Wolverines Ranked in Top 10 of Two Preseason Polls
10/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Olson, a 1999 NCAA finalist, is ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings for the second consecutive season. Last year he was undefeated before going down via injury default to Northern Iowa's Randy Pugh at the Virginia Duals (Jan. 8, 2000) with a knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year. Olson has a career record of 97-24 with 17 falls.
Brink is the only returning All-American from last year's squad, and his No. 3 ranking is the highest of his career. He placed eighth at the 2000 NCAA Championships in St. Louis and was third at the Big Ten Conference Championships in West Lafayette, Ind. Brink had a 27-14 overall record and was 11-5 in duals last season.
The Intermat poll has eight Wolverines ranked out of the 10 weight classes. The Amateur Wrestling News, which does not rank freshman or redshirt freshman wrestlers in its preseason list, has six Wolverines in its polls.
Besides Olson and Brink, the Maize and Blue has four other grapplers listed in both polls: A.J. Grant (Clarkson, Mich./Clarkston HS) is 10th in AWN and 18th in Intermat at 125, Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) is 15th in AWN and 17th in Intermat at 149, Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) is 11th in both at 184, and Joe DeGain (White Lake, Mich./Clarkston HS) is 14th in AWN and 15th in Intermat at 197.
Redshirt freshman Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) and Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) are ranked in the Intermat poll, with Dowd slotted ninth at 133 and Forward ranked 15th at 141.
The Wolverines were fifth in the Big Ten and finished the 13th at the NCAA Championships last season. They compiled a 12-3-1 overall record and were 5-2-1 in the Big Ten. The Maize and Blue will begin this year's campaign at the Eastern Michigan Open on Nov. 4 in Ypsilanti, Mich.
| Intermat Poll (Preseason, 10/16/00) 1. Iowa 2. Minnesota 3. Iowa State 4. Oklahoma State 5. Illinois 6. Oklahoma 7. MICHIGAN 8. Lehigh 9. Nebraska 10. Michigan State 11. Arizona State 12. Lock Haven 13. Edinboro 14. Boise State 15. Pennsylavania 16. Northern Iowa 17. Hofstra 18. Ohio State 19. Oregon State 20. Pittsburgh 22. Wisconsin 23. Virginia Tech 23. Purdue 24. Indiana 25. Penn State | Amateur Wrestling News (Preseason, 10/19/00) 1. Iowa 2. Iowa State 3. Minnesota 4. Oklahoma State 5. Illinois 6. Nebraska 7. Oklahoma 8. Lehigh MICHIGAN Arizona State 11. Boise State 12. Edinboro 13. Hofstra 14. Michigan State 15. Pennsylvania 16. Fresno State 17. Pittsburgh Virginia Tech Ohio State 20. Wisconsin |
Contact: Jason Binge (734) 763-4423
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