COLLEGE UPDATE FOR FEB. 6: Hawkeyes on a roll as nation's top team
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by Jason Bryant
By Jason Bryant
jbryant@intermatwrestle.com
A handful of dedicated wrestling fans huddled into a booth at a Pennsylvania sports bar on Friday night, anxiously awaiting one of the top rivalries in college wrestling - Iowa vs. Minnesota.
Handfuls of fans were likely doing the same, tuning into the Big Ten Network's broadcast last Friday from Williams Arena in Minneapolis to witness the Hawkeyes dispense with the Golden Gophers 20-13 in front of nearly 7,500 fans.
A pair of Hawkeyes instrumental in the victory were 141-pound sophomore Dan LeClere and 184-pound soph Phil Keddy. LeClere attacked with much success early in the bout before Gopher senior Manny Rivera regained some semblance of composure and forced overtime. LeClere got back to his attacking ways, picking up the win in sudden victory.
Keddy's win might have been more surprising if just comparing credentials to opponent Roger Kish. With Kish on a recent slide and returning to the mat for the first time since mid-January's National Duals, the Keddy upset might not have been too surprising. It was still pivotal as the Hawkeyes are still without NCAA champion Mark Perry, out for another two weeks recovering from minor knee surgery.
Despite taking losses, gritty performances were turned in by Jake Kerr at 165 and Chad Beatty at 197 pounds.
The Hawkeyes improved to 16-1 with a 22-20 weekend victory over #13 Wisconsin in Madison. The Badgers tried to make it interesting with 141-pounder Kyle Ruschell opening up a 1-0 gap in the third period to earn a major decision over LeClere. Kyle Massey vaulted up the rankings after defeating Matt Fields. Prior victories over Wade Sauer of Cal State-Fullerton and David Zabriskie of Iowa State also help.
Rankings, schmankings
The most common comments offered in nearly any discussion about rankings, whether it be high school or college, are either "they don't matter," or "it's just for discussion."
Well, the discussion aspect definitely seems to be the point most practiced. Each week, four to five different media sites/publications/outlets offer team and individual rankings. Even Amateur Wrestling News columnist Denny Diehl felt the need to point out this fact in the most recent AWN, but no matter who puts them out, someone's going to find fault with them. And who said they didn't matter?
Nearly each message board, but specifically the prolific boards on TheMat.com, has its own degree of "praise or poop," so to speak. Some will praise on rank, while others will poo on them.
Regardless, for something that seemingly "doesn't matter," rankings certainly get a lion's share of the discussion on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaking of …
Iowa, for the third consecutive week, received all 12 first-place votes in the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. Jumping back into the rankings this week was Penn, fresh off its 19-16 victory over then-#21 Maryland at the Palestra.
Northern Iowa fell out, through no fault of their own. The Panthers won their only match of the week, a 24-13 win over Northern Illinois.
Illinois made a big jump after knocking off Penn State 18-15 in Champaign on Sunday. The Fighting Illini did split two matches on the weekend, losing to Michigan on Friday, but the Penn State victory vaulted Illinois into the Top 10 for the first time this season.
As a result, Iowa State slid up one spot to #8, while Penn State dropped to #10, and Missouri slid to #11.
Further complicating the team rankings this week were losses by Hofstra (to Cornell 28-14), Pittsburgh (to Kent State 22-13) and Maryland.
Cornell moved up to #18 and was aided by the return of All-American Josh Arnone to the line-up at 184 pounds. Arnone entered the InterMat/NWMA/NWCA rankings at #11.
Old Dominion moved up to #20, Kent State to #21, while Pitt slid to #22 and Maryland to #23. Penn moved in at #25, knocking out Northern Iowa.
Finally this …
Gettysburg head coach and Division III wrestling aficionado Andy Vogel fired a note along to InterMat on Tuesday with quite a newsworthy note.
It seems that this weekend, Springfield College in Massachusetts will be going for a milestone that's only been accomplished by Iowa State, Oregon State and Oklahoma State - 900 victories.
The College of New Jersey stopped the Pride on Monday, but Springfield's favored heading into this weekend's match with Trinity.
Formerly a Division II program, Springfield's most notable wrestling alum is two-time Division II champion and two-time Division I All-American … and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Blatnick.
jbryant@intermatwrestle.com
A handful of dedicated wrestling fans huddled into a booth at a Pennsylvania sports bar on Friday night, anxiously awaiting one of the top rivalries in college wrestling - Iowa vs. Minnesota.
Handfuls of fans were likely doing the same, tuning into the Big Ten Network's broadcast last Friday from Williams Arena in Minneapolis to witness the Hawkeyes dispense with the Golden Gophers 20-13 in front of nearly 7,500 fans.
A pair of Hawkeyes instrumental in the victory were 141-pound sophomore Dan LeClere and 184-pound soph Phil Keddy. LeClere attacked with much success early in the bout before Gopher senior Manny Rivera regained some semblance of composure and forced overtime. LeClere got back to his attacking ways, picking up the win in sudden victory.
Keddy's win might have been more surprising if just comparing credentials to opponent Roger Kish. With Kish on a recent slide and returning to the mat for the first time since mid-January's National Duals, the Keddy upset might not have been too surprising. It was still pivotal as the Hawkeyes are still without NCAA champion Mark Perry, out for another two weeks recovering from minor knee surgery.
Despite taking losses, gritty performances were turned in by Jake Kerr at 165 and Chad Beatty at 197 pounds.
The Hawkeyes improved to 16-1 with a 22-20 weekend victory over #13 Wisconsin in Madison. The Badgers tried to make it interesting with 141-pounder Kyle Ruschell opening up a 1-0 gap in the third period to earn a major decision over LeClere. Kyle Massey vaulted up the rankings after defeating Matt Fields. Prior victories over Wade Sauer of Cal State-Fullerton and David Zabriskie of Iowa State also help.
Rankings, schmankings
The most common comments offered in nearly any discussion about rankings, whether it be high school or college, are either "they don't matter," or "it's just for discussion."
Well, the discussion aspect definitely seems to be the point most practiced. Each week, four to five different media sites/publications/outlets offer team and individual rankings. Even Amateur Wrestling News columnist Denny Diehl felt the need to point out this fact in the most recent AWN, but no matter who puts them out, someone's going to find fault with them. And who said they didn't matter?
Nearly each message board, but specifically the prolific boards on TheMat.com, has its own degree of "praise or poop," so to speak. Some will praise on rank, while others will poo on them.
Regardless, for something that seemingly "doesn't matter," rankings certainly get a lion's share of the discussion on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaking of …
Iowa, for the third consecutive week, received all 12 first-place votes in the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. Jumping back into the rankings this week was Penn, fresh off its 19-16 victory over then-#21 Maryland at the Palestra.
Northern Iowa fell out, through no fault of their own. The Panthers won their only match of the week, a 24-13 win over Northern Illinois.
Illinois made a big jump after knocking off Penn State 18-15 in Champaign on Sunday. The Fighting Illini did split two matches on the weekend, losing to Michigan on Friday, but the Penn State victory vaulted Illinois into the Top 10 for the first time this season.
As a result, Iowa State slid up one spot to #8, while Penn State dropped to #10, and Missouri slid to #11.
Further complicating the team rankings this week were losses by Hofstra (to Cornell 28-14), Pittsburgh (to Kent State 22-13) and Maryland.
Cornell moved up to #18 and was aided by the return of All-American Josh Arnone to the line-up at 184 pounds. Arnone entered the InterMat/NWMA/NWCA rankings at #11.
Old Dominion moved up to #20, Kent State to #21, while Pitt slid to #22 and Maryland to #23. Penn moved in at #25, knocking out Northern Iowa.
Finally this …
Gettysburg head coach and Division III wrestling aficionado Andy Vogel fired a note along to InterMat on Tuesday with quite a newsworthy note.
It seems that this weekend, Springfield College in Massachusetts will be going for a milestone that's only been accomplished by Iowa State, Oregon State and Oklahoma State - 900 victories.
The College of New Jersey stopped the Pride on Monday, but Springfield's favored heading into this weekend's match with Trinity.
Formerly a Division II program, Springfield's most notable wrestling alum is two-time Division II champion and two-time Division I All-American … and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Blatnick.
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