Weekly Release #2

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., Dec. 6-7 -- at Cliff Keen Invitational (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Saturday, Dec. 14 -- vs. Cleveland State (Cliff Keen Arena), 7:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun., Dec. 28-29 -- at Midlands Invitational (Evanston, Ill.)
Saturday, Jan. 4 -- vs. Oregon (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.

Wolverines Head to the Desert
The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team will take its yearly trip to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the 21st annual Cliff Keen Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 6-7) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This season, Michigan returns to the Cliff Keen Invitational as the defending champions, having earned its first top finish at the tournament in 18 previous appearances. The Wolverines are coming off a dominant 26-12 victory in their season opener against Lehigh two weeks ago (Nov. 22), in which U-M collected victories in its first six matches to gain a 23-point edge over the Mountain Hawks. Fifth-year senior Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) capped the Wolverine victory with a 6-4 upset win over then No. 1-ranked Jon Trenge at 197 pounds.

The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. PST on Friday with the pigtail round, immediately followed by the first and second rounds and the consolation pigtails at 10 a.m. Wrestling will resume on Friday evening at 7 p.m. with the quarterfinals and first and second consolation rounds. On Saturday, the consolation third round is slated for 9 a.m. and will be immediately followed by the semifinal and consolation fourth round, as well as the consolation semifinals and finals, which will determine the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth place-winners for each weight class and are expected to begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday evening will feature the championship finals, determining the top four place-winners for each weight, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

This year's field at the Cliff Keen Invitational will feature 45 of the top collegiate wrestling programs in the nation, including two-time defending national champion and No. 1-ranked University of Minnesota, No. 11 University of Missouri and No. 13 University of Nebraska as well as other Big Ten rivals No. 9 University of Illinois, No. 6 Ohio State University, No. 23 Purdue University and No. 25 University of Wisconsin.

Tournament History
Michigan has competed in the annual tournament 19 times dating back to 1983, missing only the first year of the tournament in 1982. Formerly the known as the Las Vegas Hall of Fame, the tournament was renamed the Cliff Keen Invitational in 1993 to honor former Michigan wrestling coach and collegiate wrestling icon Cliff Keen.

Michigan has placed fifth or better in eight of the last nine seasons at the annual tournament. The Wolverines' starting lineup will feature six grapplers with experience as well as four newcomers to the invitational.

Tentative Starting Lineup

Wgt.	Wrestler	Yr./Elig.	Record at CKI
125	A.J. Grant	Sr./Sr.	14-5
133	Foley Dowd	Sr./Jr.	10-3
141	Clark Forward	Sr./Jr.	5-4
149	Jeremiah Tobias	Jr./So.	0-0
157	Ryan Bertin	Jr./So.	6-1
165	Pat Owen	Sr./Jr.	1-2
174	R.J. Boudro	So./Fr.	0-0
184	Willie Breyer	So./Fr.	0-0
197	Kyle Smith	5th/Sr.	7-5
Hwt	Greg Wagner	So./Fr.	0-0

Last Season at the Cliff Keen Invitational
Last season, the Wolverines collected 163 team points to take the first-place title at the Cliff Keen Invitational for the first time in their 18 years of competing at the annual event. Prior to last season, the highest Wolverine finish had been fourth place, a finish U-M repeated seven times, most recently in 1998. Leading the Maize and Blue to their first title were sixth-year senior Otto Olson, who took the individual crown at 174 pounds and senior captain Andy Hrovat, who accomplished the same feat at 184 pounds. Other Wolverines with high finishes were sophomore Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School), who finished as runner-up at 133 pounds, redshirt freshman Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS), who finished third at 157 pounds, junior Mike Kulczcycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward HS), who collected a fourth-place finish at 149 pounds, and juniors A.J Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) and Kyle Smith, both with fifth-place finishes at 125 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively.

Wolverines at the Cliff Keen Invitational

Season	Place	Points	Champions
2001-02	1st	163	Otto Olson (174), Andy Hrovat (184)
2000-01	10th	54	None
1999-2000	Fifth	96	Joe Warren (133), Otto Olson (174)
1998-99	Fourth	90.5	None
1997-98	Fourth	101	Jeff Catrabone (167), Airron Richardson (Hwt)
1996-97	Fourth	102	Jeff Catrabone (167)
1995-96	Fourth	89.5	None
1994-95	Fifth	N/A	N/A
1993-94	Fourth	81	Sean Bormet (158), Steve King (Hwt)
1992-93	Eighth	50	None
1991-92	Fifth	75.75	None
1990-91	Fifth	N/A	None
1989-90	Sixth	67.75	None
1988-89	Fourth	79.5	John Fisher (134), Joe Pantaleo (158)
1987-88	Fourth	92.5	None
1986-87	Fifth	75.5	Doug Wyland (118)
1985-86	Eighth	60	None
1984-85	Fifth	103	Joe McFarland (126)
1983-84	Seventh	53	None

Trio of Captains Named to Lead in 2002-03
For the seventh time in Michigan wrestling history, the Wolverines will have tri-captains as senior A.J. Grant and fifth-year seniors Mike Kulczycki and Kyle Smith have been named by the U-M coaching staff to lead the 2002-03 squad.

Smith Earns Big Ten Weekly Honors
Fifth-year senior Kyle Smith won Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 18-24 for his performance in the Wolverines' dual meet against Lehigh (Nov. 22). Smith, in his first match of the 2002-03 campaign, scored a takedown late in the third period to earn a 6-4 upset victory over then No. 1-ranked Jon Trenge at 197 pounds. The distinction was the first career weekly honor for Smith and the first time since the 1998-99 season that a Wolverine wrestler has garnered such an award.

Starting Things with a Bang
The Wolverines extended their season-opener winning streak to seven consecutive years with their 26-12 victory over Lehigh. In the past 15 seasons, Michigan has started the season strong with a record of 13-2 in the first dual meet of the season. Through Michigan wrestling history, the Wolverines have now compiled a 53-25-2 record in their first dual meet, and U-M is 24-19 when it opens the season on the road.

Climbing up the Charts
Fifth-year senior Mike Kulczycki became just the 21st Michigan wrestler to join the Wolverines' prestigious 100-win club last season with a 12-3 major decision over Illinois' Ryan Berger at the Big Ten Championships (March 9-10). Kulczycki currently owns a career record of 103-34, placing him in the 20th spot on Michigan's career wins list, tied with two-time All-American Jesse Rawls Jr. and just one win shy of reaching the 18th spot, held by All-Americans Joe Warren and Mike Amine.

The Fall Guy
With three falls at the Michigan State Open (Nov. 9-10) and a fall in his first career dual meet against Lehigh (Nov. 22), junior/sophomore Jeremiah Tobias (Manchester, Mich./Manchester HS) brought his career falls total to 36 pins in his brief time at Michigan. After posting 15 falls in his first season and a Michigan-record of 17 falls last year, Tobias currently ranks seventh on Michigan's career falls list, only one shy of the sixth spot held by Dave Porter (1966-68).

Strength of Schedule
Michigan faces a tough field of competitors again this season, with eight of the Wolverines' 12 dual meet opponents ranked among the top 25 teams in the National Wrestling Coaches Association's preseason poll. No. 1 Minnesota leads the pack of ranked opponents, which also includes No. 6 Ohio State, No. 8 Lehigh, No. 9 Illinois, No. 16 Michigan State, No. 19 Central Michigan, No. 20 Penn State and No. 23 Purdue.

National Wrestling Coaches' Association
Division I Team Rankings (November 6, 2002)

Rank Team Points 1. Minnesota (11) 275 2. Oklahoma State 264 3. Iowa 245 3. Oklahoma 245 5. MICHIGAN 224 6. Ohio State 219 7. Iowa State 213 8. Lehigh 185 9. Illinois 178 10. West Virginia 172 11. Missouri 160 12. Arizona State 154 13. Nebraska 136 14. Northern Iowa 124 15. Edinboro 109 16. Michigan State 104 17. Cornell 92 18. Boise State 83 19. Central Michigan 78 20. Penn State 74 21. Pennsylvania 60 22. Hofstra 44 23. Purdue 39 24. Lock Haven 33 25. Wisconsin 26

Individual Rankings by Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News (12/3/02)

Wgt.	Wrestler	Intermat	AWN
125	A.J. Grant	8th	8th
133	Foley Dowd	6th	6th
141	Clark Forward	15th	16th
149	Mike Kulczycki	5th	NR
157	Ryan Bertin	3rd	4th
197	Kyle Smith	4th	4th