University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHER WRESTLERS WIN FIRST BIG TEN TITLE SINCE 1959
3/8/1999 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
In addition to winning the first team title since 1959, head coach J Robinson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and senior Tim Hartung, who captured his third Big Ten title, was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.
Three individual Golden Gophers walked away with Big Ten plaques. At 184 pounds, junior Brandon Eggum captured his first Big Ten title with a 6-3 decision over Penn State1s Ross Thatcher. Eggum will go on to compete in his second NCAA Championships. At 197 pounds, Hartung defended his Big Ten title with a 2-1 decision over Iowa1s Lee Fullhart. Following Hartung was junior Brock Lesnar at heavyweight who won the title with a 7-0 decision over Illinois1 Karl Roesler to clinch his first Big Ten title. Lesnar will be making his first appearance at the NCAA Championships in two weeks.
Along with three individual title winners, two other Golden Gophers reached the championship match in their weight classes. Senior Troy Marr found himself in his first Big Ten final at 149 pounds with No. 1-ranked T.J. Williams of Iowa. Marr wrestled a tough match, but fell 8-3 and placed second. He qualified for his third NCAA Championships. At 165 pounds, senior Josh Holiday also found himself in the championship match against Wisconsin1s Don Pritzlaff. Holiday and Pritzlaff wrestled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. In the overtime period, Pritzlaff scored a nearfall and a takedown and defeated Holiday 5-1. Holiday also qualified for his third NCAA Championships.
In addition to those five, two Golden Gophers placed third. Freshman Leroy Vega won a close 3-1 overtime decision over Northwestern1s Dominic Caruso at 125 pounds to place third. Vega qualified for his first NCAA Championships. At 157 pounds, No. 1-ranked senior Chad Kraft defeated Purdue1s Willie Wineberg 8-3 to take third place. Kraft also qualified for his fourth NCAA Championships.
Senior Bart Golyer wrestled his way to fifth place with a 12-0 major decision over Penn State1s Nate Parker at 133 pounds. Golyer qualified for his first NCAA Championships. At 174 pounds, junior Delaney Berger placed sixth after dropping a 10-2 major decision to Michigan State1s Will Hill in the fifth place match. Berger also qualified for his first NCAA Championships.
The lone Golden Gopher to not qualify for the NCAA Championships was freshman Chad Erikson at 141 pounds. Erikson sprained his ankle in the second match of the tournament. He wrestled his way to the seventh place match, but dropped a 7-6 decision to Michigan State1s Issac Miller to finish eighth.
Minnesota will send nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Iowa and Penn State will also send nine athletes and Wisconsin and Illinois will send eight athletes to the NCAA Tournament.
