Weekly Release #11

Upcoming Schedule
Sat-Sun., March 9-10 -- at Big Ten Championships (Champaign, Ill.)
Thu-Sat., March 21-23 -- at NCAA Championships (Albany, N.Y.)

Wolverines Prepare for the Big Ten Championships
The University of Michigan wrestling squad will head to Champaign, Ill., to participate in the 2002 Big Ten Championships, hosted by the University of Illinois on Saturday and Sunday (March 9-10) at Assembly Hall. The Wolverines finished off their conference schedule on Sunday (Feb. 24) with a 29-7 win over Michigan State to post a 16-3 dual meet record and a 7-1 Big Ten dual record. Michigan heads into the Big Ten Championships on a roll, having won seven consecutive conference dual meets after losing its Big Ten opener against Minnesota (Jan. 25).

The Big Ten Championships will take place in three sessions over two days. On Saturday (March 9), the first session will begin at noon CST with the first round and quarterfinal matches of all weight classes. Consolation and semifinal matches for all weights will begin at 7 p.m. CST on Saturday night. The Sunday (March 10) session will feature consolation and championship finals beginning at 11 a.m. CST for all weights.

Michigan at the Big Ten Championships
The University of Michigan has produced 11 Big Ten champion teams (1929, '38, '44, '53, '55, '56, '60, '63, '64, '65, '73) and has produced the second-most individual champions (109) in the conference (Iowa is first with 176). Michigan has finished in the top five eight of the past nine seasons, but has not finished higher than its second-place finish in the 1990-91 season.

Last season, the Wolverines were in Evanston, Ill., to square off against the Big Ten field after compiling a dual record of 17-3-1 and a Big Ten dual record of 7-1. Michigan finished in fourth place (109), behind champion Minnesota (154), Illinois (130.5) and Iowa (129.5).

Individually at last season's tournament, Michigan was led by senior captain Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS), who compiled a 3-0 record to take the 174-pound title and become the first Wolverine Big Ten champion in three seasons. Also placing high for U-M were A.J. Grant (5th, 125 pounds), Mike Kulczycki (3rd, 149 pounds), Charles Martelli (5th, 165 pounds), Andy Hrovat (5th, 184 pounds), Joe DeGain (4th, 197 pounds), and Matt Brink (4th, heavyweight).

2001 Final Team Standings

Place, Team (NCAA Qualifiers) Points 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

U-M in the Last 10 Big Ten Championships

YEAR PLACE POINTS SITE 2001 Fourth 109.00 Evanston, Ill. 2000 Fifth 73.00 West Lafayette, Ind. 1999 Fifth 76.50 Ann Arbor, Mich. 1998 Fourth 77.50 State College, Pa. 1997 Fifth 59.50 Minneapolis, Minn. 1996 Seventh 57.00 East Lansing, Mich. 1995 Fifth 73.00 Bloomington, Ind. 1994 Fourth 65.50 Iowa City, Iowa 1993 Fifth 75.50 Columbus, Ohio 1992 Sixth 66.25 Madison, Wis. 1991 Second 92.50 Champaign, Ill.

Weight Class Preview

125 pounds
With 28 overall wins this season, A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) is only three wins shy of tying his career-high mark, which he posted last season on the way to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Grant finished out his junior year strong, winning five of his last six matches, including three by major decision and posting a 5-3 Big Ten dual record.

133 pounds
In his sophomore season for the Wolverines, Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) proved to be one of collegiate wrestling's top individuals at the 133-pound weight class with a 23-6 record overall and a 14-5 dual record. Dowd started the season strong, with a first-place finish at the Michigan State open and a second-place effort at the Cliff Keen Invitational, helping the Wolverines win their first title. He also finished the dual season on a tear, winning six of his final seven matches and compiling a 6-2 Big Ten dual record. After an eighth-place finish at last season's Big Ten Championships and failing to qualify for the NCAA tournament, Dowd has something to prove as he prepares for this season's tournament. However, with six Big Ten wrestlers ranked in the top 10 nationally, he will face an extremely competitive.

141 pounds
After a quick start to the season, sophomore Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) found himself struggling in the competitive 141-pound weight class this season. Missing the final three dual meets of the season with a staph infection in his ankle, Forward looks to make his return just in time for the Big Ten Championships. After finishing eighth in the 141-pound bracket in last season's tournament and failing to qualify for the NCAA tournament, Forward has something to prove as he conditions for this season's conference tournament.

149 pounds
Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Mich./St. Edward HS) finished his dual meet season with wins in six of his final seven matches and posted a 6-2 Big Ten dual record. With two previous Big Ten Championships under his belt and two third-place finishes, Kulczycki looks to finish high again for the Wolverines and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

157 pounds
Redshirt freshman Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) has been a figure of consistency in his first season starting for the Wolverines. With his 31 wins this season Bertin has placed himself among Michigan's top rookie performances, already holding the sixth spot on the list of most wins by a freshman. Bertin enters the Big Ten Championships on a roll with a seven-match winning streak and an impressive 7-1 Big Ten dual record, with his only loss coming to Minnesota's Luke Becker.

165 pounds
After a slow start to the season, senior Charles Martelli (Napervile, Ill./North HS) is back in the mix, having won eight of his last 14 matches. At the National Duals (Jan. 19-20), Martelli blew away the competition, posting a 4-1 record, with his only loss coming to top-ranked Joe Heskett of Iowa State. The 165-pounder compiled a 3-5 Big Ten dual record, struggling against higher-ranked opponents and suffering three upsets to unranked opponents. With a 14-11 overall record in his senior season, Martelli is poised to make a strong showing at the Big Ten Championships.

174 pounds
In his sixth year of eligibility with the Wolverines, Otto Olson is capping off his collegiate career with one of the most remarkable seasons in Michigan wrestling history. Olson has rewritten much of the Michigan wrestling record book this season, moving into the second spot on the career wins list and claiming the top position in consecutive victories. Entering the post season tournaments with a perfect 33-0 record this year and a 35 consecutive match winning streak, Olson is the obvious favorite to take the 174-pound title at the Big Ten Championships.

184 pounds
Michigan captain Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edward HS) proved his place among collegiate wrestling's elite midway through the season, earning four upset victories in six matches to take his place on top of the 184-pound weight class in the national rankings. Since that time, Hrovat has been perfect, posting an 8-0 Big Ten dual meet record. At the Big Ten Championships, Hrovat has known great success, with top- seven finishes in each of his three previous appearances, including a third-place finish last season. With four Big Ten wrestlers ranked in the top six nationally, the 184-pound weight class will be a competitive field at the Big Ten Championships, but garnering the top seed, Hrovat will be the favorite to take the first-place title.

197 pounds
After starting the season unranked and virtually unrecognized by all major polls, junior Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) has impressed the collegiate wrestling community this season with huge wins over highly ranked opponents to work his way up to his current top-five national ranking. In his breakout season with the Wolverines, Smith has recorded a career-high 26 wins, doubling his previous career total. The 197-pounder has also set a new career high with eight major decisions and tied his career-high three falls in his junior year. Winning six of his last seven matches and posting a 6-2 Big Ten dual record, Smith is on a tear as he prepares for his first Big Ten Championships.

Heavyweight
After starting the season with a 11-match winning streak, including first-place titles at the Eastern Michigan Open (Nov. 3) and the Michigan State Open (Nov. 17-18), fifth-year senior Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS) was dealt a blow at the Cliff Keen Invitational on Nov. 30 with a knee injury that kept the heavyweight out of competition for one and a half months. Missing the first nine dual meets, Brink made his return to the mat at the National Duals (Jan. 20). In his first four bouts back from injury, he faced four opponents ranked in the top 20 nationally and lost four close matches. Brink did not give up, however, and his hard work has paid off in the senior's recent matches. He has ended his tumultuous dual season on a high note, winning last two bouts as the postseason tournaments approaches. No stranger to the Big Ten Championships, Brink has registered three top-six finishes in his three previous appearances, qualifying for the NCAA tournament each time. In his final season for the Wolverines, Brink looks to earn that honor one more time.

Michigan Finishes Second in Big Ten Standings
The Wolverines ended their dual meet season on a high note, defeating intrastate rival Michigan State 29-7 on Sunday (Feb. 24) to finish second in the Big Ten standings. The win gave Michigan a final dual meet record of 16-3 and a Big Ten dual record of 7-1. The Wolverines were nearly perfect in Big Ten duals this season, losing only to Minnesota in their Big Ten opener (Jan. 25) before winning seven consecutive meets against conference opponents.

2002 Big Ten Final Dual Standings

 School Big Ten Overall 1. Minnesota 8-0 19-0 2. MICHIGAN 7-1 16-3 3. Iowa 6-2 16-4 4. Ohio State 5-3 20-4 Illinois 5-3 12-4 6. Purdue 4-4 15-5 7. Wisconsin 3-5 11-10 Penn State 3-5 6-12 9. Michigan State 2-6 5-11 10. Indiana 1-7 10-11 11. Northwestern 0-8 7-13

In the Bonus
With big victory over Big Ten rival Michigan State last weekend, the Wolverines won five matches with bonus points, showing U-M's ability to dominate opponents. Of Michigan's 126 individual dual meet victories, 51 have come with bonus points. In those meets, Wolverine wrestlers compiled 41 major decisions, eight technical falls and six falls.

Wolverine Bonus Point Leaders (minimum 10 matches)

 WRESTLER WINS WINS W/BONUS Jeremiah Tobias 24 20 (83%) William Breyer 16 12 (75%) Otto Olson 33 22 (66%) Matt Brink 14 9 (64%) Andy Hrovat 33 19 (58%) Ryan Bertin 31 18 (58%)

Pinning Down the Competition
With Michigan wrestlers having already compiled 75 falls this season, the Wolverines have shattered the previous season team falls record of 65, which was recorded during the 1998-99 season. Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Tobias (Manchester, Mich./Manchester HS) leads the Wolverines with a record-breaking 17 falls this season.

2001-02 Michigan Falls Leaders

 1. Jeremiah Tobias 17 2. William Breyer 8 Andy Hrovat 8 4. Matt Brink 7 5. Pat Owen 6

McFarland's Winning Ways
With a record of 45-9-2 since taking over the helm of the Michigan wrestling team, third-year head coach Joe McFarland has moved into the third spot among wins by Michigan wrestling coaches, passing Rick Bay and Bill Johannesen, who both had 43 wins while coaching at Michigan. The only two coaches who have a greater number of victories are Cliff Keen and Dale Bahr, who have 272 and 221 wins, respectively.

100 for McFarland
With the Wolverines' 27-9 win over Michigan State on Sunday (Feb. 24), head coach Joe McFarland celebrated his 100th dual meet as a head coach on a high note. Prior to coming to Michigan, McFarland was the head coach at Indiana University for three season, where he led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships in 1990. In his career as a head coach, McFarland has compiled a 69-29-2 (.700) record.

On Top
The Michigan wrestling squad boasts two top-ranked wrestlers in back-to-back weight classes. At 174 pounds, Otto Olson holds a perfect 33-0 record this season and is 18-0 in dual meets. At 184 pounds, captain Andy Hrovat has compiled an overall record of 33-3 and is 16-2 in dual meets.

The Streak
With a win against Michigan State last weekend, Otto Olson extended his consecutive win streak to 35 matches, dating back to last season's NCAA Championships, in which Olson took third place by winning his final two matches in the consolation bracket. The 35-match streak is the longest in Michigan wrestling history, passing Norvard "Snip" Nalen, who recorded 34 consecutive wins from 1952 to 1954.

Climbing up the Charts
Collecting his 167th career win against Michigan State's Rashad Evans on Sunday (Feb. 24), sixth-year senior Otto Olson took sole possession of the second spot on Michigan's career wins list, breaking a tie head coach Joe McFarland, who collected 166 career wins (1980-85). Next in Olson's sights is the top spot, held by John Fisher (1984-88) with a record of 183-21.

Century Club
In addition to Otto Olson, two other Michigan wrestlers have made their places among the Wolverine elite by reaching 100 career wins this season. Senior captain Andy Hrovat earned his 100th career victory with a 7-6 decision over Michigan State's John Wechter at the Michigan State Open (Nov. 18). Hrovat is just the 19th wrestler in U-M history to accomplish the feat. After collecting a win against Michigan State, Hrovat has 126 career victories, taking sole possession of the eighth spot on the career wins list, passing Sean Bormet (125-21; 1990-94) and Scott Rechsteiner (125-51-2; 1981-86). Fifth-year senior heavyweight Matt Brink earned his 100th U-M career win against Northern Idaho's Chad Carboneau at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 30). Brink is the 20th wrestler in Michigan history to hit the 100-victory mark.

Century Club in Waiting
Next in line to earn 100 career wins is junior 149-pounder Mike Kulczycki. After compiling 28 wins this season, Kulczycki is only two wins shy of reaching his 100th career win. In his four years at Michigan, Kulczycki has a career record of 98-29.

Freshman Phenom
With 31 wins under his belt, redshirt freshman Ryan Bertin has taken sole possession of the eighth spot on Michigan's all-time freshman wins list, passing Sean Bormet, who earned a record of 30-9 in his freshman campaign in 1990-91, and teammate Andy Hrovat, who posted a 30-15 mark in 1998-99. Bertin is one win shy of the sixth spot, currently held by head coach Joe McFarland, who compiled a 32-8-1 record in 1980-81.

Doubling Up
After collecting his 26th win of the season on Sunday (Feb. 24) against Michigan State, junior Kyle Smith has doubled his career wins at Michigan. In his previous three seasons, Smith compiled a career mark of 26-13. Additionally, Smith has recorded a career-high seven major decisions this season and tied his career high with three falls.

The Fall Guy
After recording two falls en route to the 149-pound title at the Edinboro Open (Feb. 9), Jeremiah Tobias brought his season falls mark to 17, giving him the most falls in one season in Michigan wrestling history. Tobias passed Rob Rechsteiner, who previously held the top spot with16 falls in 1983-84. Last season, Tobias led the team with 15 falls, which tied for the second most in one season. The redshirt freshman has already compiled 32 career falls at Michigan and holds the seventh spot on Michigan's career falls list. Tobias is five falls shy of reaching the sixth spot, currently held by Dave Porter, 37, 1966-68.

IronMan
Earning a victory in the final dual meet of his career against Michigan State, senior captain Andy Hrovat did not miss a single dual meet match at 184 pounds in his four years at the Michigan. In that time, Hrovat has competed in 70 consecutive dual meets, compiling a career dual meet record of 57-13 (.814). Last season, Hrovat recorded 17 dual meet wins, which put him in a tie for ninth place for most dual meet wins in a season in Michigan wrestling history

NWCA Division I Coaches Poll (2/27/02)

Rank, Team Pts. W-L Prev. 1. Minnesota (11) 275 19-0 1 2. MICHIGAN 264 16-3 2 3. Iowa 250 16-4 3 4. Oklahoma State 242 20-3 4 5. Ohio State 228 20-4 5 6. Oklahoma 224 18-5 6 7. Iowa State 211 17-5 7 8. Pennsylvania 195 10-4 8 9. Missouri 186 18-3 9 10. West Virginia 177 11-2 10 11. Lehigh 156 14-6 12 12. Illinois 149 12-4 11 13. Lock Haven 135 17-4 14 14. Arizona State 132 9-5 13 15. Purdue 101 15-5 18 16. Edinboro 99 10-4 15 Northern Iowa 99 7-8 17 18. Wisconsin 94 11-10 16 19. Central Michigan 90 10-6 19 20. Fresno State 67 14-7 20 21. Michigan State 55 5-11 21 22. Hofstra 37 4-7 22 23. Penn State 31 6-12 23 24. Cornell 26 8-4 25 25. Pittsburgh 18 12-5 24

Rankings by Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News (3/5/02)

Wgt.	Wrestler	Intermat	AWN
125	A.J. Grant	8th	7th
133	Foley Dowd	6th	5th
149	Mike Kulcyzcki	6th	4th
157	Ryan Bertin	5th	5th
165	Charles Martelli	15th	11th
174	Otto Olson	1st	1st
184	Andy Hrovat	1st	1st
197	Kyle Smith	5th	5th
Hwt	Matt Brink	12th	13th