Weekly Release #4
12/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Upcoming Schedule
Monday, Jan. 2 -- at Hofstra (Hempstead, N.Y.), 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 3 -- vs. Cornell (New York, N.Y.), 6 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 8 -- vs. Lehigh (Cliff Keen Arena), 2 p.m.
Sat-Sun., Jan. 14-15 -- at Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
This Week: at Hofstra/vs. Cornell/vs. Lehigh
After a short break over the holidays, the No. 5-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team (2-1, 1-0 Big Ten) will kick off the New Year with a series of three tough non-conference duals. The Wolverines open the busy week in the Empire State on Monday (Jan. 2) with a 7 p.m. meet against No. 21 Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y. before heading down to New York City for a 6 p.m. match against No. 8 Cornell on Tuesday (Jan. 3) at the New York Athletic Club. On Sunday (Jan. 8), U-M will return to Ann Arbor for a 2 p.m. dual against No. 9 Lehigh at Cliff Keen Arena.
New York Athletic Club Dress Code
Fans interested in attending the Wolverines' dual meet against Cornell at the New York Athletic Club on Tuesday, Jan. 3, will need to dress according to the institution's dress code for admission into the building. Men must wear sport coats with a collared shirt or turtleneck and women must be in comparable business attire. No jeans or sneakers are allowed.
Upcoming Television/Radio Broadcasts
Takedown Radio will be on the road with the Wolverines in New York and is slated to broadcast live via internet stream both U-M dual meets against Hofstra and Cornell on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 2-3. Pre-match coverage will begin at 6 p.m. on both nights. For more information, visit Takedown Radio's site.
The Wolverines' dual meet against Cornell will also be aired via tape delay on College Sports Television on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 9:30 p.m. EST, and will be rebroadcast several times throughout the subsequent week. For more information, visit CSTV's site.
U-M Wrestling Live on the Internet
Live video of Wolverine wrestling home duals will be webcast through Michigan's All-Access subscription service and CSTV's All-Access XXL wrestling service. For more information, please visit Michigan's All-Access page or the All-Access XXL page.
Free Wrestling Clinic Information
The Wolverines will offer a free wrestling clinic at Cliff Keen Arena on Sunday, Jan. 8, prior to the Michigan/Lehigh dual. Conducted by U-M assistant coaches Kirk Trost and Mike Kulczycki, the clinic will run from 11-1 p.m., and all clinic participants will receive free admission to the 2 p.m. dual meet. Wrestlers intereted in attending should bring their own wrestling shoes as they will have the opportunity to participate on the mat.
Scouting the Pride
Michigan owns a near-perfect 8-1 record against Hofstra in the all-time series between the two programs, dating back to the 1953-54 season. The Wolverines have outscored Hoftra 213-113 in those matches and have won the last two in a row. In the last meeting, U-M squeezed past the Pride 19-18 in the consolation bracket of the 2005 Cliff Keen/NWCANational Duals as senior/junior heavyweight Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) earned a second period fall over Billy Simmons in the final bout of the contest. The Wolverines battled back from an early deficit with four straight wins at the middle weights, including sophomore/freshman Eric Tannenbaum's (Naperville, Ill./North HS) 5-3 upset decision against fifth-ranked Jon Masa at 149 pounds. Hofsra responded, however, reeling off three decision victories to gain the five-point advantage and setting up Wagner's dual-clinching pin. Michigan head coach Joe McFarland owns a 2-0 record against the Pride while Hofstra head coach Tom Ryan, in his 10th season with the Pride program, is 1-2 against Michigan. The Pride are 2-2 this season with dominant wins over Harvard (33-12, Dec. 11) and Columbia (36-9, Dec. 11) in their most recent outings. Hofstra claimed 11th place at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 2-3) as senior Mike Patrovich claimed runner-up honors at 174 pounds. Hofstra on the Internet: www.hofstra.edu/Athletics.
Scouting the Big Red
The Wolverines trail 1-2 in the all-time series against Cornell but have outscored the Big Red 47-45 in those three meetings. The last time U-M squared off against Cornell, at the 2003 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals, the Big Red won four of the five final bouts to erase an early Wolverine advantage and claim a 19-16 victory in the consolation bracket. Michigan head coach Joe McFarland owns a 0-1 record against the Pride while Cornell head coach Rob Koll, in his 12th season with the Big Red program, is 1-0 against Michigan. The Big Red will make its dual-meet debut against Michigan; they claimed second place behind the Wolverines at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 2-3). Cornell on the Internet: www.cornellbigred.com.
Scouting the Mountain Hawks
Michigan leads the all-time series with Lehigh 20-11, dating back to 1936. While U-M has been the dominant team in recent years, Lehigh snapped a seven-meet winning streak with wins in the last two meetings. Despite winning five individual bouts, the Wolverines suffered a 22-15 defeat last season against Lehigh in their season-opening dual meet in Bethlehem, Pa., as bonus points played a crucial role in the lopsided team score. The Mountain Hawks built a substanial advantage early in the meet with a fall and technical fall at 133 and 141 pounds, and U-M could not recover. Michigan head coach Joe McFarland owns a 5-2 record against the Mountain Hawks since taking the helm of the Wolverine squad while Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel, in his 11th season at Lehigh, is 3-9 against Michigan. The Mountain Hawks are 5-2-1 this season but are winless in their two most recent outings, falling to Oklahoma State (6-31, Dec. 2) and tying Oklahoma (18-18, Dec. 8). Lehigh on the Internet: www.lehighsports.com.
Marquee Matches
149 pounds -- #4 Eric Tannenbaum vs. Jon Masa (Hofstra)
After sitting out the first semester, Hofstra's two-time All-American Jon Masa is slated to make his official debut against junior/sophomore Eric Tannenbaum on Monday evening. It will be the third collegiate meeting between the two wrestlers. Last season, they split a pair of matches with Tannenbaum taking a 5-3 decision at the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals and Masa winning 8-1 in the NCAA third-place contest. This year, Tannenbaum boasts an 8-2 mark through early-season competition and is an undefeated 3-0 in dual meets. Masa made one unattached appearance, claiming sixth place at the East Stroudsburg Open (Nov. 19) with a 6-2 record at 157 pounds.
174 pounds -- #7 Nick Roy vs. #4 Mike Patrovich (Hofstra)
Senior/junior Nick Roy will sqaure off against Hofstra's fourth-ranked Mike Patrovich for the first time in his career after the Pride wrestler moved up from 165 pounds, where he just missed earning NCAA All-America honors last season. Roy has battled through injury this season to post a 4-4 record. He posted a 7-6 decision over Central Michigan's Brandon Sinnott in his last appearance on the mat (Dec. 11). Patrovich owns a near-perfect 13-1 record this season and is 4-0 in dual-meet competition. His lone defeat came against Missouri's top-ranked Ben Askren in the 174-pound final at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 2-3), a match his lost 16-5.
157 pounds -- #8 Steve Luke vs. #5 Dustin Manotti (Cornell)
Freshman Steve Luke has a tough week in store with a handful of ranked opponents on the horizon. The most notable will be a rematch against Cornell's fifth-ranked Dustin Manotti, who the Wolverine freshman defeated 3-2 a month ago in the semifinals of the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 2-3). Luke went on to defeat Illinois' top-ranked Alex Tirapelle 3-3 in the final, while Manotti took fifth place with a 5-2 record. Both wrestlers have seen limited to no action since that early-December weekend. Luke lost in his only subsequent appearance, falling 6-4 to Central Michigan's Eric Neil. Manotti will return to the mat for the first time at this weekend's Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C.
141 pounds -- #5 Josh Churella vs. #3 Cory Cooperman (Lehigh)
Sunday will mark the first collegiate meeting between junior/sophomore Josh Churella and Lehigh's third-ranked Cory Cooperman. Churella did not compete in last season's dual against the Mountain Hawks as Cooperman tallied a 21-5 technical fall against then-junior/sophomore J.R. Muldoon. Both wrestlers earned All-America honors last season, Cooperman claiming his second career citation with a third-place finish and Churella taking eighth place. This season, the Wolverine sophomore boasts a perfect 8-0 mark, including four wins against ranked opposition. Cooperman owns a 5-1 record through early-season action with his only loss coming against Oklahoma's top-ranked Teyon Ware in his most recent outing (2-13, Dec. 3). Cooperman will compete in the Southern Scuffle.
165 pounds -- #1 Ryan Churella vs. #3 Troy Letters (Lehigh)
Just a few weeks after claiming the top spot among the nation's best 165 pounders, fifth-year senior Ryan Churella will face his toughest competition yet on Sunday (Dec. 8) when he sqaures off against former NCAA champion Troy Letters of Lehigh. Churella opened and closed his 2004-05 season with losses against the Mountain Hawk wrestler but narrowed the difference from a 13-5 defeat in the season opener to a 7-5 loss in the NCAA third-place match. The U-M captain has been unstoppable this season, registering a perfect 8-0 mark with four pins and otherwise outscoring his opponents 50-9. Letters, who previously held the No. 1 ranking for one week this season, owns a 8-1 mark with his lone loss coming against Oklahoma State's defending NCAA champion Johny Hendricks (2-5, Dec. 2).
Last Time Out: Nebraska/Central Michigan
The Wolverines split a pair of non-conference matches to close out the calendar year, falling to No. 14 Nebraska 18-16 (Dec. 9) in their home opener before rebounding to roll past No. 9 Central Michigan 22-14 (Dec. 11) in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Bonus points played the deciding factor in Nebraska dual as both teams earned five individual wins. The Wolverines fell behind early with losses in three of the opening four bouts and could not overcome the nine-point deficit. U-M looked much sharper two days later on the road, winning six of 10 bouts against the Chippewas. The Wolverines again trailed early, but with five wins in the final seven matches, including junior/sophomore Josh Churella's major decision at 141 pounds and fifth-year senior Ryan Churella's pin at 165 pounds, they ended 2005 on a positive note.
Climbing the Charts
Fifth-year senior captain Greg Wagner boasts a perfect 8-0 record so far this season, improving his career mark to 113-34 during his five collegiate seasons and moving him to the 16th spot among Michigan's all-time wins leaders. He needs just three more wins to move to the 15th position, currently held by two-time All-American A.J. Grant (116, 2000-03). Four-time All-American John Fisher holds the Wolverine career win record with a 183-21 mark during his five seasons at Michigan (1985-89).
Nearing the Century Club
Fifth-year senior captain Ryan Churella is also undefeated at 8-0 this season, inching closer to joining Wagner in Michigan prestigious 100-Win Club. Churella improved his career mark to 97-17 and will look to claim three consecutive wins this week against Hofstra, Cornell and Lehigh to become the 27th Wolverine wrestle to tally 100 career victories.
The Fall Guy (Part 2)
Fifth-year senior captain Ryan Churella earned his fourth fall of the season against Central Michigan's Justin Petrone (1:32, Dec. 11) to bring his career total to 31. He ranks ninth among Michigan's all-time falls leaders, sharing the spot with Rob Rechsteiner (1981-84). He needs six more pins to reach the eighth position, currently held by Dave Porter (37, 1966-68). Churella has dominated the competition in his five seasons at Michigan, earning 58 of his 97 career wins (59.8 percent) with bonus points. In addition to his 30 falls, Churella boasts six career technical falls and 26 major decisions.
New Faces in the Lineup
Five U-M freshmen grapplers have made their collegiate varsity debut this season -- sophomore/freshmen Brandon Elliott (Reed City, Mich./Reed City HS), Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS), Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) and Casey White (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS) and true freshman Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS). Todd and White have started all three Michigan duals this season at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively. Elliott and Luke have each made two appearances, while Watts made his varsity debut in the Wolverines' most recent outing at Central Michigan.
A Look at the Polls
After its close loss to Nebraska (Dec. 9), Michigan fell up to the No. 5 spot in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association's poll, released Dec. 20. The Wolverines also boast seven individuals ranked among the top 20 wrestlers in their respective weight classes in the NWCA/InterMat or Amateur Wrestling News polls, including five U-M grapplers ranked fifth or better by one or both polls.
Over The Top
In recognition of his perfect 8-0 record this season, fifth-year senior Ryan Churella earned the No. 1 listing at 165 pounds in the most recent NWCA/InterMat poll. It is the first No. 1 ranking for Churella in his collegiate career and marks the first top-ranked Wolverine since Ryan Bertin held the 157-pound honor for the last several weeks of the 2004-05 season. Churella is ranked third by Amateur Wrestling News.
NWCA/InterMat Division I Team Rankings (12/20/05)
RANK, TEAM POINTS PREV 1. Oklahoma State (12) 480 1 2. Minnesota 464 3 3. Oklahoma 458 2 4. Illinois 437 4 5. MICHIGAN 430 5 6. Iowa 425 6 7. Iowa State 409 7 8. Cornell 397 8 9. Lehigh 382 9 10. Central Michigan 378 10 11. Missouri 344 13 12. Penn State 326 12 13. Nebraska 325 11 14. Northwestern 323 14 15. Indiana 297 18 16. Michigan State 290 16 17. Wisconsin 289 15 18. Edinboro 289 19 19. Arizona State 275 17 20. Cal Poly 270 23 21. Hofstra 241 20 22. Northern Illinois 235 21 23. Northern Iowa 228 22 24. Navy 209 24 25. Penn 186 25
Individual Rankings by InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News
| Wgt. | Wrestler | InterMat | AWN |
| 133 | Mark Moos | 13th | 13th |
| 141 | Josh Churella | 5th | 4th |
| 149 | Eric Tannenbaum | 4th | 4th |
| 157 | Steve Luke | 8th | 5th |
| 165 | Ryan Churella | 1st | 3rd |
| 174 | Nick Roy | 7th | NR |
| Hwt | Greg Wagner | 3rd | 3rd |
On the Horizon
The Wolverines will compete in the prestigious Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 14-15) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. U-M will be one of 16 teams competing in the Division I field. Hosted by the University of Northern Iowa, all matches will be held at the UNI Dome.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
