March 2, 2009
- Big Ten Championships Brackets
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
- 2008-09 UI wrestling media guide
- 2009 NCAA Championships Information
- 2009 NCAA Championships Tickets
- Big Ten Network highlights
PARK RIDGE, IL — Three Hawkeyes earned top preliminary seeds for this weekend’s Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Penn State. Conference officials announced the preliminary seeds, which are determined by a vote amongst the conference’s head wrestling coaches after consideration of regular-season results, Monday afternooon. The official Big Ten Championships bracket will be set on Friday.
Five different schools are represented as No. 1 seeds in the 10 weight classes. Iowa and Wisconsin lead the way with the most top seeds at three apiece, while Northwestern features two wrestlers atop the preliminary seeding chart. Overall, of the 10 No. 1 seeds, nine rank among the top three in the nation in the latest USA Today/NWCA/InterMat Poll.
Hawkeye juniors Daniel Dennis (133), Brent Metcalf (149) and Dan Erekson (Hwt.) earned the top pre-seeds at their respective weight classes. Metcalf brings a 29-0 record to the tournament and is on a 61-match winning streak. The defending Big Ten champion at 149 pounds, he was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Wrestler of the Championships in 2008. Dennis enters the tournament with a 25-2 record and has won his last 10 matches. Erekson is 18-6 this season.
The other top pre-seeds are Zach Tanelli (141), Andrew Howe (165) and Dallas Herbst (197) from Wisconsin, Brandon Precin (125) and Jake Herbert (184) from Northwestern, Michael Poeta (157) from Illinois and Steve Luke (174) from Michigan.
Hawkeye senior Charlie Falck (125) and junior Jay Borschel (174) each earned the second seed at their respective weight classes, while senior Alex Tsirtsis (141) and juniors Ryan Morningstar (165), Phillip Keddy (184) and Chad Beatty (197) are seeded third.
The top-ranked Hawkeyes, who are the defending team champions, will vy for their 33rd Big Ten title at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center. Wrestling is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. (CT) Saturday and 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday. The Big Ten Network will air a live broadcast of Sunday’s finals at 1 p.m. (CT). Results will be available at www.bigten.org and www.gopsusports.com throughout the tournament.
2009 BIG TEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS PRELIMINARY SEEDS
125 lbs.
1. Brandon Precin, NU
2. Charlie Falck, IOWA
3. Angel Escobedo, IND
4. Brad Pataky, PSU
5. Zachary Sanders, MINN
6. Nikko Triggas, OSU
7. Michael Watts, MICH
8. Bernard Futrell, ILL
133 lbs.
1. Daniel Dennis, IOWA
2. Franklin Gomez, MSU
3. James Kennedy, ILL
4. Jayson Ness, MINN
5. Reece Humphrey, OSU
6. Jake Strayer, PSU
7. Zac Stevens, MICH
8. Carson Beebe, PUR
141 lbs.
1. Zach Tanelli, WIS
2. Kellen Russell, MICH
3. Alex Tsirtsis, IOWA
4. Mike Thorn, MINN
5. J Jaggers, OSU
6. Keith Sulzer, NU
7. Ryan Prater, ILL
8. Andrae Hernandez, IND
149 lbs.
1. Brent Metcalf, IOWA
2. Bubba Jenkins, PSU
3. Lance Palmer, OSU
4. Kyle Ruschell, WIS
5. Jake Patacsil, PUR
6. Andrew Nadhir, NU
7. Nick Walpole, IND
8. Eric Terrazas, ILL
157 lbs.
1. Michael Poeta, ILL
2. Jason Welch, NU
3. Kurt Kinser, IND
4. Tyler Safratowich, MINN
5. Jason Johnstone, OSU
6. Aaron Hynes, MICH
7. Anthony Jones, MSU
8. Ben Jordan, WIS
165 lbs.
1. Andrew Howe, WIS
2. Colt Sponselier, OSU
3. Ryan Morningstar, IOWA
4. Roger Smith-Bergsrud, ILL
5. Luke Manuel, PUR
6. Dan Villamont, PSU
7. Paul Young, IND
8. Rex Kendle, MSU
174 lbs.
1. Steve Luke, MICH
2. Jay Borschel, IOWA
3. Quentin Wright, PSU
4. Dave Rella, OSU
5. John Dergo, ILL
6. Trevor Perry, IND
7. Robert Kellogg, NU
8. Ian Hinton, MSU
184 lbs.
1. Jake Herbert, NU
2. Mike Pucillo, OSU
3. Phillip Keddy, IOWA
4. Jordan Blanton, ILL
5. A.J. Kissel, PUR
6. Anthony Biondo, MICH
7. Nick Palmieri, MSU
8. Eric Bugenhagen, WIS
197 lbs.
1. Dallas Herbst, WIS
2. Tyrel Todd, MICH
3. Chad Beatty, IOWA
4. Gordon Bierschenk, MINN
5. Patrick Bond, ILL
6. Matt Powless, IND
7. Logan Brown, PUR
8. John Schoen, NU
HWT
1. Dan Erekson, IOWA
2. Ben Berhow, MINN
3. Kyle Massey, WIS
4. John Wise, ILL
5. Nate Everhart, IND
6. Corey Morrison, OSU
7. Edwin Phillips, MICH
8. Chris Kasten, PUR