Michigan
NCAA Day 1
Five Wolverines Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals
3/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Five University of Michigan wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals on Thursday (March 16) at the NCAA Championships, helping the Wolverines stand in a tie for seventh place (19 points) after the first day (two sessions) of competition at the University of Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Sophomore 125-pounder A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS), sophomore 149-pounder Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edwards HS), senior 174-pounder Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) and junior 184-pounder Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) each won his first two matches to reach the quarterfinals, while senior heavyweight Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS) used a bye and a decision to advance to the quarterfinal round.
Olson, Intermat's No. 2-ranked 174-pounder and the 1999 national runner-up at 174, began his bid for a national title with a fall over Arizona State's No. 16 Curtis Owen (2:38) and a decision (6-4) over Illinois' No. 20 Ben King. Olson will take on Minnesota's No. 10 Jacob Volkman, whom he has defeated twice already this season. Olson defeated the Golden Gopher in Big Ten dual meet action (Jan. 26) with a 5-2 decision and at the Big Ten Championships (March 3-4) with a 3-2 decision.
Grant, ranked 10th at 125 pounds, defeated two unseeded opponents to open the NCAA Championships. He earned a major decision (8-0) over Cleveland State's Rocco Mansueto as well as a decision (4-2) over Kent State's No. 19 Brent Thompson. In the quarterfinals, Grant will try to defeat Big Ten champion and No. 2-ranked Jody Strittmatter from Iowa for the first time in four meetings this season.
No. 12-ranked Kulczycki also won both of his matches with a 9-4 overtime win over Harvard's No. 15 Jesse Jantzen and a 7-4 upset of Hofstra's No. 8 Eric Schmiesing. Against Schmiesing, Kulczycki scored three takedowns in the second period, coming from behind to win the match. Kulczycki is up against tough competition tomorrow as he will face Illinois' No. 3 Adam Tirapelle in quarterfinal action. Kulczycki faced Tirapelle at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 2) and at the Big Ten Championships (March 3-4), losing both contests 12-4 and 6-3, respectively.
Hrovat, ranked No. 7 at 184, had a 13-6 decision over Duke's unseeded Tom Cass and an 11-6 decision over Rutgers No. 10 Tom Tanis to advance to the quarterfinals, where he will face Ilinois' No. 2 Nate Patrick. Hrovat faced Patrick at the Big Ten Championships (March 3-4) and dropped a 9-5 decision.
After a first-round bye, No. 5-ranked Brink faced Buffalo's No. 15 John Eschenfelder. Brink remained down a point throughout the entire match but managed a last-second takedown to earn a 4-3 decision and advance to the quarterfinals, where he will face Illinois' No. 3 John Lockhart.
Two other Michigan grapplers -- junior 165-pounder Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) and fifth-year senior 197-pounder Joe DeGain (White Lake, Mich./Clarkston HS) -- will wrestle their way through the consolation rounds and try to help U-M improve on its 13th-place finish from last season. Redshirt freshman 157-pounder Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS) is done after dropping his first two matches in his first NCAA appearance.
The Wolverines return to the mat tomorrow (Friday, March 16) at 10 a.m. CST for the quarterfinals and second-round consolation matches. The semifinals will begin tomorrow evening at 5:30 p.m. CST. Complete results are available on the NCAA Championships site.
Top 10 Teams (After Day 1)
1. Minnesota 41.5 2. Iowa 36.5 Oklahoma State 36.5 4. Oklahoma 28.0 5. Iowa State 26.5 6. Illinois 25.0 7. MICHIGAN 19.0 Nebraska 19.0 9. Arizona State 18.0 10. Edinboro 17.5
Michigan Results (Day 1)
Numbers listed are rankings by Intermat (3/6/01)
#10 A.J. Grant (125)
First Round - major dec. Rocco Mansueto (Cleveland State), 8-0
Second Round - dec. Brent Thompson (Kent State), 4-2
Quarterfinals - vs. #2 Jody Strittmatter (Iowa)
#12 Mike Kulczycki (149)
First Round - dec. #15 Jesse Jantzen (Harvard), 9-4 (SV)
Second Round - dec. #8 Eric Schmiesing (Hofstra), 7-4
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Adam Tirapelle (Illinois)
Pat Owen (157)
First Round - dec. by #10 Rocky Smart (Arizona State), 6-2
Consolation First Round - pinned by #19 Eugene Harris (Oregon), 6:37
Eliminated with 0-2 record
#10 Charles Martelli (165)
First Round - dec. Tim Ortman (Penn), 6-3
Second Round - dec. by #6 Chris Martin (Virginia Tech), 6-5
Consolation Second Round - vs. #19 Hunter Guenot (Bloomsburg)
#2 Otto Olson (174)
First Round - pinned #16 Curtis Owen (Arizona State), 2:38
Second Round - dec. #20 Ben King (Illinois), 6-4
Quarterfinals - vs. #10 Jacob Volkman (Minnesota)
#7 Andy Hrovat (184)
First Round - dec. Tom Cass (Duke), 13-6
Second Round - dec. #10 Tom Tanis (Rutgers), 11-6
Quarterfinals - vs. #2 Nate Patrick (Illinois)
#11 Joe DeGain (197)
First Round - dec. #16 Avery Zerkle (Lock Haven), 9-5
Second Round - major dec. by #5 Owen Elzen (Minnesota), 10-1
Consolation Second Round - vs. #14 Corey Anderson (Cornell)
#5 Matt Brink (Hwt)
First Round C Bye
Second Round - dec. #15 John Eschenfelder (Buffalo), 4-3
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 John Lockhart (Illinois)
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
