Cornell's Leen ready to make run at second straight NCAA title in tough 157 class
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by Craig Sesker
ST. LOUIS - Who is going to win the 2009 NCAA title at 157 pounds?
Will it be All-American and top seed Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska?
Will it be past NCAA champion Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro?
What about returning NCAA champion Jordan Leen of Cornell or returning NCAA runner-up Mike Poeta of Illinois?
Before we find out early Saturday evening, a number of intriguing storylines are expected to play out in what is considered one of the marquee divisions of this year's NCAA Championships.
Leen, who appeared at the pre-event press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Scottrade Center, embraces the challenge of trying to repeat. He enters the tournament seeded third. Burroughs is the No. 1 seed, Poeta is No. 2 and Gillespie is No. 4.
"It makes it pretty fun to be in this weight class," Leen said. "It's fun to be in a weight class with so many colorful characters who are dynamic in their own way. This weight class has something special. It's going to make for fun matches. I'm excited to be part of that."
Leen was asked about a possible rematch with Burroughs, the undefeated Nebraska junior who outlasted Leen in a wild finals match this season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
"Wrestling him was very valuable for me, in terms of muscle memory," Leen said. "When you wrestle a freak like Burroughs, you can say he's fast but when you feel how fast he is you can respect it a little bit more. He was really fast. You can't appreciate that until you feel his double leg. Feeling the double leg was the biggest adjustment. I'll worry about it more down the line if we do meet again. But having experienced that speed and power he packs will be my biggest advantage if we do face off again."
Leen was asked about what he needed to do to repeat.
"Individual focus on each match with a specific game plan for each competitor I wrestle against," he said. "I've never taken anybody for granted or taken my own ability for granted. I have to know how I'm going to attack and how I'm going to react, and I need to think things through. I will try to do it the same way I did it last year."
Leen is part of a very strong Cornell team that is expected to be in contention. Cornell placed second behind Iowa at the National Duals and may have the firepower to make a run at the Hawkeyes this weekend.
"We are just focusing on what we can do as individuals," Leen said. "We have to put blinders on to everything else that is going on and we just have to worry about each match individually. We can't worry about what Iowa's doing or Missouri's doing or anybody else. The nine guys we brought are very refreshed and very excited to be out here. We are going to leave it all out on the mat and try to do something great.
Will it be All-American and top seed Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska?
Will it be past NCAA champion Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro?
What about returning NCAA champion Jordan Leen of Cornell or returning NCAA runner-up Mike Poeta of Illinois?
Before we find out early Saturday evening, a number of intriguing storylines are expected to play out in what is considered one of the marquee divisions of this year's NCAA Championships.
Leen, who appeared at the pre-event press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Scottrade Center, embraces the challenge of trying to repeat. He enters the tournament seeded third. Burroughs is the No. 1 seed, Poeta is No. 2 and Gillespie is No. 4.
"It makes it pretty fun to be in this weight class," Leen said. "It's fun to be in a weight class with so many colorful characters who are dynamic in their own way. This weight class has something special. It's going to make for fun matches. I'm excited to be part of that."
Leen was asked about a possible rematch with Burroughs, the undefeated Nebraska junior who outlasted Leen in a wild finals match this season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
"Wrestling him was very valuable for me, in terms of muscle memory," Leen said. "When you wrestle a freak like Burroughs, you can say he's fast but when you feel how fast he is you can respect it a little bit more. He was really fast. You can't appreciate that until you feel his double leg. Feeling the double leg was the biggest adjustment. I'll worry about it more down the line if we do meet again. But having experienced that speed and power he packs will be my biggest advantage if we do face off again."
Leen was asked about what he needed to do to repeat.
"Individual focus on each match with a specific game plan for each competitor I wrestle against," he said. "I've never taken anybody for granted or taken my own ability for granted. I have to know how I'm going to attack and how I'm going to react, and I need to think things through. I will try to do it the same way I did it last year."
Leen is part of a very strong Cornell team that is expected to be in contention. Cornell placed second behind Iowa at the National Duals and may have the firepower to make a run at the Hawkeyes this weekend.
"We are just focusing on what we can do as individuals," Leen said. "We have to put blinders on to everything else that is going on and we just have to worry about each match individually. We can't worry about what Iowa's doing or Missouri's doing or anybody else. The nine guys we brought are very refreshed and very excited to be out here. We are going to leave it all out on the mat and try to do something great.
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