Michigan
NCAA Day 2
Olson to Wrestle for National Championship
3/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The University of Michigan wrestling program will enter the final day of the NCAA Championships with a chance for its first individual national champion since 1986 following the performance of sophomore Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) on Friday (March 20) on the second day of the national meet.
Olson advanced to the 174-pound national championship match by defeating West Virginia's Sam Kline in a tight 6-5 semifinal match. The title match will be a rematch between Olson and Glenn Pritzlaff of Penn State. Olson decisioned Pritzlaff 9-4 when the two met in Ann Arbor in the Feb. 19 Big Ten dual meet. With a victory Saturday night, Olson would become Michigan's first national champion since heavyweight Kirk Trost in 1986.
"We met three weeks ago and I was able to beat him," said Olson in reference to his Feb. 19 match with Pritzlaff. "But he came into Ann Arbor and won Big Ten's (March 6-7). It would be nice to be able to pay him back here at Penn State by winning NCAAs."
Also highlighting the second day of wrestling for the Maize and Blue were sophomore Damion Logan (Garfield, N.J./St. Joseph's Regional HS) and freshman Andy Hrovat (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward's HS), who earned All-America honors at 141 and 184 pounds, respectively, by assuring themselves of spots among the top eight in their weight classes.
Hrovat became the first Wolverine freshman to earn All-America honors since John Fisher in 1985 with his 5-3 overtime decision over seventh-seeded Mark Munoz of Oklahoma State. Munoz was the third seeded wrestler Hrovat defeated in the tournament. Hrovat will wrestle Mike Greenfield of Central Michigan for seventh place in Saturday's first session.
Logan was pinned by Harvard's Dustin Denunzio (1:09) following his pin of John Archuleta of Cal State-Bakersfield and will wrestle for seventh place Saturday morning against 10th-seeded Jose Deanda of Nebraska.
"I'm real pleased that we had three All-Americans," commented Michigan head coach Dale Bahr. "It follows what we've had the past three or four years when we've had three or four each year.
"I like the future of Michigan wrestling because all three of the All-Americans are underclassmen. Hrovat is a freshman and the other two are sophomores. Additionally, I've had two national champions while I've been here and it would be nice to go out with a third."
The three All-America efforts boosted Michigan into a tie with Pennsylvania for 10th place in the team standings, with 36 points. The Big Ten Conference dominates the team leaderboard, with Big Ten champion Minnesota (89.5) in first place, followed by Iowa (86) and host Penn State (74.5).
Saturday's (March 20) competition begins with the consolation finals at 11 a.m., and the championship finals are slated to start at 6:30 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center. Complete results are available on Penn State's NCAA Championships site.
Top Team Scores (After Day 2)
1. Minnesota 89.5 2. Iowa 86 3. Penn State 74.5 4. Iowa State 68 5. Oklahoma State 67 Oklahoma 67 7. Central Michigan 55.5 8. Cal State-Bakersfield 52.5 9. West Virginia 40 10. MICHIGAN 36 Pennsylvania 36 12. Boise State 34 13. Illinois 32 Northern Iowa 32 15. Arizona State 30Michigan Results (Day 2)
#5 Joe Warren (133)
Wrestleback Consolations -- pinned Brandon York (Maryland), 4:09
Wrestleback Consolations -- dec. Zach Zimmer (Stanford), 10-8
Wrestleback Consolations -- dec. by No. 6 Eric Juergens (Iowa), 4-2
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
#5 Damion Logan (141)
Quarterfinals -- dec. by No. 4 Michael Lightner (Oklahoma), 6-3
Wrestleback Consolations -- pinned Jon Archuleta (Cal State Bakersfield), 6:34
Wrestleback Quarterfinals -- pinned by Dustin Denunzio (Harvard), 1:09
Seventh-Place Match -- vs. Jose Deanda (Nebraska), Saturday morning
#5 Otto Olson (174)
Quarterfinals -- maj. dec. Perry Parks (Iowa State), 11-0
Semifinals -- dec. No. 8 Sam Kline (West Virginia), 6-5
Championship Finals -- vs. No. 2 Glenn Pritzlaff (Penn State), Saturday night
Andy Hrovat (184)
Quarterfinals -- pinned by No. 1 Cael Sanderson (Iowa State), 5:24
Wrestleback Consolations -- dec. No. 7 Mark Munoz (Oklahoma State), 5-3 (SV)
Wrestleback Quarterfinals -- dec. by John Van Doren (Lehigh), 7-3
Seventh-Place Match -- vs. No. 10 Mike Greenfield (Central Michgan), Saturday morning
