University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Capture Third Consecutive Big Ten Wrestling Championship
3/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
In addition to its three champions, Minnesota had two-runners up (Lewis, Volkmann), one fourth-place finisher (Lowney) and two fifth- place finishers (Lowe, Phillips).
With the team win, Minnesota became the first Golden Gopher wrestling team to capture three consecutive titles and the first Big Ten team to three-peat since Iowa in 1996-98. Becker and Hahn each repeated as conference champions and Lawrence grabbed his second career crown after winning first in 2001. The team championship was Minnesota's 10th in school history and fourth under Head Coach J Robinson.
After Minnesota with 126.5 points was Iowa (121), Penn State (111.5), Michigan State (92.5), Illinois (92), Michigan (90.5), Purdue (84.5), Ohio State (84), Wisconsin (71.5), Indiana (36) and Northwestern (12). Minnesota's margin of victory of 5.5 was the smallest since 1993 when Iowa edged Penn State, 128-123.5.
At 133 pounds, Iowa's No 2 seeded Cliff Moore posted his second career win over Lewis, downing the Golden Gopher, 3-1, in sudden victory overtime. After the two grapplers traded escapes during regulation, Moore took Lewis down 11 seconds into the extra frame to capture his first Big Ten title. Lewis suffered his first loss since the National Duals and failed to defend his 2002 conference crown. Moore also defeated Lewis in the season-opener in St. Paul, Minn. Lewis moves to his second NCAA tournament.
The Golden Gophers captured their first individual title of the day as Lawerence shut out No. 2 Ty Eustice, 4-0, at 149 pounds. Lawrence posted a takedown early in the first period and racked up 2:25 advantage time to stay unbeaten over the Hawkeye. With the win, Lawrence won his second Big Ten individual title of his career (2001). Lawrence has now won 18 consecutive matches since a loss to top-ranked Eric Larkin of Arizona State in January. Lawrence advances to the NCAA Championships as the defending 149-pound champion.
Becker succesfully defended his 2002 Big Ten crown, defeating No. 4 Gray Maynard of Michigan State, 6-3, at 157 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Becker took a 3-0 lead in the second period with an escape and takedown. Maynard came back to tie the bout at three before Becker scored via an escape and takedown in the match's final minute. Becker moves on to his fourth NCAA Championships as the defending 157-pound champion.
At 165 pounds, top-ranked Matt Lackey won his second consecutive Big Ten title, defeating Volkmann, 5-3. Lackey tallied a takedown midway through the first period and didn't allow a UM takedown. Volkmann's runner-up finish was his best performance at the conference tournament after placing fourth in 2001 and third in 2002. Volkmann also qualified for his third NCAA Championships.
The Maroon and Gold won their third Big Ten championship of the day as No. 2 seed Hahn downed No. 1 Nik Fekete of Michigan State, 8-3. Hahn scored three takedowns in the first two periods to take a 7-1 lead and repeat as conference champion. Hahn took home the 184-pound crown in 2002.
In the consolation bracket, Minnesota went 1-2 in the semifinals, advancing heavyweight Garrett Lowney to the third-place match, while Bobbe Lowe (125 pounds) and Derek Phillips (141) lost to move on to the fifth-place matches. Lowney, the No. 3 seed, posted two takedowns and allowed none to down No. 5 Greg Wagner of Michigan. No. 8 seed Lowe was pinned by No. 6 Tony Black of Wisconsin in 4:03 and No. 3 Phillips fell to Tyler Laudon of Wisconsin, 11-8.
In the fifth-place match at 125 pounds, Lowe lost to Iowa's Luke Eustice, 3-1, to take sixth place. Lowe qualified for the NCAA Championships with his top-seven finish. At 141 pounds, Phillips used a reversal and two-point near fall to down No. 5 Ryan L'Amoreaux of Michigan State, 5-2. Finally, at heavyweight, Lowney lost 3-1 to No. 4 Pat Cummins of Penn State to finish in fourth place.
For full brackets, go to www.bigten.org or www.uwbadgers.com.
2003 Big Ten Championships - Session III and Finals
March 8-9, 2003
Madison, Wis. * UW Fieldhouse
Championship bracket finals results
133 - No. 2 Cliff Moore (IOWA) dec. No. 1 Ryan Lewis (MINN), 3-1 SVO
149 - No. 1 Jared Lawrence (MINN) dec. No. 2 Ty Eustice (IOWA), 4- 0
157 - No. 2 Luke Becker (MINN) dec. No. 4 Gray Maynard (MSU), 6-3
165 - No. 1 Matt Lackey (ILL) dec. No. 3 Jacob Volkmann (MINN), 5- 3
197 - No. 2 Damion Hahn (MINN) dec. No. 1 Nik Fekete (MSU), 8-3
Play-by-play
133 - No. 1 Ryan Lewis (MINN) vs. No. 2 Cliff Moore (IOWA)
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Lewis starts down; Lewis escape 0:05 (1-0); Advantage time Moore 0:05
3rd period: Moore starts down; Moore escape 0:17 (1-1); Advantage time Lewis 0:11
Overtime: Moore takedown 0:11 (1-3)
Final: Moore dec. Lewis, 3-1 SVO
149 - No. 1 Jared Lawrence (MINN) vs. No. 2 Ty Eustice (IOWA)
1st period: Lawrence takedown 0:29 (2-0); Advantage time Lawrence 2:29
2nd period: Lawrence starts down; Lawrence escape 0:04 (3-0); Eustice stall warning; Advantage time Lawrence 2:25
3rd period: Neutral start; Advantage time Lawrence 2:25 (4-0)
Final: Lawrence dec. Eustice, 4-0
157 - No. 2 Luke Becker (MINN) vs. No. 4 Gray Maynard (MSU)
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Becker starts down; Becker escape 0:23 (1-0); Becker takedown 1:50 (3-0); Advantage time Maynard 0:15
3rd period: Maynard starts down; Maynard escape 0:09 (3-1); Maynard takedown 0:53 (3-3); Becker escape 1:06 (4-3); Becker takedown 1:33 (6-3); Advantage time Becker 0:08
Final: Becker dec. Maynard, 6-3
165 - No. 3 Jacob Volkmann (MINN) vs. No. 1 Matt Lackey (ILL)
1st period: Lackey takedown 1:17 (0-2); Volkmann escape 1:29 (1-2); Advantage time Lackey 0:12
2nd period: Lackey starts down; Lackey escape 0:07 (1-3); Lackey takedown 0:38 (1-5); Volkmann escape 0:40 (2-5); Volkmann stall warning 1:30; Advantage time Lackey 0:08
3rd period: Volkmann starts down; Volkmann escape 0:08 (5-3); Advantage time Lackey 0:16
Final: Lackey dec. Volkmann, 5-3
197 - No. 2 Damion Hahn (MINN) vs. No. 1 Nik Fekete (MSU)
1st period: Hahn takedown 0:08 (2-0); Fekete escape 1:28 (2-1); Hahn takedown 2:54 (4-1); Advantage time Hahn 1:25
2nd period: Hahn starts down; Hahn escape 0:28 (5-1); Hahn takedown 0:52 (7-1); Advantage time Hahn 2:05
3rd period: Neutral start; Fekete stall warning; Fekete takedown 1:52 (7-3); Advantage time Hahn 2:02 (8-3)
Final: Hahn dec. Fekete, 8-3
Consolation bracket semifinals results
125 - No. 6 Tony Black (WIS) pinned No. 8 Bobbe Lowe (MINN), 4:03
141 - Tyler Laudon (WIS) dec. No. 3 Derek Phillips (MINN), 11-8
HWT - No. 3 Garrett Lowney (MINN) dec. No. 5 Greg Wagner (MICH), 4-1
Consolation bracket finals results
125 Fifth-place match - No. 4 Luke Eustice (IOWA) dec. No. 8 Bobbe Lowe (MINN), 3-1
141 Fifth-place match - No. 3 Derek Phillips (MINN) dec. No. 5 Ryan L'Amoreaux (MSU), 5-2
HWT Third-place match - No. 3 Garrett Lowney (MINN) vs. No. 4 Pat Cummins (PSU)
Play-by-play
125 Fifth-place match - No. 8 Bobbe Lowe (MINN) vs. No. 4 Luke Eustice (IOWA)
1st period: Eustice takedown 2:57 (0-2); Advantage time Eustice 0:02
2nd period: Eustice starts down; Eustice escape 0:42 (0-3); Advantage time Lowe 0:39
3rd period: Lowe starts down; Lowe escape 0:30 (1-3); Eustice stall warning; Advantage time Lowe 0:09
Final: Eustice dec. Lowe, 3-1
141 Fifth-place match - No. 3 Derek Phillips (MINN) vs. No. 5 Ryan L'Amoreaux (MSU)
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Phillips starts down; Phillips reversal 0:17 (2-0); Phillips 2 pt near fall 1:01 (4-0); Phillips stall warning 1:32; Advantage time Phillips 1:22
3rd period: L'Amoreaux starts down; L'Amoreaux escape 0:13 (4-1); Phillips stall warning (4-2); Advantage time Phillips 1:35 (5-2)
Final: Phillips dec. L'Amoreaux, 5-2
HWT Third-place match - No. 3 Garrett Lowney (MINN) vs. No. 4 Pat Cummins (PSU)
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Cummins starts down; Cummins escape 0:04 (0-1); Lowney takedown 0:34 (2-1); Cummins escape 0:46 (2-2); Cummins stall warning; Advantage time Lowney 0:14
3rd period: Lowney starts down; Lowney stall warning; Advantage time Cummins 1:45 (2-3)
Final: Cummins dec. Lowney, 3-2
Final team standings
1. Minnesota 126.5
2. Iowa 121
3. Penn St. 111.5
4. Michigan St. 92.5
5. Illinois 92
6. Michigan 90.5
7. Purdue 84.5
8. Ohio St. 84
9. Wisconsin 71.5
10. Indiana 36
11. Northwestern 12
