Michigan
Big Ten Session III
Olson Wins Big Ten Title, Helps Michigan Finish Fourth
3/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Senior Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) won the 174-pound title and eight University of Michigan wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships as the Big Ten Championships wrapped up Sunday (March 4) at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena. The third-ranked Wolverines finished the team competition with 109 points, good for fourth place behind Minnesota (124.5), Illinois (110.5) and Iowa (101.5).
Olson became the 109th Wolverine to win an individual Big Ten championship, defeating Ohio State's Ryan Heiber 6-3 in the final. Olson had two takedowns in the win. He is Michigan's first champion since 1998, when 150-pounder Bill Lacure (1995-98) and heavyweight Airron Richardson (1995-98) both won.
Also qualifying for the NCAA Championships by placing in the top seven in their respective weight classes were Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edwards HS), third at 149 pounds; Joe DeGain (White Lake, Mich./Clarkston HS), fourth at 197 pounds; Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS), fourth at heavyweight; A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS), fifth at 125 pounds; Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS), fifth at 165 pounds; Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edwards HS), fifth at 184 pounds; and Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS), seventh at 157 pounds.
Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) and Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) just missed NCAA qualification, finishing eighth at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Forward, who lost a close 6-5 match with Illinois' Mike Castillo, will be traveling to the NCAA Championships as the Big Ten's second alternate.
Five Michigan wrestlers entered Sunday's action in the consolation semifinals, where two wins would produce a third-place finish. Kulczycki, DeGain and Brink won their first matches, but only Kulczycki was victorious in final round, defeating Ohio State's Keaton Anderson 11-5 and avenging his Feb. 11 loss (fall, 3:56) to the Buckeye. DeGain and Brink both lost their third-place matches and finished fourth.
In fifth-place action the Wolverines knocked off three Buckeyes as Martelli, Hrovat and Grant all qualified for the NCAA Championships. Martelli won by a medical forfeit after Ohio State's John Clark was injured in his consolation semifinal. Hrovat edged Anton Talamantes (3-2) for his second win against the Buckeye this season (Feb. 11, 13-5 major decision), and Grant shut out Kore Sharpley 5-0 for the second time this season (Feb. 11, 8-0 major decision).
Owen won his seventh-place match over Northwestern's Jason Erwinski 9-4 to qualify for his first trip to the NCAA Championships.
Hrovat and Brink will be making their third straight trips to the NCAA Championships, while Grant, Kulczycki and Martelli are heading to nationals for the second consecutive year. Olson, the 1999 NCAA runner-up at 174 pounds, will be making his second NCAA Championships appearance. He missed most of the 2000 season with a knee injury.
U-M, whose eight NCAA qualifiers are its most in one year since 1989, will compete at the NCAA Championships on March 15-17 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Final Team Standings
Number of NCAA qualifiers in parentheses
1. Minnesota (10) 154.0 2. Illinois (9) 130.5 3. Iowa (8) 129.5 4. MICHIGAN (8) 109.0 5. Ohio State (10) 104.5 6. Wisconsin (5) 75.0 7. Michigan State (6) 65.0 8. Indiana (5) 59.5 9. Purdue (5) 50.0 10. Penn State (6) 35.0 11. Northwestern (0) 6.0
Michigan Results
Numbers listed are rankings by Intermat (2/27/01)
#9 A.J. Grant (125)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. #16 Jason Silverstein (Purdue), 6-0
Semifinals C major dec. #2 Jody Strittmatter (Iowa), 10-1
Consolations C dec. by #17 Ryan Escobar (Illinois), 7-2
Fifth Place C dec. #19 Korey Sharpley (OSU), 5-0
Finished in 5th place with 3-1 record
#9 Foley Dowd (133)
First Round C Bye
Quarterfinals C dec. by #8 Evan Robinson (Purdue), 15-8
Consolations C dec. Brian Smiley (Indiana), 7-1
Consolations C dec. Marat Tomaev (PSU), 3-1
Seventh Place C major dec. by Jeff Ratliff (OSU), 15-7
Finished in 8th place with 2-2 record
#8 Clark Forward (141)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals C dec. by #1 Doug Schwab (Iowa), 4-2
Consolations C major dec. Eric Narkiewicz (PSU), 17-4
Consolations C dec. by #14 Mike Castillo (MSU), 6-4
Seventh Place Match C dec. by #12 Mike Castillo (Illinois), 7-6
Finished in 8th place with 1-3 record
#15 Mike Kulczycki (149)
First Round C major dec. Ryan Cumbee (Northwestern), 18-6
Quarterfinals C dec. #8 Mike Zadick (Iowa), 8-5
Semifinals C dec. by #2 Adam Tirapelle (Illinois), 6-3
Consolation Semifinals C dec. #17 Carl Nadolsky (MSU), 7-5
Third Place C dec. #12 Keaton Anderson (OSU), 11-5
Finished in 3rd place with 4-1 record
Pat Owen (157)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - major dec. by #7 Luke Becker (Minnesota), 12-4
Consolations C dec. Aaron Wright (PSU), 7-2
Consolations C dec. Josh Janson (OSU), 13-8
Seventh Place C dec. Jason Erwinski (Northwestern), 9-4
Finished in 7th place with 3-1 record
#10 Charles Martelli (165)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. by #9 Kevin Stanley (Indiana), 14-7
Consolations C pinned Corey Posey (MSU), 4:16
Consolations C dec. Kirk Moore (Purdue), 6-2
Consolation Semifinals C major dec. by #7 Brad Pike (Minnesota), 14-4
Fifth Place C medical forfeit over John Clark (OSU)
Finished in 5th place with 3-2 record
#2 Otto Olson (174)
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals C pinned Ryan Lewis (Wisconsin), 1:05
Semifinals C dec. #12 Jacob Volkmann (Minnesota), 3-2
Championship C dec. Ryan Hieber (OSU), 6-3
Finished in 1st place with 3-0 record
#6 Andy Hrovat (184)
First Round - pinned Brenden Curran (Northwestern), 1:14
Quarterfinals - major dec. #18 Ralph DeNisco (Wisconsin), 10-2
Semifinals C dec. by #2 Nate Patrick (Illinois), 9-5
Consolation Semifinals C dec. by #9 Jessman Smith (Iowa), 10-7
Fifth Place C dec. #20 Anton Talamantes (OSU), 3-2
Finished in 5th place with 3-2 record
#10 Joe DeGain (197)
First Round C major dec. Jarek Horton (Wisconsin), 10-2
Quarterfinals C dec. by #13 Pat Quirk (Illinois), 3-1
Consolations C major dec. Will Marcantel (Northwestern), 10-2
Consolations C dec. Pete Mielnik (PSU), 3-1
Consolation Semifinals C dec. #19 Ty Matthews (Indiana), 6-3
Third Place C tech. fall by #7 Owen Elzen (Minnesota), 15-0
Finished in 4th place with 4-2 record
#3 Matt Brink (Hwt)
First Round C pinned Mike Keenan (MSU), 5:48
Quarterfinals C pinned Josh Saul (Northwestern), 5:55
Semifinals C dec. by #2 Garrett Lowney (Minnesota), 4-2
Consolation Semifinals C dec. #18 Jacob Vercelli (Purdue), 3-1
Third Place - dec. by #1 Tommy Rowlands (OSU), 5-2
Finished in 4th place with 3-2 record
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
