InterMat Staff

All-American heavyweight Cole Konrad was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week after being named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the National Duals. Konrad pinned top-ranked and two-time NCAA Champion Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State to clinch Minnesota's 21 -14 upset of the top-ranked Cowboys. This is the third time Konrad has been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week this season. Minnesota ended OSU's consecutive winning streak at 30, while Konrad snapped Mocco's 85-match winning streak. Mocco defeated Konrad three times last year, including an overtime decision in the finals at the NCAA Championship. In the Golden Gophers' first round matchup against Hofstra, Konrad pinned Jon Andriac in 1:44 to become the 26th wrestler in school history to reach 100 career wins. In the semifinals, Konrad clinched Minnesota's 20-15 win over Central Michigan with a 9-1 major decision against 18th-ranked Bubba Gritter. Konrad is now 24-0 on the year and has won 53 of his last 54 matches. Top-ranked Minnesota opens the Big Ten season on Friday night at the Sports Pavilion vs. Northwestern. On Sunday, the Golden Gophers host No. 7 Iowa at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The match time has been set for the Oklahoma - Hofstra wrestling dual scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m. ESPNU will be airing the event as part of its Double Sport Wrestling Invitational. The dual will be held in Oklahoma City at the Ford Center. In the other half of the Invitational, Oklahoma State and Minnesota battle each other. The Sooners return to the mat this weekend when they host Fresno State and Cal Poly in a double dual on Saturday, Jan. 21, beginning at 12 p.m. For more information on OU wrestling, visit www.SoonerSports.com.

Cedar Falls, Iowa -- The ninth-ranked Iowa State wrestlers (8-4, 0-0) will head to Cedar Falls on Sunday to take on in-state rival Northern Iowa (2-6-1) at 2 p.m. in West Gym. The Cyclones are coming off a performance at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals last weekend. That effort included a win against Northwestern and losses to eventual champion Minnesota and Missouri. Sunday's dual will be aired live on Iowa Public Television. "This will be a big for match for us as a team," head coach Bobby Douglas said. "They have a good team and we match up really well. It will be a very close meet." ISU's two-time All-American Nate Gallick (141) paces the team with 22 wins and is only four victories away from reaching the career century mark after going 3-0 at National Duals. Gallick defeated Panther NCAA qualifier C.J. Ettelson last year by way of a 13-2 major decision. The Panthers, who arguably have the toughest schedule in the nation facing the likes of Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Central Michigan, Wisconsin and Cornell, are led by seventh-ranked two-time NCAA qualifier Nick Baima (165) who paces the team in wins with 22. Baima was named the Midlands Championships' Outstanding Wrestler after capturing a title in double overtime against Illinois' Mike Poeta. The nationally ranked sophomore Ettelson (141) has posted a 20-6 record this season including falls over Illinois' All-American Cassio Pero and Central Michigan's 12th -ranked freshman Brandon Carter. The Cyclones lead the school series, 45-17, with the last meeting a 25-16 ISU triumph at Hilton Coliseum in 2005. ISU stays on the road to face No. 8 Oklahoma (5-3) and No. 2 Oklahoma State (9-1) Jan. 28-29.

This past weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. Winning the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals team championships was a feeling unparallel to any I have had before. Going into the weekend, we were the third seed in the NAIA bracket and drew Montana-State Northern first round. Although we beaten them earlier this season in a dual at Las Vegas, we knew they would be ready to wrestle. Any team that is rooted with such tradition as they are will always be ready to go, and you have to be prepared. It was a closer dual than last time, but we prevailed, moving on to face Southern Oregon in the quarterfinals. Dana College celebrates after winning the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals title over the University of the Cumberlands, 22-13.This was one of the most unbelievable duals I have ever seen us wrestle. It just seemed like everything was going our way and we were unstoppable. We started off hot at the lower weights and it carried all the way through the upper weights, dropping only the last match of the dual. It was amazing how everyone was feeding off each other, but we had to get ready to face one of our biggest rivals in Missouri Valley College the next morning at 11 am. In the last five years I have been at Dana College, we have only beaten Missouri Valley College one time in a dual, which was last year. You can always count on a very interesting and intense dual when we get together. Whatever it says on paper you might as well throw in the trash because it never even comes close to the actual results. This was another one of those duals. We started off a little slow but picked up victories at 125 and 141 pounds. We were down 12-6 in the team score heading into my match. We knew we had to get it going in the last four matches if we were going to make it to the finals to face the winner of Lindenwood and the University of the Cumberlands, and that is exactly what we did. I held on to win 6-4 after a slight setback in the second period where I was choked out, but seniors Willie Parks and Blair Alderman were the real men of the meet, picking up bonus points to set us seven points ahead. Parks looked like a man on a mission, pinning his opponent in the second period, and Alderman was not going to be stopped, as he used an arsenal of takedowns to score a major decision and put the dual out of reach for Missouri Valley. We watched in awe as the University of the Cumberlands upset the previous seemingly untouchable Lindenwood University, and the finals were set. We were to dual the University of the Cumberlands for the National Dual Team Championship. We were hyped, as we were attempting to do something no other sport has ever achieved at our school, winning a national team title. The dual started off with a bang as unranked junior Craig Trampe (125) downed the top-ranked wrestler, 3-2. It looked as if the University of the Cumberlands was going to pull away, winning the next three matches and going up 10-3, but senior Ben Henderson (157) started a rally with a huge overtime victory. After a victory from senior Trent Leichleiter at 165 pounds, I knew I had to win to keep us in the dual meet and our championship hopes alive. I was ecstatic after picking up a fall in the first period against one of their former All-Americans, and it only contributed to the momentum of our team. We picked up wins at 184 and heavyweight to seal the deal. Steve Costanzo and the Dana College coaching staff rejoice.After winning, I was in awe. I really couldn't believe that we had won the title. It is amazing to think that seven years ago when head coach Steve Costanzo came to the program, there were only eight wrestlers and on the brink of extermination as a program. It was an awesome feeling to see the look in our coaches eyes as we won. It was an overwhelming look of happiness. I think I gave and received more high-fives and hugs than ever before and each one of them meant something. A dual team championship is a great thing, but now we look to the future, to March. I think the best thing that came out of this weekend besides bring the National Title to Blair, was that we now know that we can compete with the best of the best, as we have been telling ourselves all year. However, if we settle now, you will not see us at the top in March, but we don't plan on settling, and I am sure that none of the other teams do either. I am looking forward to a great national tournament, but we still have a few obstacles in our way over the next month and a half, and that is what we are focused on for the time being. Until next time, keep getting better. Marshall Marquardt Past Entries: Entry 8 (1/5/06) Entry 7 (12/28/05) Entry 6 (12/7/05) Entry 5 (11/23/05) Entry 4 (11/9/05) Entry 3 (10/26/05) Entry 2 (10/13/05) Entry 1 (10/1/05)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestler Matt Keller won his fourth Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week Award of the 2005-06 season, the SoCon office announced Wednesday. Matt KellerKeller went undefeated in five matches this past weekend at the Virginia Duals. Wrestling at 133 pounds, he registered a pin and two major decisions while scoring victories over wrestlers from Columbia, Drexel, Indiana and North Carolina. The junior from McDonald, Tenn., led UTC to a third-place finish and a 4-1 record in Hampton, Va. The Mocs defeated Columbia, Drexel and North Carolina twice while falling to eventual champion Indiana in the semifinals. Keller, currently ranked as high as No. 7 nationally by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and IntermatWrestle, is the team leader with a 27-7 overall record. He also owns a 10-match winning streak. The 25th-ranked Mocs return to action Jan. 24, opening Southern Conference competition at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Beginning with the Jan. 20 match against Purdue, the University of Illinois wrestling team will have four Big Ten dual meets aired on WDWS-AM 1400 radio locally and on www.fightingillini.com . The broadcast will feature play-by-play by Brian Moline and former Illini standouts as expert analysts. Joining Moline for the match vs. the Boilermakers will be two-time All-American Brian Glynn. The Illini wresting radio schedule will include two home matches — Jan. 20 vs. Purdue and Feb. 3 vs. Michigan — as well as two road duals. Fans in Champaign will be able to hear Illinois' away match at Indiana on Jan. 27 and at Iowa on Feb. 10. ILLINOIS WRESTLING RADIO SCHEDULE Fri., Jan. 20 vs. Purdue 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 27 at Indiana 6 p.m. Fri., Feb. 3 vs. Michigan 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 10 at Iowa 7 p.m. * all times Central

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio wrestling program is hoping for a large home crowd Friday night, Jan. 20, when it faces No. 23 Northern Illinois in a crucial Mid-American Conference dual meet in the Convocation Center. The Huskies (4-4) feature five wrestlers who are nationally ranked in their respective weight classes, including No. 10 Pat Castillo at 125 pounds. Also ranked are 141-pounder Josh Wooten (11th), 149-pounder Mike Grimes (13th), 174-pounder Danny Burk (20th) and heavyweight Joe Sapp (19th). "They are pretty darn tough," said Bobcat head coach Joel Greenlee about his squad's upcoming opponent. "They're a good team but I think we can wrestle with them. I think they're better in the lower weights but that we're better in the upper weights." With the possible return of two starters, Ohio may field its healthiest lineup so far this season. Junior 197-pounder Nick Terbay (Dayton, Ohio) and redshirt freshman Jake Frerichs (Uniontown, Ohio) at 157 both have recovered enough from knee injuries to consider reclaiming their starting spots. In order to boost attendance at home meets this season, the Bobcats have tried several approaches, including hosting youth clinics, high school meets and alumni nights. According to Greenlee, the efforts have been effective. "We had a great crowd last Friday and I think it made a big difference in the meet," Greenlee said about the 25-13 victory over North Carolina State. "All of our guys were really fired up to go out and wrestle hard." Prior to this Friday's 7 p.m. main event, two area high school wrestling programs with Ohio University graduates as head coaches - Athens and Sheridan - will battle on The Convo floor. The dual meet between the Bulldogs and Generals will begin at 5 p.m. and admission is free to both events. "A lot of people have never been to a college wrestling meet but once they go, they're hooked," said Greenlee. "It's fast-paced action that's exciting. And with us going against Northern Illinois, I know it's two teams that are going to wrestle hard." Live results for Friday night's dual between Ohio and Northern Illinois will be posted on ohiobobcats.com after the conclusion of each match. Tentative lineup for Friday's dual meet: 125 - Ohio's Caleb Metcalf (11-10) vs. #10 Pat Castillo (18-5) 133 - Ohio's Terry Jackson (6-4) vs. Andy Hiatt (14-11) 141 - Ohio's Albert Madsen (6-6) vs. #11 Josh Wooton (17-6) 149 - Ohio's Aaron Gomoll (9-10) vs. #13 Mike Grimes (15-6) 157 - Ohio's Jake Frerichs (7-3) or Mike Grandominico (1-7) vs. Kalen Knull (2-6) 165 - Ohio's Kent Smith (4-9) vs. Alex Nelson (13-5) or Johnny Galloway (11-7) 174 - Ohio's Ryan Knapp (13-11) vs. #20 Danny Burk (13-7) 184 - Ohio's Brian Cesear (14-8) vs. Nick McClone (8-12) 197 - Ohio's Nick Terbay (11-7) or Larry Reichard (7-6) vs. Derick Hunsinger (8-12) HWT - Ohio's Marcus Adelman (6-4) vs. #19 Joe Sapp (14-9)

Kings Point, NY -- The USMMA Athletics Department will be hosting the twelfth annual All-Academy Wrestling Championships on Feb. 4. Witness all five federal service academies plus The Citadel, Norwich University and Virginia Military Institute compete in the biggest wrestling event of the season. With an attendance of 1,000 screaming fans, the All- Academy Wrestling Championships is the place to witness students crossing divisional lines to compete for the championship trophy. WHO: U.S. Air Force Academy U.S. Coast Guard Academy U.S. Merchant Marine Academy U.S. Military Academy U.S. Naval Academy The Citadel Norwich University Virginia Military Institute INFO: Defending Champion Navy has won the team championship five of the eleven times, with Air Force following close behind with four team wins. WHERE: Liebertz Gym, O'Hara Hall 300 Steamboat Road Kings Point, NY 11024 Parking available on campus (across from O'Hara Hall) and on Steamboat Road. Please obtain a visitors permit when you enter from Steamboat Road. WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006 at 10 a.m. Photo opportunities available during and after event For more information please contact Sports Information Assistant Kristin Duffy at duffyk@usmma.edu or Sports Information Director Tyrone Broxton at broxtont@usmma.edu or (516)773-5455. Visit our Web site at www.KPMariners.com.

Joining Steve Foster and I this week will be 2 X NCAA qualifier Jeff Harrison of TheWrestlingRecap.com as we come to you LIVE from Kreiger's Sports Bar and Grill in West Des Moines, Iowa. Jeff's new site is a MUST see to appreciate! Check it out soon. I asked Jeff and Steve who they would like on the show and they told me so here goes. TDR this week as requested by our own Steve Foster and Jeff Harrison: Mike Duroe -- Head Coach of Cornel College in Mt. Vernon Iowa. Huge story with this reemerging program. Mychal Grenawalt of Matside Michigan. This is Michigan's new full color news source for youth, High School and collegiate wrestling. Sean Stender -- 3 x All American, Recent graduate of and now assist. coach at University of Northern Iowa under Head Coach Brad Penrith. Sean has one great teacher! Cole Konrad -- Minnesota's Mat Monster speaks out on his run for the NCAA title. Cole will answer the Question How heavy is Steve Mocco? Nick Simmons of Michigan State some call him the choker, Harrison says "just bony arms". I call him one fine wrestler. James Oliva -- Director of the award winning wrestling film "Seven Minutes". Available this spring. This will be a terrific show and all of us invite you to tune in LIVE or archived. Don't make us send the Choker after you! Tune in this Saturday to Takedownradio.com 10 AM to 12:15 PM.

Oshkosh, Wis. -- Wrestling unattached at the Dan Gable Open Jan. 13 at the Kolf Sports Center in Oshkosh, Wis., three Missouri freshmen advanced unscathed through their brackets to the top of the podium. John Olanowski, Dirk Hurrin and Max Askren took home titles at 125 pounds, 174 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively. Askren, a native of Hartland, Wis., earned his third title in an open tournament this season. Entering the bracket as the No. 1 seed at 197 pounds, Askren pinned his first two opponents in 2:53 and 5:33, the 11th and 12th falls of his redshirt season. Facing off against Patrick Bond of Illinois, Askren came away with a 7-2 win to claim the title. Askren has placed in the top four in each of the seven tournaments he's entered. Continuing the success of his first year as well, Olanowski picked up his second tournament, having claimed the 125-pound title in the freshman/sophomore division of the Missouri Open Dec. 20. A native of Virginia Beach, Va., Olanowski dispatched of his first two opponents by fall, then decisioned Aric Tarr of the University of Mary, 8-2. Competing in the first action of his collegiate career, Hurrin opened the tournament by winning a close decision over Jon Erickson of UW-Eau Claire, 4-2, then winning his next two bouts by a combined score of 25-8. Facing a talented opponent in Ryan Luna of Lindenwood in the championship match, the native of Alexandria, Va., shut out his foe to claim the top spot on the podium, 5-0.

HUSKIES BATTLE DRAGONS: The St. Cloud State wrestling team (0-2, 0-1 NCC) will travel to #11 Minnesota State Moorhead in Moorhead, Minn. (4-3) for a 7 p.m. dual meet on Friday, Jan. 20. 2005-06 RESULTS: SCSU is 0-2 in dual meet competition this season. Last year, SCSU was 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the North Central Conference dual meet season. The Huskies placed sixth at the 2005 NCAA Division II North Regional, and also placed 30th at the 2005 NCAA Division II championships. SCSU COACH STEVE GRIMIT: HUSKIES FALL AT NSU: The St. Cloud State University wrestling team (0-2 overall, 0-1 NCC) was defeated at Northern State by a 25-12 score on Jan. 12. At 141, Tom Messerli posted a big 3-2 win over Mark Burkart to start the match. At 165, Nate Schut gained a 3-1 win over NSU's Matt Englund, and then SCSU's Jason Moore posted a 6-4 win over NSU's Jason Hill at 174. To complete the SCSU win list, Nick Wasche rolled to a 10-6 decision win over Austin Johnsrud of NSU at 125. PROBABLE LINE-UP FOR SCSU (0-2) vs. #11 Minnesota State Moorhead (4-3) MATCH: 125 - Nick Wasche (5-11) 133 - Brent Johnson (2-10) or Matt Jackson (2-8) 141 - Tom Messerli (2-8) 149 - Shad Tappe (0-0) or Matt Jackson (2-8) 157 - Shane Tappe (6-6) 165 - Nate Schut (5-7) 174 - Jason Moore (2-0) 184 - Jario Sandoval (5-11) 197 - Cody Byrns (1-6) HWT - Brad Nowak (0-2) HUSKY BITES: SCSU senior Nate Schut placed fourth at the SCSU Invitational with a 2-1 record. He had to default in the match for third place at 165-pounds. Jairo Sandoval placed fifth at 174, as he tallied a default win over Cody Pahan of Ridgewater in the fifth place match...Tom Messerli was fifth at 133-pounds thanks to a solid 5-0 win over Northern State's Mark Burkhart in the fifth place match...Jason Moore has joined the squad for the second half of the season after transfering from St. Olaf. He has made a quick impact on the squad with a perfect 2-0 record that includes wins against Northern State and Augustana at 174-pounds...Shad Tappe and Shane Tappe are brothers from Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Every wrestling season, it happens without fail: Fans and the wrestling media seem to focus all their attention on one or two college freshmen. Every match, every move of these superstars-in-the-making is the subject of intense discussion and dissection in articles, online wrestling forums and arenas across the country. Mike Poeta (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Then there are the freshmen who quietly go about their business on the mat and in the classroom, accomplishing great things in their first year of official college competition … without attracting as much attention. Mike Poeta of the University of Illinois is a prime example. It's not as if Mike is toiling away in total obscurity. But it seems only recently that the Illini 165-pounder has popped up on the radar screens of the wrestling world beyond the Land of Lincoln. So far, much of the buzz has centered on Mike moving up from 157 … and his gutsy performance in the finals at the 2005 Midlands. Lows and Highs in Highland Park Mike was introduced to wrestling at age five, participating in the Highland Park Little Giants program in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Both his dad and older brother had been involved in the sport. Mike was a natural athlete at an early age. "I did it all -- baseball, football, wrestling," says Mike. "By age ten, I decided to focus only on wrestling. I really enjoyed it. I did well in the little kids' tournaments, and got a lot of attention back then." The first two years of wrestling at Highland Park High presented its own set of challenges. "In my freshman and sophomore years, the high school program was struggling," according to Mike. "My dad helped me to find workout partners beyond Highland Park. After my regular practice at school, he'd drive me up to 45 minutes to work out with someone in another part of the city." To say that Mike and his parents weren't satisfied with the situation would be an understatement. "We even considered moving." Despite these challenges, Mike placed third his freshman and sophomore years at the Illinois high school state tournament held at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois, earning all-state honors. He also was a two-time cadet freestyle national champion. Mike Poeta won two Illinois state titles (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Mike's situation improved markedly his junior year. That's when Highland Park welcomed Griff Powell and Tony Siebert -- two veterans of the University of Illinois wrestling program -- as coaches. As Mike puts it, "All the sudden I had two quality college wrestlers to go up against every day. They kicked my butt daily, which made me a better wrestler." Mike adds, "They made wrestling fun for me. It was a much better experience all around." The change helped Mike step up his performance. His last two years of high school, Mike won two Illinois state titles -- the first at 140 pounds, the second at 152 -- becoming a four-time all-state honoree. He finished his high school career with an impressive 175-5 record. Staying in State "Even as a kid, I wanted to wrestle in the state of Illinois," says Mike. "I considered Northwestern, but decided that, for me, the University of Illinois was the place to be, athletically and academically." "We were thrilled to get Mike," says Illini head coach Mark Johnson. "Griff Powell was instrumental in making that happen." "Mike is as an athletic guy as we have in this program," adds Coach Johnson. Mike redshirted his first year at Champaign/Urbana. He competed in some open tournaments, racking up a 9-1 record. Among Mike's accomplishments: placing second at the UNI Open, and winning the Missouri Open at 157. "I had been told 'don't waste your redshirt year' says Mike. "I used my redshirt year to full advantage. I gained great experience and built confidence competing in the (Illini wrestling) room, then worked out a lot this summer. I wanted to compete with the best guys right away this year." All that preparation seems to be working. As of mid-January, Mike has tallied a 16-3 record. This record is even more impressive, considering that Mike is a natural 157-pounder who has moved up to compete at 165 for the 2005-2006 season. Stepping Up a Weight Class The University of Illinois is blessed with two very talented natural 157 lb wrestlers among its starters. In addition to Mike Poeta, there's the veteran Alex Tirapelle, a senior originally from California who is a two-time Big Ten champ, and twice NCAA All-American. Alex is currently ranked first at 157 by RevWrestling and other major wrestling media organizations. The decision was made to keep Alex at 157, and move Mike up to 165. "It was the right decision for the team," says Mike. "I respect the coach's decision." As Coach Johnson puts it, "Mike handled the 165 move up very well. He's handled it with class." "Alex and I are great friends," says Mike. "We're in a great situation. Both of us get to wrestle." Mike seems to have stepped into the role with class -- and a quiet confidence. "I'm still not a 165 yet. Come March, I will be a true 165." Stepping Into the Spotlight at 2005 Midlands At the 2005 Midlands tournament held between Christmas and New Year's Eve at Northwestern University, it was Mike Poeta's first appearance on the mats … but definitely not his first time at the event. "I've gone to the Midlands all my life as a spectator, having grown up not far from Evanston," says Mike. "I've anticipated being in it since high school." Mike made a believer out of a number of fans… and other wrestlers. The Illini 165-pounder -- ranked ninth in his weight class by RevWrestling.com and other wrestling media -- edged Iowa State All-American Travis Paulson, 5-4 … then earned a 4-2 decision over Northwestern's Will Durkee. "I felt like I had a home mat advantage," according to Mike. "Lots of family and friends were in the stands." Mike Poeta was runner-up at the Midlands Championships to fellow Illinois native Nick Baima of Northern Iowa (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com)In the 165 finals, Mike went up against another Chicagoland wrestler, Nick Baima of Northern Iowa, who competed for Glenbard West High in the western suburbs. Despite both being from the same metropolitan area, the two had never wrestled each other … until the 2005 Midlands. Mike took control of the match early on, scoring two takedowns in the first two periods, but Baima scored escape points which brought the score within one point. In the third period, the sixth-ranked UNI junior scored a takedown to force the match into overtime. There was no scoring in the sudden victory period, forcing a second overtime. Baima rode Mike for the first 30-second period; in his period, Mike gave Baima the escape to go for a takedown … and came tantalizingly close with a shot with ten seconds left, but came up short, losing 6-5. It was one of the most talked-about bouts of the two-day tournament, enhancing Mike's visibility -- and reputation -- in the rest of the wrestling world. What's more, Mike's performance helped the Illini capture their third straight Midlands team title. The Next Steps… Right now, Mike is focused on the rest of the season, anticipating matches with Illinois' Big Ten rivals. When asked if he is concentrating on any specific match-ups, Mike answered, "I really don't care who I'm wrestling. I just go out with the idea of getting the win." Mike is also working hard to achieve success in the classroom. Although he has yet to declare a major, Mike is leaning towards kinesiology. He talked about the challenges of keeping up with his coursework and the demands of being a starting wrestler for a top-ranked program, then said, "I've been given an incredible opportunity. Illinois provides great resources for student-athletes." Coach Mark Johnson says, "Mike is a good student who puts a lot of effort into whatever he does, athletically and academically." "I look forward to coaching him throughout his career here at Illinois." As for the future beyond the Champaign/Urbana campus, Mike says, "I can't see my life beyond wrestling. I am definitely considering a career in coaching." Right now, that future is far away. In the meantime, wrestling fans can expect to see Mike Poeta continue to step up his performance after stepping up to the challenge of being the Illini's man at 165 pounds.

Durham, N.C. -- The Duke wrestling team dropped their fifth straight match, falling to N.C. State, 26-7, on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 0-5 (0-1 ACC) on the season while the Wolfpack improve to 7-3 (1-1 ACC). Duke freshman Michael Degli Obizzi opened the dual meet in impressive fashion, claiming a major decision victory over N.C. State's Garrett Cummings, 13-5, at 133 pounds. The Blue Devils took a 4-0 lead in the meet with Degli Obizzi's victory. N.C. State, however, won the next six weight classes to take a commanding 20-4 lead. Jalil Dozier defeated junior Philip Wightman, 7-4, at 141 pounds, Joe Caramanica scored a major decision victory over junior Daniel Shvartsman at 149 pounds and Bryant Reams defeated freshman Addison Nuding, 3-1, at 157 pounds. Obie Simpson scored a 2-1 decision over redshirt freshman Aaron Glover at 165 pounds, Rick Brownlee defeated senior Levi Craig, 5-2, at 174 pounds and Jeremy Colbert scored a major decision victory over redshirt freshman Dan Tulley at 184 pounds. Sophomore Konrad Dudziak claimed the only other Duke victory of the night, defeating N.C. State's Mark Jahad, 9-5, at 197 pounds. N.C. State's Jainor Palma defeated freshman Wade Van Sickle, 5-2, in the heavyweight division and Jeremy Hartrum finished the meet with a 5-0 win over sophomore Kellan McKeon at 125 pounds. The Wolfpack, who had lost three of their last four contests entering Tuesday's match, snapped a two-meet losing streak with their win over the Blue Devils. The Duke wrestling team will return to action at UNC Greensboro on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. N.C. State 26, Duke 7 133: Michael Degli Obizzi (Duke) major decision Garrett Cummings (N.C. State), 13-5 (4-0) 141: Jalil Dozier (N.C. State) def. Philip Wightman (Duke), 7-4 (4-3) 149: Joe Caramanica (N.C. State) major decision Daniel Shvartsman (Duke), 12-2 (4-7) 157: Bryant Reams (N.C. State) def. Addison Nuding (Duke), 3-1 (4-10) 165: Obie Simpson (N.C. State) def. Aaron Glover (Duke), 2-1 (4-13) 174: Rick Brownlee (N.C. State) def. Levi Craig (Duke), 5-2 (4-16) 184: Jeremy Colbert (N.C. State) major decision Dan Tulley (Duke), 12-4 (4-20) 197: Konrad Dudziak (Duke) def. Mark Jahad (N.C. State), 9-5 (7-20) HWT: Jainor Palma (N.C. State) def. Wade Van Sickle (Duke), 5-2 (7-23) 125: Jeremy Hartrum (N.C. State) def. Kellan McKeon (Duke), 5-0 (7-26)

Gettysburg, Pa. -- Andrew Goldstein (Easton, PA/Easton) won a pair of matches to lead Gettysburg in a 44-6 loss to #16 York and a 45-9 loss to King's in non-conference wrestling action on Tuesday. Goldstein, wrestling at 149, pinned Ryan Trees of King's in 2:13 and defeated York's Matt McManmon, 12-8. Goldstein ranks second on the Bullets with five falls this season. Caleb Seufert (Gaithersburg, MD/Northwest) went 1-1 on the day. His victory came against Bobby Dilliard of King's in a well fought match, 12-5. Mike Pattanite (Tabernacle, NJ/Holy Cross) also finished the meet with a 1-1 record. He lost a close 3-1 decision to Jim Bishop of King's, but rebounded to defeat Sean Griffin of York, 7-4. Gettysburg returns to action at Johns Hopkins with Muhlenberg and Ursinus on Saturday. These Centennial Conference matches begin at 10 a.m. Results: Gettysburg vs. King's 125 - Jeff Mazurek (K) wins by forfeit 133 - Dave Morgan (K) pinned Richard Masella (G), 1:47 141 - Ryan Richard (K) wins by forfeit 149 - Andrew Goldstein (G) pinned Ryan Trees (K), 2:13 157 - Caleb Seufert (G) dec. Bobby Dilliard (K), 12-5 165 - Drew Dehaut (K) pinned Josh Kaplan (G), :50 174 - Zach Dietrick (K) wins by forfeit 184 - Zach Wilkinson (K) wins by forfeit 197 - Jason Reilly (K) pinned Jeff Morgan (G), 1:55 285 - Jim Bishop (K) dec. Mike Pattanite, 3-1 Gettysburg vs. York 125 - Gary Heckler (Y) wins by forfeit 133 - Kyle Flickinger (Y) pinned Richard Masella (G), 1:52 141 - Mike Weber (Y) wins by forfeit 149 - Andrew Goldstein (G) dec. Matt McManmon (Y), 12-8 157 - Brain Alwine (Y) med. forf. Caleb Seufert (G), 1:35 165 - Jerry Bowne (Y) maj. dec. Josh Kaplan (G), 9-1 174 - Steve Johnston (Y) wins by forfeit 184 - Duane Bastress (Y) wins by forfeit 197 - Drew Baldauf (Y) maj. dec. Jeff Morgan (G), 17-3 285 - Mike Pattanite (G) dec. Sean Griffin (Y), 7-4

Augustana's Ryan King has been named the NCC Co-Wrestler of the Week for his performance at last week's NWCA/Cliff Keen Division II National Duals, the league office announced. Ryan KingKing shares the award with Les Sigman of Nebraska-Omaha. King, a senior from LeRoy, Minn., went 5-0 last week as he helped the Vikings to a fifth-place finish with a 4-1 record. King, ranked No. 6 at 149 pounds, beat two opponents ranked above him and three 2005 NCAA Division II national qualifiers. He opened the duals with a 10-5 win over No. 3 R.J. Paterniti of Gannon. He then downed Shane Unger of Nebraska-Omaha by a score of 7-1. Next, he knocked off fourth-ranked Antonio Guerra of Findlay 5-3. He capped off the duals by pinning Nebraska-Kearney's Brandon Brill in 2:40 and posting a 13-5 major decision over Jay Mattco of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. King is a two-time All-American who finished fourth at the national championships in 2005.

Team: 1. Arizona St. 2. Cal Poly 3. UC Davis 4. Oregon St. 5. Boise St. 6. Oregon 7. Cal State Bakersfield 8. Cal State Fullerton 9. Stanford 10. Portland St. Individual: 125 Pounds 1. Jeremy Mendoza (Arizona St.) 2. Chad Mendes (Cal Poly) 3. Tanner Gardner (Stanford) 4. Eric Stevenson (Oregon St.) 5. Marcos Orozco (UC Davis) 6. Cory Fish (Boise State) 133 Pounds 1. Scott Jorgensen (Boise St.) 2. Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly) 3. Justin Pearch (Oregon) 4. Omar Gaitan (UC Davis) 5. TJ Dillashaw (Cal State Fullerton) 6. Tommy Vargas (Cal State Bakersfield) 141 Pounds 1. Derek Moore (UC Davis) 2. Kyle Larson (Oregon St.) 3. Steve Esparza (Cal Poly) 4. Skyler Woods (Oregon) 5. Tommy Owen (Boise St.) 6. Matt Schumm (Cal State Bakersfield) 149 Pounds 1. Pat Payne (Arizona St.) 2. Anthony Baza(Cal State Bakersfield) 3. Jeff Owens (Cal Poly) 4. Tyler Sherfey (Boise St.) 5. Josh Zupancic (Stanford ) 6. Morgan Atkinson (Cal State Fullerton) 157 Pounds 1. Brian Stith (Arizona St.) 2. Scott Loescher (Stanford) 3. Tony Hook (Oregon St.) 4. Ben Cherrington (Boise State) 5. Shawn Reilly (Cal State Fullerton) 6. Ryan Williams (Cal Poly) 165 Pounds 1. Joey Bracamonte (Oregon) 2. Pat Pitsch (Arizona St.) 3. Frank Richmond (UC Davis) 4. Brian Busby (Cal State Bakersfield) 5. Ray Blake (Stanford) 6. Risto Marttinen (Cal State Fullerton) 174 Pounds 1. Jeremy Larson (Oregon St.) 2. Ken Cook (UC Davis) 3. Christian Arellano (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Ian Murphy/Ryan Budd (Cal State Fullerton) 5. Nick Hernandez (Cal Poly) 6. Chet McBee (Oregon) 184 Pounds 1. Shane Webster (Oregon) 2. CB Dollaway (Arizona State) 3. Ryan Halsey (Cal Poly) 4. Tyler Bernacchi (UC Davis) 5. Jesse Taylor (Cal State Fullerton) 6. KC Walsh (Boise St.) 197 Pounds 1. Ryan Bader (Arizona St.) 2. Casey Phelps (Boise St.) 3. Matt Monteiro (Cal Poly) 4. Dan Pitsch (Oregon St.) 5. Elliot Kelly (UC Davis) 6. Chris Chambers (Cal State Fullerton) Heavyweight 1. Cain Velasquez (Arizona St.) 2. Ty Watterson (Oregon St.) 3. Eric Parker (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Andy Patrick (Boise St.) 5. Arturo Basulto (Cal Poly) 6. Chris Dearmon (Oregon)

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Maryland's Alex Krom was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week after going 2-0 on the week and leading the Terrapins to their first ACC win of the season, a 28-6 victory over NC State. Krom joins fellow freshman Hudson Taylor as Terps to be recognized by the conference this year. Krom began the week by recording an 8-2 decision over Navy's Spencer Manley at 141 pounds. He was one of only three Terrapins to notch a win against the 21st-ranked Midshipmen. The Easton, Pa., native then scored his third technical fall of the season with a 15-0 win over Jalil Dozier of NC State. The freshman's victory helped Maryland to its first conference win since 2002 and gave head coach Pat Santoro his first win in the ACC. Krom is now 15-8 on the season.

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Drexel University swept the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling awards, as Ryan Hluschak was named the CAA Wrestler of the Week, and Steve Mytych was named the CAA Rookie of the Week, for all competition January 10-16. Hluschak, a sophomore from Slatington, PA (Northern Lehigh), was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2006 Virginia Duals, winning all five of his bouts to complete a perfect 6-0 week. He led Drexel to a fifth place finish at the 16-team VA Duals. Hluschak, the third ranked 157 in the CAA, began the week with a CAA victory against Rider. At the VA Duals he won a pair of major decisions and a fall. Mytych, a freshman from Northampton, PA (Northampton), was 4-2 last week with a CAA victory against Rider. At the VA Duals Mytych, who is currently ranked 19th in the nation at 125 pounds, defeated previously ranked Anthony Burke of Virginia and is now 17-6 overall, including a perfect 5-0 in CAA duals.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Freshman 149-pounder Clint Shirk (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) was named LHU Bookstore Athlete of the Week for the week ending Jan. 15, the sports information office announced today (Jan. 18). This is the first award for Shirk and the second for the Lock Haven University wrestling squad this season. Shirk, who hadn't competed for the Bald Eagles since Nov. 19, showed little rust in his 10-2 drubbing of No. 10 Penn State University's Jason Lapham. Lapham got things started with a first minute takedown, but Shirk eventually escaped and took down the Nittany Lion. Shirk then rattled off seven more points before Lapham knew what happened, getting Shirk his team-leading sixth major decision. He improves to 5-3 on the season. Shirk and the rest of the Bald Eagles are back in action Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Ashland Duals, hosted by Ashland University. The LHU Bookstore sponsors the Athlete of the Week to better promote Lock Haven student-athletes. The LHU Bookstore is available for all academic texts, athletic apparel and more. The LHU Bookstore is located in the Parson's Union Building on the campus of Lock Haven University.

The finals of this weekend's Five Counties Wrestling Tournament were filled with unexpected results. The "Beast of the West," held at Fountain Valley High School, featured a number of the top seeds, nay -- a number of the top-ranked wrestlers in California -- losing in the finals. Of the 14 weight classes, only six No. 1 seeds were crowned champions. In the marquee bout of the evening, Northview's No. 2-seeded Caleb Flores came out on top against Fremont's No. 1 Filip Novachkov in dramatic fashion. Down 4-3, Flores seemed to get a match-deciding break when Novachkov was called for locking hands with 50 seconds left in the third period. The penalty point tied the bout, 4-4, and if Flores could escape, he'd emerge the winner. But instead, Novachkov rode him out and forced an overtime. After neither could manage a takedown in the first sudden victory, the choice went to Flores. He could either pick top or bottom for the final OT. And despite Novachkov's success in riding him in the third, Flores chose down and escaped in the final seconds to win 5-4. About the decision to pick bottom, Flores said "It was tough, but I trusted my coaches. My coaches said I should go down, I listened to them and it worked out for me." The match didn't go as Flores had planned. After getting the opening takedown, Flores released Novachkov at the beginning of the second period, hoping to earn more points from their feet. But instead, Novachkov got a takedown of his own. "I felt good enough to take him down again. I took him down in the first period and I felt if I did it once I could do it again. That's been my strategy all year long. And he just caught me on a nice pass-by and got me good. But I came back and finished the match. Somehow, someway I found a way to win, you know?" About a rematch, Flores said, "Most likely, it's gonna happen again. So whatever comes, comes, but I gotta train hard because I know he's going to be training hard." Another dramatic bout was won by Flores' teammate, 140-pounder Shad Manigault. In the third period, Manigault was up 3-1 on Bakersfield's Anthony Box (the No. 1 seed) while both were on their feet. Box suddenly got in deep on duck-under for a potential match-tying takedown. But before Box could finish, Manigault hit a magnificent counter and put Box on his back for a pin. When asked if he was worried when Box began the move, Manigault was quite frank. "Yeah, I was. I felt a little shaky, but when I got in control, I knew it was going to happen. I just felt it. We drill that, but I don't really do it. But we keep drilling it so it sets it in our mind. So I know it's there when I get in that position." Billy Murphy (photo by John Sachs)One finals match that went as expected was won by Hughson's Billy Murphy, considered by many to be the best 130-pound wrestler in the country. Not satisfied to hold onto an 8-2 lead late in the third period, Murphy released Buchanan's Josh Betancur, took him down and then turned him for back points on the way to 13-3 win. Murphy's punishing style is sure to be a great fit next year at Virginia Tech, where he'll be coached by one of most famous brawlers in the sport, 1996 Olympic Gold medalist, Tom Brands. At 112, Cavalry Chapel's Justin Paulsen was a surprise 5-4 winner over Campolindo's Nikko Triggas. Not only had Triggas collected a number of impressive victories this season, but also became the only wrestler in the tournament to pin each and every opponent on the way to the finals. The non-stop scrambling of Paulsen and Triggas in the third period engendered much applause from the audience. At 171, Central Catholic's Louis Bland, arguably the best sophomore in the country, escaped with a 6-5 victory over Gilroy's Hunter Collins. Up 2-0 in the second, Bland was suddenly reversed and then put to his back. A nosebleed call stopped the action and Bland got back in control, scoring a winning takedown with just 12 seconds left. However, a non-call for a last second escape by Collins was quite unpopular with the crowd. Although they had only one finalist, (125-pound champ Todd Schravien) Poway used balance to wrap up the team title before the finals even began. They dominated the 86-team field, finishing with eight placers (a first, three thirds, three sevenths, and an eighth place finish) and 190 points, well ahead of second place Buchanan (151.5) Tournament director and FVHS coach Brad Woodbury deserves a lot of credit for organizing this event. The presentation leading up to the finals featured some of the most spectacular fanare ever seen at a high school wrestling tournament. A laser light show during introductions (which included a DJ, massive sound system, and video presentation) made it feel like James Brown might emerge from the sea of dry ice instead of the finalists. Finals Results: 103 -- Boris Novachkov FRM dec. Thomas Williams SOH, 6-2 112 -- Justin Paulsen CCH dec. Nikko Triggas CAM, 5-4 119 -- Caleb Flores NVW dec. Filip Novachkov FRM, 5-4 125 -- Todd Schavrien POW dec. Gabriel Suarez CIM, 5-2 130 -- Billy Murphy HUG maj. dec. Josh Betancur, 13-3 135 -- Chris Drouin CHA maj. dec. Adin Duenas GIL, 5-2 140 -- Shad Manigault NVW pinned Anthony Box BAK, 4:47 145 -- Tony Webber BAK dec. John Luscombe TL, 5-3 152 -- Luke Manuel NU dec. Jason Welch LL, 7-4 160 -- Matt Boger BUC pinned Justin Danz PIN, 1:00 171 -- Louis Bland CCA dec. Hunter Collins GIL, 6-5 189 -- Abraham Otrambo LOA dec. Anthony Castillo TUR, 2-0 215 -- Ryan Flores BUC dec. Jack Clayton VAC, 8-3 Hwt -- Chris Lewis CW dec. Kurt Kilmet CAR, 7-4 Team Standings: 1. Poway 190.0 2. Buchanan 151.5 3. Northview 139.0 4. Bakersfield 128.0 5. Freemont 107.0 6. Vacaville 106.5 7. Temecula Valley 103.0 8. Cimarron Memorial 94.5 9. Cavalry Chapel 94.5 10. Clovis West 92.5

The Dana College wrestling program made history this weekend by claiming Dana's first ever team national championship by defeating the University of Cumberlands in the NAIA National Duals finals in the UNI-Dome. With a capacity crowd of close to 8,000 spectators, Dana defeated the #6 ranked Cumberlands 22-13 which handed the Dana program and head Coach Steve Costanzo their first national title. The Vikings finished 4-0 in the competition with dual wins over Montana State-Northern, Southern Oregon, Missouri Valley College and University of Cumberlands. The Vikings were ranked No. 4 nationally heading into the competition and received the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Dana narrowly defeated Missouri Valley College in the semifinal round. After losing three straight matches the Vikings needed bonus points to win the dual. Willie Parks (Garden Grove, Calif) delivered a pin in the 184-pound match in 3:41. Blair Alderman (Spokane, Wash.) followed up at 197-pounds with a major decision to secure the dual victory for Dana 19-15 over Mo Valley. Then in the finals, Cumberlands took a significant lead with three straight victories in the lower weights. But Ben Henderson (Federal Way, Wash.) turned the tides for Dana with a win at 157 pounds. Trent Leichleiter (Harvard, Neb.) followed with a win at 165 pounds to bring the team score to 10-9. Dana trailed by just one point until Marshall Marquardt (Altoona, Iowa) pinned his opponent at 174 pounds. Fans were looking for Parks at 184, but Nick Wilkes (Onamia, Minn.) took the mat for Dana and picked up more points for the Vikings with a 9-1 major decision. Parks stepped in at 197 pounds, but lost a close match in which he had a 13-pound disadvantage. Alderman handled the heavyweight match for Dana and again secured the dual victory with a 5-3 win in the match. Craig Trampe (125 Ord, Neb.), Marquardt (174) and Alderman (197) won all four of their matches in the dual tournament. Trampe, unranked among the nation's best 125 pound wrestlers, defeated No. 1 ranked Delrico Choates in the finals by a score of 3-2. Marquardt, also unranked in his weight class, defeated No. 2 ranked David O'Brien of Southern Oregon 15-10 and scored the key fall in the finals over Todd Allen of Cumberlands to put the Vikings in the lead. Alderman, currently ranked No. 6, finished 4-0 in dominating fashion, highlighted by a key major decision against Missouri Valley in the semi-finals to clinch the victory. Alderman also bumped up to heavyweight in the finals and won by a score of 5-2 over Cumberlands' Matt Bishop 5-3. Willie Parks (184) was voted the Outstanding Wrestler for the NAIA division. Parks, the NAIA No. 1 ranked wrestler recorded an important fall in the semi-finals against Josh Johnston of Missouri Valley to help Dana College to a semi-finals victory and launched the team into the national finals. "This was a real team effort. When one guy was down, another picked it up. Everything fell into place for us," said Coach Costanzo. "This is a huge step for our program and our school." The Vikings dual record is now 10-1-1. Dana will host Missouri Valley College Friday night in Blair for the annual "Pack the House Night" at 6 pm. The Vikings will then travel to Northwestern College on Saturday to compete in the annual Northwestern Invitational. University of the Cumberlands (Cumb) 13 Dana College (Dana) 22 125 Craig Trampe (Dana) WBD Delrico Choates (Cumb) D 3-2 133 Mikeal Brooks (Cumb) WBD Sonny Silva (Dana) D 10-9 141 Bradley Cooper (Cumb) WBD Terrence Almond (Dana) M 12-3 149 Dustin Center (Cumb) WBD Jason Lozier (Dana) D 6-2 157 Ben Henderson (Dana) WBD Tommy Hutchinson (Cumb) D 9-6 165 Trent Leichleiter (Dana) WBD Nathanal Jolly (Cumb) D 5-2 174 Marshall Marquardt (Dana) WBF Todd Allen (Cumb) F 1:59 184 Nick Wilkes (Dana) WBD Matt Reis (Cumb) M 9-1 197 Eric Flinchum (Cumb) WBD Willie Parks (Dana) D 12-6 285 Blair Alderman (Dana) WBD Matt Bishop (Cumb) D 5-3 Dana DEFEATS Missouri Valley College in Semifinals 19-15 125 Craig Trampe (Dana) WBD Brandon Nice (Mo Val) D 5-2 133 Jon Gerhold (Mo Val) WBD Sonny Silva (Dana) D 8-4 141 Terrence Almond (Dana) WBD Nathaniel Troupe (Mo Val) D 7-4 149 Jody Ashline (Mo Val) WBD Jason Lozier (Dana) D 11-4 157 Darion Terry (Mo Val) WBD Ben Henderson (Dana) D 6-5 TB0 165 Chad Jennings (Mo Val) WBD Trent Leichleiter (Dana) D 9-2 174 Marshall Marquardt (Dana) WBD Jake Oberfoell (Mo Val) D 6-4 184 Willie Parks (Dana) WBF Josh Johnston (Mo Val) F 3:41 197 Blair Alderman (Dana) WBD Kyle Riley (Mo Val) M 18-7 285 Chris Johnson (Mo Val) WBD Wade Jordan (Dana) D 5-4 Dana College (Dana) 29 Southern Oregon University 6 125 Craig Trampe (Dana) WBD Trevor Lofstedt (S Or) D 2-1 TB0 133 Sonny Silva (Dana) WBD Barry Johnson (S Or) D 4-2 141 Terrence Almond (Dana) WBD Matt Holt (S Or) M 15-3 149 Jason Lozier (Dana) WBD Joey Jannsen (S Or) D 8-4 157 Scott Taylor (Dana) WBD Jimmy Ulrey (S Or) M 13-5 165 Ben Henderson (Dana) WBD Jimmy Grochowsky (S Or) D 3-2 174 Marshall Marquardt (Dana) WBD David O'Brien (S Or) D 15-10 184 Willie Parks (Dana) WBD Rick Story (S Or) D 12-5 197 Blair Alderman (Dana) WBD Grant Thompson (S Or) D 5-1 285 Taylor Wilkerson (S Or) WBF Wade Jordan (Dana) F 4:59 Dana 27 Montana State Northern 13 125 Craig Trampe (Dana) WBD Brock Zollinger (Mon St N) M 15-4 133 Micheal McPeak (Mon St N) WBD Sonny Silva (Dana) M 19-7 141 Terrence Almond (Dana) WBF Colt Hager (Mon St N) F 4:12 149 Chris Smith (Mon St N) WBD Jason Lozier (Dana) D 8-3 157 Ben Henderson (Dana) WBD Ty Aiken (Mon St N) D 10-7 165 Trent Leichleiter (Dana) WBD Aaron Jensen (Mon St N) D 5-0 174 Marshall Marquardt (Dana) WBD Colter Dimas (Mon St N) M 12-3 184 Willie Parks (Dana) WBD Ryan Mattingly (Mon St N) M 12-4 197 Blair Alderman (Dana) WBD Chad Seely (Mon St N) D 11-7 285 Brian Fritchman (Mon St N) WBF Wade Jordan (Dana) F 4:17

OREM, Utah -- Despite having good success on the mat, the Utah Valley State wrestling team fell 23-21 to Northern Colorado Monday night after losing 12 points to forfeits, which proved too costly in the end. The Wolverines came out ahead in four of the seven bouts that took place, but three forfeits (two by UV and one by Northern Colorado) overshadowed what could have been a win for UV. "It's frustrating to lose a match like that," said Utah Valley head coach Cody Sanderson. "We beat them in just about every position. But to give up 12 points on forfeits is just too much to come back from. I'm pleased with our effort but I'm just frustrated with the outcome." The Wolverines jumped ahead early when star 133 pound senior Erkin Tadzhimetov made quick work of Adam Garcia, pinning him 1:51 into the contest. The win boosted his season record to 23-7 as the 20th ranked wrestler (Amateur Wrestling News) has now won seven straight matches. "Erkin did what we needed him to do. We needed those bonus points and went out there and got them," said Sanderson. The match of the night was at 141 pounds, when Wolverine freshman Daniel Polkowske erased an early deficit scoring a takedown with :25 seconds left to win 7-6 over Richard Lohr. That win gave the Wolverines a 15-6 lead. "Polkowske did a great job. He made some mistakes early and got behind but he did an incredible job to come back in the third period," said Sanderson. "In college wrestling to come back from that point just doesn't happen very often, especially with a freshman." Tanner Cowan won his third match in the last four chances when he topped Nathan Gerrard in a competitive match, 4-1, putting UV on top 18-9. "Earlier on in the season Tanner was really struggling with his confidence," said Sanderson. "But the last couple of weeks he has kind of relaxed and refocused and he's gotten some wins." After UNC's Devan Lewis came back in the third period to top Devin Siddoway 6-3, 20th ranked Shawn Hart scored a tech fall over UV's DJ Meis to give the Bears a huge advantage down the stretch. That match put the score at 18-17 Wolverines, but with one forfeit remaining the Bears had a five point advantage. That put all of the pressure on Wolverine senior Ivan Bigney in the final match of the night. Bigney scored a decisive 10-3 win over Tim Sexton in the 184 pound match, but needed to score at least a tech fall to force a tie. "That was one of the best matches that I've seen Ivan wrestle," said Sanderson. "That kid he wrestled is real good. And to win in the fashion that he did, that was impressive." Up next the Wolverines will compete in the Cowboy Duals at Wyoming on Saturday. Their next home match comes on February 4th against South Dakota State.

Team_ 1. Cornell 2. Lehigh 3. Penn 4. Navy 5. Army 6. Harvard 7. American 8. Columbia 125_ 1. Troy Nickerson, Cornell 2. Mike Silengo, Penn 3. Jeff Sato, Columbia 4. Matt Morkel, American 5. Matt Fisk, Lehigh 6. Jeff Schell, Brown 133_ 1. Matt Valenti, Penn 2. Robbie Preston, Harvard 3. Mike Mormile, Cornell 4. Frank Baughan, Army 5. Jeff Santo, Lehigh 6. Nate Nauroth, East Stroudsburg 141_ 1. Cory Cooperman, Lehigh 2. Cesar Grajales, Penn 3. Max Meltzer, Harvard 4. Steve Adamcski, Rutgers 5. Stephen Sutton, Columbia 6. Alex Bimes, East Stroudsburg 149_ 1. Matt Dragon, Penn 2. John Cox, Navy 3. Tom Kniezewski, American 4. Patrick Simpson, Army 5. Matt Ciasulli, Lehigh 6. Ricky Turk, Columbia 157_ 1. Dustin Manotti, Cornell 2. Derek Zinck, Lehigh 3. John Jarred, Navy 4. Andrew Flanagan, Harvard 5. Gene Zannetti, Penn 6. Rudy Rueda, American 165_ 1. Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov, American 2. Steve Anceravage, Cornell 3. Troy Letters, Lehigh 4. Craig Dziewiatkowski, Navy 5. Lior Zamir, Penn 6. Keith Smith, East Stroudsburg 174_ 1. Travis Frick, Lehigh 2. Matt Palmer, Columbia 3. Matt Stolpinski, Navy 4. Luke Hogle, Cornell 5. Matt Herrington, Penn 6. Michael Whalen, Rutgers 184_ 1. Josh Glenn, American 2. Joe Mazzurco, Cornell 3. Louis Caputo, Harvard 4. Rudy Medini, Rutgers 5. Dustin Wiles, Penn 6. David Helfrich, Lehigh 197_ 1. Jerry Rinaldi, Cornell 2. Paul Velekei, Penn 3. Matt Cassidy, Lehigh 4. Jake Butler, Princeton 5. Todd Wisman, Army 6. Chris Pogue, Navy 285_ 1. Tanner Garrett, Navy 2. Bode Ogunwole, Harvard 3. Adam LoPiccolo, American 4. Paul Weibel, Lehigh 5. Nathan Thobaben, Army 6. Adam Karasevicz, East Stroudsburg

Upper Iowa University senior C.J. MacNaught (Walton, N.Y.) was named one of two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestlers of the Week today. The 174-pounder won all three of his matches for the Peacocks at the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls Saturday. MacNaught shared the NSIC honor with Tim Johns of Southwest Minnesota State. In Upper Iowa's 22-15 loss to #6 Ashland, MacNaught came through with an 8-5 decision over Clint Carmony. He recorded an 11-3 major decision win over Jesse Sheets in UIU's 19-19 tie with #18 Central Missouri State. MacNaught ended Saturday with a 16-8 major decision over UNC-Pembroke's Richard Alstrom. Upper Iowa defeated UNC-Pembroke 47-0. MacNaught is currently ranked sixth at 174 pounds in the recent Division II Wrestling Coaches Association rankings. Upper Iowa is 13th as a team. Upper Iowa is an affiliate member of the NSIC in wrestling this season and will be a full league member beginning in 2006-07. The Peacocks will travel to Aberdeen, S.D., to battle Northern State in a dual meet Friday at 7 p.m. Upper Iowa University, located in Fayette, is the only NCAA Division II institution in the state of Iowa.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA -- The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Wartburg College wrestler Dustin Hinschberger (Belle Plaine, Iowa/Belle Plaine) has been named the IIAC Male Athlete of the Week for the period ending Sunday, January 15. The Conference also announced the Performers of the Week for each of the Conference's seven sports in competition during the week. Wrestling -- Dustin Hinschberger, Wartburg College, Belle Plaine, Iowa/Belle Plaine Hinschberger, a senior, was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals after posting a 3-0 record with two major decisions and two victories over ranked wrestlers. Hinschberger, the top-ranked wrestler in the 141-pound class, won major decisions over #8-ranked Travis Grawin of Luther (11-3), and Augsburg's Josh Hansen (12-2). Hinschberger won by decision over #2-ranked Dustin Brewer of Simpson (5-2).