University of Minnesota Athletics
WRESTLERS FINISH SECOND AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
3/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota's first championship match featured redshirt freshman Jared Lawrence at 149 pounds against the No. 3 seeded Adam Tirapelle of Illinois. In the first period, Lawrence and Tirapelle wrestled to a 0-0 tie. Lawrence struck first in the second period scoring a point on an escape to take the lead 1-0. Tirapelle scored an escape in the second period and then a takedown in the third to win the match with a 4-2 decision.
Following Lawrence's loss at 149 pounds was his counterpart redshirt freshman Luke Becker at 157 pounds vs. No. 1-ranked and No. 1-seeded T.J. Williams of Iowa. Williams, undefeated in the previous two seasons, was too much for Becker, defeating him with a 10-4 decision.
At 165 pounds junior Brad Pike, seeded second, faced the No. 1 seeded Don Pritzlaff of Wisconsin. Pike making his first appearance in the Big Ten Championships, wrestled Pritzlaff close, but did not have enough to beat him losing the match 6-2.
At 184 pounds, senior Brandon Eggum showed up ready to go to find out Nate Patrick of Illinois was unable to compete due to an injury suffered during his previous match. Eggum won his second consecutive Big Ten title by injury default.
The heavyweight final was a rematch between senior All-American Brock Lesnar and senior Wes Hand of Iowa. Two weeks ago Hand defeated Lesnar 5-3 in Minneapolis, giving Lesnar his first loss on the season. Lesnar held on this time to beat Hand 2-1 and win his second consecutive Big Ten title, qualifying for his third NCAA Championships.
The morning began with consolation matches starting at 125 pounds. Sophomore All-American Leroy Vega, the third seed, found himself wrestling A.J. Grant of Michigan to compete for a spot in the third place match. Midway through the first period, Vega led the match 7-0. At the end of two periods, Vega increased his lead to 10-0. Vega finished the match shutting out Grant with a 14-0 major decision. Vega then faced the No. 5 seeded Pat Cassidy of Indiana for third place.
Vega struck first on Cassidy scoring a takedown to lead 2-0. At the end of the first period, Vega led the match 2-1. At the end of two periods, the score was tied at two. Vega chose the down position to start the third period and scored a quick point on the escape. Vega held on to win the match 3-2 to finish in third place. With the win, Vega qualified for his second NCAA Championships.
At 133 pounds, junior Brett Lawrence, the fourth seed, found himself wrestling the No. 6 seeded Evan Robinson of Purdue for a spot in the third place match. After one period of wrestling, the score was tied at three. At the end of the second Robinson led the match 5-4. Robinson held on to win the match with a 9-5 decision. Lawrence's next opponent was No. 8 seeded David Stoltz of Illinois for fifth place.
In the first period of the fifth place match, the score remained tied at zero. After two periods of wrestling, Lawrence led the match 1-0, but Stoltz had over a minute of riding time advantage. Lawrence held on to a 1-0 lead late in the third period, but Stoltz scored four quick points to defeat Lawrence with a 4-1 decision. Lawrence finishes sixth place and qualifies for his first NCAA Championships.
At 174 pounds, senior Delaney Berger, the sixth seed, faced the No. 1 seed Kole Clauson of Wisconsin. Clauson led the match 1-0 after two periods receiving a point for an escape. Midway through the third period, Berger also scored a point on an escape to tie the score at 1-1. The score at the end of regulation was tied at 1-1. In the overtime session, Clauson got a hold of Berger and scored two points on the takedown to win the match 3-1. Berger faced Charles Martelli of Michigan for fifth place. Berger took fifth place on a medical forfeit by Martelli and will qualify for his second consecutive NCAA Championship.
The final consolation match in the first round was sophomore Owen Elzen, seeded fifth, against No. 3 seeded Viktor Sveda of Indiana. At the end of the first period, Sveda led the match 2-1 after scoring the matches lone takedown. Sveda scored a series of quick takedowns to increase his lead to 8-3 with over two minutes of riding time in the third period. Sveda went on to win the match with a 10-5 decision over Elzen. Elzen faced Illinois' Pat Quirk again for fifth place after upsetting him earlier in the tournament 6-5.
In the first period, Elzen led the match 2-1. At the end of two periods the score was tied at two. Elzen held on to win the match 3-2 over Quirk and place fifth. Elzen qualifies for his first NCAA Championship.
The championship finals of the Big Ten Championships will air at 2 a.m. Monday, March 6 and again Sunday, March 12, at noon CST on Fox Sports Chicago.
2000 Big Ten Championships Purdue University -- West Lafayette, Ind. ** All rankings are based on seedings Team Scores: 1. Iowa 139.5 2. Minnesota 132.5 3. Illinois 96.5 4. Michigan State 87.5 5. Michigan 73.0 6. Northwestern 51 7. Wisconsin 48 8. Ohio State 47.5 Penn State 47.5 10. Indiana 45 11. Purdue 23 Coach of the Year: Jim Zalesky, Iowa Wrestler of the Championships: Jody Strittmatter, Iowa Championship Finals: 125 -- No. 2 Jody Strittmatter (IOWA) dec. No. 1 Jeremy Hunter (PSU) 3-2 133 - No. 1 Eric Juergens (IOWA) dec. No. 2 Pat McNamara (MSU) 4-2 141 - No. 2 Doug Schwab (IOWA) dec. No. 1 Scott Schatzman (NW) 5-2 149 - No. 3 Adam Tirapelle (ILL) dec. No. 1 Jared Lawrence (MINN) 4-2 157 - No. 1 T.J. Williams (IOWA) dec. No. 2 Luke Becker (MINN) 10-4 165 - No. 1 Don Pritzlaff (WIS) dec. No. 2 Brad Pike (MINN) 6-2 174 - No. 4 Mark Bybee (NW) dec. No. 3 Gabe McMahan (IOWA) 9-2 184 - No. 1 Brandon Eggum (MINN) def. No. 3 Nate Patrick (ILL) injury default 197 - No. 1 Nick Muzashvili (MSU) dec. No. 2 Nick Preston (OSU) 8-3 HWT - No. 2 Brock Lesnar (MINN) dec. No. 1 Wes Hand (IOWA) 2-1 Minnesota Consolation Results: 125 - No. 3 Leroy Vega (MINN) maj. dec. A.J. Grant (MICH) 14-0 133 - No. 6 Evan Robinson (PUR) dec. No. 4 Brett Lawrence (MINN) 9-5 174 - No. 1 Kole Clauson (WIS) dec. No. 6 Delaney Berger (MINN) 3-1 OT 197 - No. 3 Viktor Sveda (IU) dec. No. 5 Owen Elzen (MINN) 10-5 Third place: 125 - No. 3 Leroy Vega (MINN) dec. No. 5 Pat Cassidy (IU) 3-2 Fifth Place: 133 - No. 8 David Stoltz (ILL) dec. No. 4 Brett Lawrence (MINN) 4-1 Fifth Place: 174 - No. 6 Delaney Berger (MINN) def. Charles Martelli (MICH) won by medical forfeit Fifth Place: 197 - No. 5 Owen Elzen (MINN) dec. No. 4 Pat Quirk (ILL) 3-2
