Michigan
Big Ten Session III
Michigan Grapplers Finish in Fifth at the Big Ten Championships
3/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Session III - Consolations and Finals)
U-M Team Finish: 5th place of 11 teams (73 points)
Next U-M Event: Thu-Sat., March 16-18 -- at NCAA Championships (St. Louis, Mo.)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team finished strong at the Big Ten Championships, coming in fifth place (73 points) behind Iowa (139.5), Minnesota (132.5), Illinois (96.5) and Michigan State (87.5). The Wolverines had four third-place finishers and qualified all seven of the wrestlers competing on Sunday (March 5) for the NCAA Championships.
"I'm real happy the way we came back and wrestled today," said head coach Joe McFarland. "We wrestled with much more intensity and confidence and it showed in our results. Now we have to get these seven guys ready for the NCAAs."
Reconciling themselves from their semifinal losses on Saturday (March 4) were Joe Warren (Grand Rapids, Mich./E. Kentwood HS) at 133 pounds, Damion Logan (Garfield, N.J./St. Joseph Regional HS) at 141, Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) at 149, and Andy Hrovat (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) at 184. All four of the competitors placed third, winning their consolation final matches.
"We accomplished what we needed to do today," said Logan. "I'm not happy with third, but now I'll just refocus myself at nationals."
The unseeded heroes of the meet were true freshman A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) at 125 and sophomore Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) at 174. Grant placed fifth by defeating No. 7-seeded Kore Sharpley of Ohio State, 5-3. "I gained a lot of confidence from this meet and I have a good feeling going to NCAA's," Grant said. Martelli placed sixth, but was unable to compete in the fifth-place match after re-injuring a hamstring - originally injuring in the first round - in the consolation semifinal.
"I felt my hamstring pull after the first round, but I sucked it up the rest of the tournament," said Martelli. "It's real sore right now, but I feel I will be ready to go on to nationals."
Closing out the tournament for Michigan was Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS), seeded fourth, who qualified for his second consecutive NCAA Championship by placing fifth. Brink defeated Penn State's Mark Janus 4-2 at heavyweight.
The Maize and Blue will end their 1999-2000 campaign when seven Wolverine grapplers head to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis on March 16-18.
Final Team Results
1. Iowa 139.50
2. Minnesota 132.50
3. Illinois 96.50
4. Michigan State 87.50
5. MICHIGAN 73.00
6. Northwestern 51.00
7. Wisconsin 48.00
8. Ohio State 47.50
Penn State 47.50
10. Indiana 45.00
11. Purdue 23.00
Michigan Competitors
A.J. Grant (125)
First Round - pinned by #2 Jody Strittmatter (Iowa), :58
Consolations - dec. #8 Chris Williams (Michigan State), 12-7
Consolations - dec. #4 Jason Silverstein (Purdue), 5-3 (OT)
Consolation Semifinal - major dec. by #3 Leroy Vega (Minnesota), 14-0
Fifth Place - dec. #7 Kore Sharpley (Ohio State), 5-3
Finished in fifth place with a 3-2 record
#3 Joe Warren (133)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - pinned #6 Evan Robinson (Purdue), 3:30
Semifinals - dec. by #2 Pat McNamara (Michigan State), 10-8
Consolation Semifinal - dec. #8 David Stoltz (Illinois), 6-3
Third Place - dec. # 6 Evan Robinson (Purdue), 8-5
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
#5 Damion Logan (141)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - pinned #4 Chad Erikson (Minnesota), 1:13
Semifinals - dec. by #1 Scott Schaztman (Northwestern), 4-3
Consolation Semifinal - pinned James Torres (Indiana), 4:13
Third Place - dec. #3 Carl Perry (Illinois), 4-2
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
#4 Mike Kulczycki (149)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. #5 Karl Nadolsky (Michigan State), 11-4
Semifinals - dec. by #1 Jared Lawrence (Minnesota), 8-3
Consolation Semifinal - dec. #2 Mike Zadick (Iowa), 9-7
Third Place - dec. # 5 Karl Nadolsky (Michigan State), 15-8
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
Tony Holifield (157)
First Round - fall by #4 Kevin Stanley (Indiana), 2:49
Consolation - major dec. by #6 Corey Wallman, 12-0
Finished with a 0-2 record
#7 Jason Rawls (165)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinal - dec. by #2 Brad Pike (Minnesota), 8-2
Consolations - dec. by Kirk Moore (Purdue), 4-3
Finished with a 0-2 record
Charles Martelli (174)
First Round - dec. by #7 Joel Walker (Ohio State), 10-5
Consolations - major dec. Mark Becks (Penn State), 15-5
Consolations - dec. #5 Will Hill (Michigan State), 6-5
Consolation Semifinal - major dec. by #2 Ben King (Illinois), 12-4
Fifth Place - medical forfeit *
* Injured after the consolation semifinal
Finished in sixth place with a 2-2 record
#2 Andy Hrovat (184)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - major dec. #7 Jared Williams (Purdue), 15-6
Semifinals - dec. by #4 Nate Patrick (Illinois), 4-2
Consolation Semifinal - dec. #8 Tom Ciezki (Northwestern), 7-5
Third Place - dec. #5 Jeff Knupp (Penn State), 6-4
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
Joe DeGain (197)
First Round - dec. by #2 Nick Preston (Ohio State), 7-5
Consolations - dec. by #4 Pat Quirk (Illinois), 4-0
Finished with a 0-2 record
#4 Matt Brink (Hwt)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. by #5 Mark Lamb (Michigan State), 2-1
Consolations - major dec. Mike Dixon (Indiana), 10-1
Consolations - pinned #8 Josh Saul (Northwestern), 4:55
Consolation Semifinal - dec. by #3 John Lockhart (Illinois), 3-2
Fifth Place - dec. #7 Mark Janus (Penn State), 4-2
Finished in fifth place with a 3-2 record
Players Mentioned
