Hoosiers Open Big Ten Season

1/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

Bloomington, Ind. - Indiana's winningest coach Duane Goldman and the Indiana wrestling team opens their Big Ten season against the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday at 7 p.m. CST and the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday at 2 p.m. CST. Additionally, IU will face Missouri Baptist following its dual meet against NU.

Last weekend, Indiana reeled off six straight victories to improve to 15-3 on the season. Goldman became the program's all-time winningest coach as the Hoosiers swept three opponents at the Indianapolis Duals on Sunday. IU defeated Carson-Newman, 47-0, Cumberland, 40-3 and Indianapolis, 46-6. Goldman, in his 12th season, now has 146 career victories (146-79-4 overall), surpassing Charlie McDaniel's total of 145 wins (145-139-11).

On Saturday, the Hoosiers disposed of Duke 31-8, Eastern Michigan, 20-17 and Truman State, 35-8.

HOOSIER REPORT
Overall, six Hoosier wrestlers posted undefeated records over the weekend. Redshirt freshman Josh Buuck (HWT) and sophomore Nick Spatola (133) went 6-0, while sophomore Brady Richardson (174) finished with a 5-0 mark. Junior Pat DeGain (197) ended competition with a 4-0 record with sophomore Joe Dubuque and true freshman Pat Barth adding 3-0 marks at 125.

In addition, the Hoosiers have five wrestlers ranked nationally. Senior Coyte Cooper (26-1) is the highest ranked at No. 5 along with ninth-ranked DeGain (20-3), 13th-ranked Richardson (21-5), 14th-ranked Dubuque (21-2) and 17th-ranked junior Andy Rios (21-5).

HOOSIER OPPONENTS
Wisconsin: U-W heads into Friday evening's Big Ten opener with IU ranked No. 13 by InterMat. The Badgers are 13-2 on the season.

Last weekend, Wisconsin went 4-1 at the Virginia Duals, picking up a pair of victories over then-No. 20 Purdue to go along with wins over Lock Haven and Rider. The Badgers only defeat came at the hands of then-No. 3 Lehigh, 20-15.

Three Badger grapplers are ranked nationally, led by Ralph DeNisco at 174. DeNisco is ranked 12th with a 12-6 overall record and 7-2 dual mark. The senior has five pins and two major decisions.

Joining DeNisco in the rankings are Tom Clum and Ed Gutnik. Clum, a sophomore, is 17th at 125, boasting an 18-3 record (13-1 duals) with five major decisions and four pins. Gutnik is ranked 18th at 133 with a 14-6 record (9-4 duals). The sophomore has four major decisions and two pins this season.

Northwestern: The Wildcats enter the weekend with an 8-2 overall record and an 0-1 mark in Big Ten action. Before welcoming the Hoosiers, NU will host the 17th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers on Friday.

NU lost its league opener to Iowa, 39-4 on Saturday. Freshman Nick Hayes was the lone Wildcat to earn a victory against the Hawkeyes. Hayes is 6-3 on the season with two major decisions.

John Velez is the only Wildcat ranked nationally, sitting 10th at 125 pounds. The sophomore is an impressive 24-5 with six major decisions, six pins and six technical falls. His 24 wins rank second in the nation at 125, one victory shy of Mark McKnight's (Buffalo) total of 25.

Missouri Baptist: In addition to Northwestern, the Hoosiers will face Missouri Baptist in Evanston. The Spartans are a member of the American Midwest Conference and finished 14th at the 2003 NAIA National Tournament. Junior Will Raffe became the school's first wrestling All-American last season.

Head Coach Duane Goldman
Duane Goldman is entering his 12th season at the helm of Indiana wrestling.

Goldman served as an assistant under former Indiana head coach and current Michigan head coach, Joe McFarland, before being elevated to the top spot in 1992. Prior to arriving in Bloomington, he spent a year as an assistant at the United States Military Academy (Army).

As a collegiate wrestler, he was dominant while under the tutelage of legendary head coach Dan Gable at the University of Iowa. In his four years as a Hawkeye, Goldman accumulated a 132-10 career record, winning four Big Ten Championships, and was a four-time NCAA All-American. After three consecutive second-place finishes, he won the NCAA Championship in his final season at 190 lbs. After winning the NCAAs, Goldman won the gold medal at the Pan-American Championships in 1987 and was a member of the 1987 World Cup Team. In addition, he served as an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team in 1988.

As the head coach for the Hoosiers, Goldman has had 28 different wrestlers named
Academic All-Big Ten, 43 qualifiers to the NCAA Championship, highlighted by a school record eight in 1994. Of the 43 qualifiers to the NCAAs, Goldman has had nine wrestlers earn All-America status, including a 1996 Big Ten champion and NCAA finalist, Roger Chandler, and most recently, Viktor Sveda in 1999 and 2001. Kevin Stanley also earned All-America status in 2001 after finishing sixth at 165. Additionally, the Hoosiers set a new school record for wins in a season with 16 in 1997. The 2002-03 team tied this record again as Goldman led them to a 16-9 record.

During the summer of 2000, Goldman accompanied former assistant coach Charles Burton to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he served as an assistant coach and workout partner.

Goldman and his wife, Patricia, have three children, daughters Aphten and
Avery and son, Garret.

Assistant Coach Mike Mena
Mike Mena is in his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Indiana wrestling program. Mena came to Indiana after spending three years training with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, coached by the legendary Dan Gable. He trained in international freestyle wrestling and operated his own youth wrestling school full-time, where he coached several state and national champions.

Mena is currently a U.S. National Team member at 55 kilos. He earned that spot by placing second at the U.S. World Team Trials in Indianapolis, Ind. He is a three-time U.S. freestyle national team member.

Mena graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 as a four-time All-American with a career record of 118-24. He was a national finalist in 1997 and captured a Big Ten title in 1995. Additionally, Mena was a three-time Big Ten Finalist and won Midlands titles in 1994 and 1995.

Assistant Coach Reggie Wright
Wright is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Hoosiers. Wright's main duties include working with the middle weights on their technique.

The Chicago, Ill., native was a three-time wrestling All-American during his tenure at Oklahoma State. In addition, Wright was a Big 12 champion for three consecutive years, wrestling in the 145-pound class. He also placed fourth in the U.S. Open in 2003 and is currently training for the Olympics.

Volunteer Assistant Butch Hildebrand
Hildebrand is in his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Indiana wrestling team. A 2000 IU graduate, Hildebrand was a four-year starter on the Hoosiers wrestling squad.

Aside from his wrestling duties, Hildebrand also serves in the United States Marine Corps. He was recently deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom to Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Hildebrand and his wife Sara, a three-time athlete of the year at IU and U.S. Olympic diver, reside in Bloomington.

Goldman Sets Wins Record
Hoosiers head coach Duane Goldman became the program's all-time winningest coach as the Hoosiers swept three opponents at the Indianapolis Duals on Jan. 18. Goldman, in his 12th season, picked up his 146th career victory (146-79-4 overall), surpassing Charlie McDaniel's total of 145 wins (145-139-11).

In his career, he has compiled 10 winning season and reached the double-digit win plateau 10 times.

Additionally, 43 wrestlers have qualified for the NCAA Championships and 28 grapplers earned Academic All-Big Ten honors under Goldman's direction.

Scouting The Competition
Wisconsin owns a 24-23 lead in the all-time series against the Hoosiers, but IU holds an 11-10 advantage in Madison. Indiana has won its last two trips to Madison and five of its last six meetings against the Badgers, dropping last season's matchup in Bloomington, 33-6.

The Hoosiers own a 39-26-4 advantage in the all-time series against Northwestern, including a 24-13-2 edge in Evanston, Ill. IU has won five straight against the Wildcats and three straight in Evanston. Last season, Indiana dispatched of NU, 28-9 in Bloomington.

Hoosiers In The Rankings
Senior Coyte Cooper is ranked fifth in the national rankings, making him the highest ranked Hoosier. Joining Cooper in the rankings are junior Pat DeGain (ninth), sophomores Brady Richardson (13th) and Joe Dubuque (14th) and junior Andy Rios (17th).

In addition, Dubuque's six pins are tops in the nation at 125 pounds and his 21 victories are good for seventh, while Cooper is second at 141 with 11 pins and third with 26 victories. DeGain is sixth with 20 victories in the 197-pound division and fifth with six pins, and Richardson is fifth with 21 wins at 174. Rios is seventh with 20 victories at 184.

Streaking Hoosiers
After their performances this past weekend, three Hoosier grapplers extended their current winning streaks. Joe Dubuque went 3-0, maintaining his perfect record in dual
action as well. Dubuque has won 20 straight matches after beginning the season 1-2. He is also 15-0 in dual action.

In addition, Brady Richardson picked up five victories in five matches and currently rides a 13-match winning streak into Big Ten action. Richardson is 21-5 overall and 15-2 in dual meets.

Meanwhile, heavyweight Josh Buuck won his eighth straight match after a perfect 6-0 weekend. The redshirt freshman is 8-0 in the heavyweight division.

Cooper's Streak Stopped
No. 5 Coyte Cooper lost his first match of the season to Jermaine Thompson of Eastern Michigan (7-6) on Jan. 17. The loss snapped the senior's winning streak at 23 matches. Since the loss, Cooper has rebounded and continued his All-American campaign with three consecutive victories and sits at 26-1 on the year and 16-1 in dual action.

Moving Up The Charts
Coyte Cooper and Pat DeGain are climbing up the Indiana career wins and pins lists. With 26 victories this season, Cooper now has 108 in his career, moving into third place on IU's all-time career wins list, three behind Kevin Stanley's mark of 111 victories. The senior's 11 pins have moved him into third place on the school's career pins list. Cooper now has 37 in his career, three pins behind former Hoosier standout Roger Chandler.

In addition to compiling a 20-3 record, DeGain netted his 23rd career pin against Tony Lyssiotis of EMU last weekend. The junior now sits in a tie for ninth place on the career list with former Hoosier Gene Denisar, one pin behind Pat Cassidy's total of 24.

Buuck Provides A Boost
Josh Buuck continues to dominate in the heavyweight division. The redshirt freshman reeled off six straight victories, including a decisive 9-6 victory over Tim Breyer of Eastern Michigan in the Hoosiers' 20-17 win over EMU. Buuck entered the Wendy's Duals on Jan. 11 having only wrestled at 197 on the season, but has remained in the heavyweight division after improving to 8-0 as a heavyweight and 11-4 overall.

All-American Candidate
Coyte Cooper has kicked off his All-American campaign in style. The fifth-ranked wrestler in the nation at 141 pounds has raced off to a 26-1 start, winning individual championships at the season-opening Missouri Open on Nov. 23 and the Northern Iowa Open on Dec. 5. Cooper has 11 pins and eight major decisions in his 26 victories.

Wrestling at the Wendy's Duals
IU went 2-1 at the Wendy's Duals on Jan. 11, downing VMI, 31-6 and knocking off No. 25 Pittsburgh, 19-13 before falling to Ohio, 25-15.

Senior Coyte Cooper (141) and sophomores Brady Richardson (174) and Joe Dubuque (125) went 3-0 on the day, while redshirt freshman Josh Buuck picked up two wins in his first action of the season in the heavyweight division.

Back At The Buckeye Duals
IU put forth a solid showing at the Buckeye Duals, going 2-1 in its three matches. The Hoosiers dropped its match against No. 12 Ohio State, 29-17 before rebounding with wins over Buffalo, 27-8 and Bloomsburg, 23-15. On the day, Coyte Cooper, Pat DeGain, Joe Dubuque and Brady Richardson posted undefeated 3-0 records.

Return To The Mat
Sophomores Matt Cooper and Nate McMillin returned to the mat for the first time at the Buckeye Duals since suffering injuries at the season-opening Missouri Open. Cooper went 2-1 in three matches at 157, downing Chris Tate of Bloomsburg, 7-3 and defeating Casey Burchfield of Buffalo, 15-13.

McMillin participated in three matches as well and has competed in nine matches since the event, recording a 5-4 record at 165.

Home Cooking
The Hoosiers improved to a perfect 5-0 in dual action at home after sweeping three meets on Dec. 14. IU defeated Wabash, 38-12, Eastern Illinois, 32-13 and Gardner-Webb, 37-13. Joe Dubuque, sophomore Cameron Sakon, Coyte Cooper, Andy Rios and Pat DeGain swept all three of their matches.

Four Finish First
IU concluded a successful weekend at the Northern Iowa Open, claiming four individual titles and placing a total of nine wrestlers in the top six in their weight classes. Coyte Cooper won his second title of the season at 141 pounds and second-straight championship at the UNI Open, dropping second-seeded Jason Rhoten from Minnesota State in the title match. Joining Cooper in the winner's circle were Joe Dubuque (125), Andy Rios (184) and Pat DeGain (197).

Brady Richardson finished runner-up at 174, while redshirt freshman Matt McIntire earned a fourth-place finish at 149. Sophomore Joel Powers (HWT) and freshman Brian Dyer (133) both turned out fifth-place performances, and junior J.P. Stanley carded a sixth-place finish in the 157-pound weight class.

Dubuque Picks Up First Title
By winning the 125-pound class at the Northern Iowa Open, Joe Dubuque collected his first collegiate victory to add to an already impressive career resume.

The Bloomfield, N.J., native swept five consecutive matches, defeating Chris Helegassen of Northern Iowa en route to the championship. Last season, Dubuque compiled a 23-5 record as a redshirt freshman with seven major decisions and three pins.

Freshman Sensation
Brian Dyer, a true freshman out of Naperville, Ill., turned in an impressive performance at last weekend's Northern Iowa Open in the first action of his collegiate career. Despite dropping his first match, Dyer rebounded with five victories before losing his final two matches for a fifth-place finish at 133.

Brothers In Arms
Last year, the Cooper brothers reunited in Bloomington when Matt joined his older brother Coyte on the squad. Wrestling as a true freshman last season, Matt went 17-22 at 149 pounds. Meanwhile, Coyte enjoyed an incredible season, compiling a 38-5 record and qualifying for his third consecutive NCAA Championship.

In their second season together, the two enjoy pushing each other and seeing each other succeed. Coyte is off to a 26-1 start to the campaign at 141 pounds, while Matt is 9-6 at 157 pounds.

IU In The Polls
The Hoosiers are sitting just outside the Top 25 in two polls, receiving votes in the InterMat Top 25 and the NWCA Top 25. In the InterMat poll, eight of Indiana's opponents this season are ranked, while seven IU foes are ranked in the NWCA poll. In addition, two IU opponents are receiving votes in both polls. Overall, nine Big Ten teams are ranked in the InterMat poll and eight are ranked in the NWCA poll.

Dominating Dual
Indiana opened its dual meet season at home on Nov. 29 with victories over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Manchester. The Hoosiers dominated both clubs, knocking off Manchester, 32-6 and beating SIU-Edwardsville, 36-9. Seven Hoosiers swept a pair of matches including Joe Dubuque, Coyte Cooper, J.P. Stanley, Tim Falls, Brady Richardson, Andy Rios and Joel Powers.

Opener At Mizzou
The Hoosiers opened their season on Nov. 23 with a strong showing at one of the nation's most competitive events, the Missouri Open. Coyte Cooper captured his second collegiate title after rolling off four straight victories to win the championship at 141.

Four other IU wrestlers garnered top-five finishes in their respective weight classes. Matt McIntire placed second (149), Andy Rios netted third (184), Cameron Sakon finished fourth (141) and Brady Richardson claimed fourth (174).