff, scored a 6-4 sudden-victory overtime win over Northwestern's Mark Bybee, the No. 4 seed.

Minnesota officially clinched the championship at 184 pounds as top-seeded Brandon Eggum downed Penn State's seventh-seeded Ross Thatcher, 6-3.

Perhaps the marquee matchup of the championship was the 197-pound match between top seed Minnesota's Tim Hartung, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation, and second seed and No. 2-ranked Lee Fullhart of Iowa. Hartung prevailed in a close 2-1 final.

Minnesota's Brock Lesnar, the top-seeded heavyweight, capped the afternoon for the Golden Gophers with a 7-0 victory over Illinois' Karl Roesler.

Seventy-two wrestlers -- the top seven finishers in each weight class plus two wildcard picks -- will represent the Big Ten at the NCAA Division I Championships, hosted by Penn State March 18-20 at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.

Final Team Standings

 1. Minnesota         139
 2. Iowa              121
 3. Penn State        109
 4. Illinois           82.5
 5. Michigan           76.5
 6. Wisconsin          59.5
 7. Northwestern       56.5
 8. Michigan State     53.5
 9. Indiana            48
10. Purdue             31.5
11. Ohio State         30

125 -- #1 Jeremy Hunter (PSU) dec. #6 Pat Cassidy (IN), 3-1
133 -- #1 Pat McNamara (MSU) dec. #3 Joe Warren (MI), 12-10
141 -- #1 Doug Schwab (IA) dec. #2 Damion Logan (MI), 6-4
149 -- #1 T.J. Williams (IA) dec. #2 Troy Marr (MN), 8-3
157 -- #4 Jamie Heidt (IA) dec. #2 Clint Musser (PSU), 6-2
165 -- #1 Don Pritzlaff (WI) dec. #2 Josh Holiday (MN), 5-1; SV 6:15
174 -- #2 Glenn Pritzlaff (PSU) dec. #4 Mark Bybee (NU), 6-4; SV 8:06
184 -- #1 Brandon Eggum (MN) dec. #7 Ross Thatcher (PSU), 6-3
197 -- #1 Tim Hartung (MN) dec. #2 Lee Fullhart (IA), 2-1
285 -- #1 Brock Lesnar (MN) dec. #3 Karl Roesler (IL), 7-0

Individual Awards

Outstanding Wrestler of the Championship: Jamie Heidt, Iowa
Wrestler of the Year: Tim Hartung, Minnesota
Freshman of the Year: Victor Sveda, Indiana
Coach of the Year: J Robinson, Minnesota

NCAA Qualifiers by School

Illinois (9): Steve Doerrer (125), David Stoltz (133), Carl Perry (141), Adam Tirapelle (149), Griff Powell (157), Bill Zeman (165), Nate Patrick* (184), Pat Quirk (197), Karl Roesler (285)

Indiana (4): Pat Cassidy (125), James Torres (141), Kevin Stanley (165), Victor Sveda (184)

Iowa (9): Eric Juergens (133), Doug Schwab (141), T.J. Williams (149), Jamie Heidt (157), Ben Uker (165), Paul Jenn (184), Gabe McMahan (174), Lee Fullhart (197), Wes Hand* (285)

Michigan (7): Joe Warren (133), Damion Logan (141), Corey Grant (149), Otto Olson (174), Andy Hrovat (184), Frank Lodeserto (197), Matt Brink (285)

Michigan State (5): Pat McNamara (133), Issac Miller (141), Will Hill (174), Nick Muzashvili (197), Matt Lamb (285)

Minnesota (9): Leroy Vega (125), Bart Golyer (133), Troy Marr (149), Chad Kraft (157), Josh Holiday (165), Delaney Berger (174), Brandon Eggum (184), Tim Hartung (197), Brock Lesnar (285)

Northwestern (5): Dominic Caruso (125), Scott Schatzman (141), Drew Pariano (165), Mark Bybee (174), Sam Neider (197)

Ohio State (4): Robert Sessley (133), Jeff Bucher (149), Peter Rogers (165), Nick Preston (184)

Penn State (9): Jeremy Hunter (125), Nate Parker (133), Biff Walizer (149), Clint Musser (157), Alex Leykikh (165), Glenn Pritzlaff (174), Ross Thatcher (184), Brett Calabretta (197), Mark Janus (285)

Purdue (3): Jason Silverstein (125), Willie Wineberg (157), David Pierce (285)

Wisconsin (8): Kevin Black (125), Matt Goldstein (141), Dusty Coufal (149), Cory Wallman (157), Don Pritzlaff (165), Kole Clauson (174), Steve Alf (184), Jason Pernat (285)

* indicates wildcard selection