University of Minnesota Athletics
MINNESOTA WRESTLERS FINISH THIRD AT MIDLANDS CHAMPIONSHIPS
12/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Leroy Vega (125 pounds), Jared Lawrence (149) and Luke Becker (157) each took home second-place honors. Vega, seeded first, compiled a 4-1 record in the tournament, falling to two-time World Champion and 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Alexis Vila of Cuba, 6-5, in the championship match. Lawrence, also seeded first, lost to No. 2 Mike Zadick of Iowa, 5-2, in the title bout. It was Lawrence's first loss on the year as he moved his record to 14-1 overall. Becker, seeded second, fell to No. 1 seed Yoshi Nakamura of Penn, 5-3, in the championship match. Becker, now 16-1 overall, also suffered his first loss of the season.
At 165 pounds, redshirt freshman Nate Baker captured fifth place, going 6-2 in the tournament and winning by medical forfeit over Aidek Pardakulov of Central Missouri in his final bout. Third-seeded John Hardy fell to Baker in the consolation round by medical forfeit. At 174 pounds, third-seeded Jacob Volkmann failed to place and suffered his first losses of the season. He is now 13-2 overall. Redshirt freshman Josh McLay went 1-2 and also did not place.
Second-seeded Damion Hahn finished fourth at 184 pounds, losing to No. 3 Jessman Smith of Iowa, 5-3, in his final match. Hahn, 13-6 overall on the year, was 5-2 for the event. At 197 pounds, No. 3 seed Owen Elzen captured fourth place, falling to Jon Trenge of Lehigh, 6-5, in the third-place match. Elzen also got his first losses on the season. Now 15-2, Elzen lost to No. 2 seed Lee Fullhart of Team Excel in the semifinals.
Also wrestling for Minnesota were Trent Hatlevig (141 pounds), Jake Avre (149), Tyler Marr (157) and Drew Hageman (184). The Golden Gophers take on 25th-ranked Oregon State on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Sports Pavilion in nonconference dual meet action.
