University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHERS TRAVEL TO NORTHERN IOWA; HOST PORTLAND STATE
12/9/1999 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
THE NORTHERN IOWA SERIES: Minnesota is tied with Northern Iowa at 11 wins and 11 losses each. Minnesota defeated Northern Iowa 33-6 last year in Minneapolis. The last time Northern Iowa defeated Minnesota was January 17, 1992, when the Panthers defeated the Golden Gophers 21-16 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Northern Iowa has had two tough challenges this year already. The Panthers wrestled to a 17-17 tie with No. 20 Wisconsin and lost to No. 2 Iowa 25-15. Six wrestlers are either ranked in the top 25 or are mentioned. Ranked No. 1 is senior Tony Davis at 149 pounds. At 197 pounds Tony Wieland is ranked eighth, senior Randy Pugh is ranked 12th at 174 and freshman Eric Dunmire is ranked 16th at 125. Two wrestlers received mention, junior Chad Boudreaux at 133 and sophomore Nate Lawrenz at 165 pounds.
THE PORTLAND STATE SERIES: Minnesota and Portland State have only met four times, all of which were won by the Golden Gophers. Last year Minnesota defeated the Vikings 37-6 in Portland, Ore. Portland State is 0-1 on the year thus far, sufferring a 34-6 loss to Oregon State. The Vikings also competed in the Las Vegas Invite last weekend.
GOLDEN GOPHERS PLACE THIRD IN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL; LOWNEY AND HAHN WIN UNI TITLES: The No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota wrestling team placed third in the Las Vegas Invitational in Prim, Nev., with 123 points. Oklahoma State won the invite with 170 points, while Illinois finished second with 142 points. Cal-State Bakersfield was fourth with 101.5 points and Michigan was fifth with 96 points.
Sophomore All-American Leroy Vega was the lone champion for the Golden Gophers at 125 pounds. He defeated Steve Garland of Virginia 6-3 in the finals. Placing second was senior Delaney Berger at 174 pounds. Berger lost in the finals to Otto Olson of Michigan 3-0.
At 133 pounds, junior Brett Lawrence placed fifth with a 2-1 decision over Ben Richards of Oregon State. Also placing fifth was sophomore Chad Erikson at 141 pounds with a 5-2 decision over Paul Konechne of South Dakota State. Freshman Jared Lawrence lost in the consolation finals to Quinn Foster of Arizona State, 8-7. At 197 pounds, sophomore Owen Elzen placed sixth, losing to Rusty Cook of Boise State 6-4 in the fifth place match.
Another set of Golden Gopher wrestlers competed in the Northern Iowa Open in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Freshman Damion Hahn won the 184-pound class with a 8-5 decision over Jessman Smith of Iowa. Also winning was redshirt freshman Garrett Lowney at heavyweight with a 5- 4 overtime decision over Mike Russow of Eastern Illinois. Senior Ty Friederichs finished second at 141 pounds and freshman Jacob Volkmann placed second also at 157 pounds.
GOLDEN GOPHER WRESTLING TEAM DEFEATS ST. CLOUD STATE 51-0 AND HOFSTRA 28-9: The University of Minnesota wrestling team won two dual meets at the Sports Pavilion with a 51-0 shuotout over St. Cloud State and a 28-9 victory over No. 18-ranked Hofstra University. The No. 3-ranked Golden Gophers are now 3-0 on the season.
In the first match against Division II St. Cloud State, Minnesota recorded five pins and two technical falls to rack up 51 team points. Freshman Luke Becker started the night with a pin over Matt Nuemueller at 157 pounds in 1:57. Senior Delaney Berger also recorded a pin over Jason Polinder at 174 pounds in 1:06. Also recording pins was No. 2- ranked senior Brandon Eggum at 184 pounds, 13th-ranked Chad Erikson at 141 pounds and freshman Jared Lawrence, ranked No. 10 in the nation, at 149 pounds.
Minnesota only lost three matches against No. 18-ranked Hofstra. Becker began the match for the Golden Gophers with a close 6-4 decision over Dennis Papadatos at 157 pounds. Sophomore John Hardy added three more team points with a 11-8 decision over Noel Thompson. Berger decisioned Zach Miller 3-2 at 174 pounds. Eggum recorded a 17-5 major decision over Rob Anspach at 184 pounds. At 197 pounds, sophomore Owen Elzen recorded a 19-3 technical fall decision over Rich Attonito.
Hofstra forfeited the match at heavyweight, improving senior Brock Lesnar's record to 6-0. At 125 pounds, sophomore All- American Leroy Vega recorded a 17-4 major decision over Tom Noto to give Minnesota 28-0 lead in the match. The Golden Gophers dropped the last three matches, all to Hofstra wrestlers ranked in the top 12 in the nation.
MINNESOTA WRESTLERS PUMMEL NORTH DAKOTA STATE 33-9 IN SEASON OPENER: The University of Minnesota wrestling team won their first match of the season tonight by defeating North Dakota State 33-9 at the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, North Dakota. The last time the Golden Gophers lost to North Dakota State was during the 1970-71 season.
Sophomore Leroy Vega, who is ranked second in the nation at 125, defeated freshman Matt Strawser by technical fall. The score was 23-8 when the match was called. Vega won by technical fall at 7:57. Senior Brandon Eggum also ranked second in his weight class at 184, scored seven takedowns in his 17-7 win by decision over junior Steve Saxlund.
Junior Brett Lawrence won by decision in overtime, after withholding an enormous comeback by senior Kris Nelson. Nelson rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third to tie the match at 6- 6, but Lawrence stood strong after his takedown in OT for the victory.
Senior Brock Lesnar, the number one heavyweight wrestler in the nation, pinned senior Dave Clymer to the mat in 2:47. Lesnar had a 7-1 lead when he made the pin.
GOLDEN GOPHER WRESTLERS COMPETE AT KAUFMAN-BRAND OPEN: Several members of the Golden Gopher wrestling team competed in the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, Neb. Freshman Jacob Volkmann of Henning, Minn., won the 157 pound title in the 20 and under division, while redshirt freshman Garrett Lowney of Appleton, Wis., won the heavyweight title in the open division. Volkmann was also namedthe Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Volkmann pinned Drew Kelly of Northern Iowa in 3:44 to win the title at 157 pounds, while Lowney won the heavyweight title over Trent Hynek of Iowa State, who had an injury default. Also placing in the 20 and under division was freshman Trent Hatlevig, who placed second at 141 pounds after losing to Luke Moffitt of Iowa Central C.C., 5-2.
In the open division, freshman Damion Hahn placed second after losing to the 1999 NCAA Champion Cael Sanderson of Iowa State, 4-3 at 184 pounds. Sophomore transfer Ryan Lewis placed third after defeating Troy McIlravy of Northern Iowa 13-0 at 133 pounds. Senior Ty Friederichs placed third also after beating Sonny Marchette of Iowa State 3-1 at 141 pounds.
Junior Josh Krebs placed fifth with an injury default by Cole Sanderson of Iowa State at 157 pounds. At 174 pounds, John Hardy placed sixth after being pinned by Steven Schenk of Wyoming in 5:11.
MINNESOTA WINS ALL 10 WEIGHT CLASS TITLES AT THE BISON OPEN: The Golden Gopher wrestling team opened up its season at the Bison Open tournament in Fargo, N.D., Saturday by winning all 10 weight class titles. The tournament is an open competition in which wrestlers compete unattached.
Starting at 125 pounds, sophomore All-American Leroy Vega won his third straight Bison Open title with a technical fall decision over Tom Grafstrom of Minnesota State University at Mankato 19-4. At 133 pounds, junior Brett Lawrence defeated North Dakota State's Kris Nelson 11-3.
Sophomore Chad Erikson won the title at 141 pounds with a decision over fellow Golden Gopher teammate Ty Friederichs 6-3. Redshirt freshman Jared Lawrence won his first Bison Open title at 149 pounds with an 8-4 decision over Brian Zehren of the University of Mary. At 157 pounds redshirt freshman Luke Becker defeated Justin Currie of Mary with a 15-7 major decision.
Junior Brad Pike won his third straight Bison Open title at 165 pounds with a 12-3 major decision over Grady Wolf of North Dakota State University. At 174 pounds senior Delaney Berger defeated Jeremy Engelhardt of Mary 9-3 to win his fourth straight Bison Open title.
Freshman Damion Hahn of Lakewood, N.J., won the 184- pound title with a 9-2 decision over Steve Saxlund of North Dakota State. At 197 pounds sophomore Owen Elzen pinned Nick Severson of North Dakota State in 1:16. To close out the sweep was senior All-American Brock Lesnar who won his third straight Bison Open title at heavyweight with a 3-2 decision over teammate freshman Garrett Lowney.
Several other Golden Gophers also competed in the Bison Open. Freshman Trent Hatlevig placed fifth at 141 pounds, defeating Derek Weigel of Mary 7-2. Freshman Andrew Miller also competed at 141 pounds.
Freshman Jacob Volkmann placed fifth at 157 pounds after pinning senior Golden Gopher Dustin Berger in 3:48. Redshirt freshman Mitch Marr place fourth after losing to Wyane Mooney of North Dakota State 7-3 in the third place match. Freshman John Radabaugh, senior Eddie Pak, junior Josh Krebs and freshman Chris Halbrook also competed at 157.
At 184 pounds, sophomore Mike Cuperus placed third after defeating Travis Nagel of Minnesota State, Mankato, 6-2. Redshirt freshman Steve Bartlett competed at 197 pounds, but did not place. Also competing but did not place was freshman heavyweight Mike Flanagan.
LESNAR RANKED NO. 1 IN INTERMAT'S LATEST POLL: Senior Brock Lesnar, the runner- up at the NCAA Championships last year at heavyweight, returns this year as the No. 1ranked wrestler in that weight class. Two Golden Gophers are ranked second overall. Sophomore All-American Leroy Vega is ranked second at 125 pounds and senior All-American Brandon Eggum is also ranked second at 184 pounds. At 149 pounds, redshirt freshman Jared Lawrence is ranked 10th overall and at 197 pounds, sophomore Owen Elzen is ranked ninth overall.
Junior Brett Lawrence is ranked 10th at 133 pounds and sophomore Chad Erikson is ranked 15th at 141 pounds. Redshirt freshman Luke Becker is ranked 18th at 157 pounds. Sophomore John Hardy is ranked 17th at 165 pounds and senior Delaney Berger is ranked 20th at 174 pounds.
AMATEUR WRESTLING NEWS ALSO RANKS GOLDEN GOPHERS: Sophomore Leroy Vega is ranked second at 125 pounds according to Amateur Wrestling News. Ranked 16th overall at 133 and 141 pounds respectively is junior Brett Lawrence and sophomore Chad Erikson. Senior Delaney Berger is ranked 20th overall at 174 pounds and senior Brandon Eggum is ranked second at 184 pounds.
At 149 pounds, freshman Jared Lawrence is ranked 13th and at 157 pounds freshman Luke Becker is ranked 16th. At 197 pounds, sophomore Owen Elzen is ranked 12th overall and at heavyweight Brock Lesnar owns the top spot. These rankings were released Nov. 30, 1999.
GOLDEN GOPHERS SIGN FOUR TOP RECRUITS: The University of Minnesota wrestling team announced the signing of three top recruits to join the Golden Gophers in the 2000-2001 wrestling season. Nate Baker, Josh McLay, Nick Zajac and Tyler Marr have all signed national letters of intent.
Baker, a native of Jackson, Minn., is a two-time Minnesota State High School champion at 152 pounds at Jackson County High School, while being ranked No. 1 in the nation at that weight. He will wrestle at 160 pounds this season.
Hastings, Minn., native Josh McLay will also join the Golden Gophers in 2000-2001. McLay is a two-time Minnesota State High School champion at Hastings High School. He is a Junior National Champion as well. This season he will wrestle at 160 pounds.
Zajac, also of Hastings, Minn., is a Cadet World Team member wrestling at 171 pounds. He is a Minnesota State High School placewinner at Hastings High School.
Marr, a native of Wyoming, Minn., was a Minnesota State High School runner-up last year at 160 pounds for Forest Lake High School. Marr is the younger brother of current redshirt freshman Mitch Marr and former Golden Gopher All-American Troy Marr.
MINNESOTA IS RANKED PRESEASON POLLS: The Golden Gophers are ranked fifth in InterMat's latest poll which came out Dec. 1, 1999. Iowa State is ranked No. 1 followed by Iowa at No. 2. Oklahoma in third and Oklahoma State is ranked fifth.
Minnesota is also ranked third according to the NWCA poll, which came out Dec. 1, 1999. Iowa State is ranked No. 1 in that poll followed by Iowa in second. Oklahoma is ranked fourth and Illinois rounds out the top five.
