Four Hoosiers Advance to NCAAs

3/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

Columbus, Ohio - Joe Dubuque (125), Coyte Cooper (141), Brady Richardson (174) and Pat DeGain (197) will represent Indiana at the NCAA Wrestling Championships after placing in the top seven in their respective weight classes at the Big Ten Championships. Cooper and DeGain brought home third-place finishes, while Dubuque claimed fourth and Richardson earned fifth-place honors on Sunday afternoon.

Cooper will make his fourth straight trip to the NCAA Championships after his third-place finish. This is the senior's second third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships (2002), and it comes on the heels of his second-place finish last season.

After dropping his first match on Saturday, the eighth-ranked wrestler in the nation and third seed in the tournament won four consecutive matches to capture third place. On Sunday, Cooper downed fourth-seeded Tommy Owen of Minnesota by major decision, 13-3 in the consolation semifinals. The victory moved him into the third-place match, where he defeated the fifth seed, Tyler Laudon of Wisconsin, 4-2.

The Anacortes, Wash., native enters the NCAAs with a 38-3 overall record, matching his career high in victories (2003). Cooper now has 11 major decisions this season.

Dubuque advances to the NCAAs for the first time in his career. After missing the Big Ten Championship with a concussion last season, the sophomore put together an impressive performance en route to his fourth-place finish.

Following a 6-5 loss in the semifinals to top-seeded Luke Eustice of Iowa on Saturday, Dubuque bounced back with a 9-8 win over sixth-seeded Bobbe Lowe of Minnesota in his first match on Sunday. In the battle for third-place, the eighth-ranked wrestler in the country came up just short, falling to third-seeded Kyle Ott of Illinois, 6-4.

With his 2-2 record at the Championships, the Bloomfield, N.J., native is now 29-6 on the year.

Richardson, the 13th-ranked wrestler in the country, capped his breakout season, securing a fifth-place finish with an upset of fourth-seeded Ralph DeNisco of Wisconsin (9-4). The sophomore lost in the consolation semifinals to fifth-seeded Pete Friedl of Illinois, 12-5 before coming back to defeat DeNisco.

Ending the Big Tens with a 3-2 record, the Vincennes, Ind., heads to his first NCAA Championships with a 27-11 overall record, setting a career high in victories.

DeGain was the final Hoosier to move onto the NCAA Championships for the second time in his career. The ninth-ranked wrestler in the nation notched his best finish in three Big Ten Championships after picking up a pair of victories on Sunday.

In his first match, the Clarkston, Mich., native escaped with a 3-2 victory over Michigan State's Jeff Clemens in the consolation semifinals. The fourth seed then pinned the eight seed, Matt Delguyd of Northwestern, for third place.

Two years ago, DeGain finished fourth at the Championships. In 2003, an injury cut his run at a title short.

DeGain is now 26-6 on the year with nine pins. He finished the Big Tens with a 3-1 record to go along with two pins.

This marks the ninth time in 12 years at least four Hoosier grapplers have qualified for the NCAA Championships under head coach Duane Goldman.

Overall, the Hoosiers came in ninth place as a team, scoring 53.5 points. Indiana finished ahead of Michigan State (36) and Northwestern (33.5).

The NCAA Championships will be held in St. Louis on Thursday-Saturday, March 18-20.

Big Ten Championship Individual Results
125
#4 Joe Dubuque (IU) def. #5 Mark Moos (Michigan) MD, 17-6
#1 Luke Eustice (Iowa) def. #4 Joe Dubuque (IU) Dec., 6-5
#4 Joe Dubuque (IU) def. #6 Bobbe Lowe (Minnesota) Dec., 9-8
#3 Kyle Ott (Illinois) def. #4 Joe Dubuque (IU) Dec., 6-4 (THIRD PLACE MATCH)

133
#8 Nick Spatola (IU) def. Jon Ott (Northwestern) Dec., 11-7
#1 Foley Dowd (Michigan) def. Nick Spatola (IU) Fall, 4:20
Trent Goodale (Iowa) def. #8 Nick Spatola (IU) Fall, 6:05

141
#6 Michael Martin (Illinois) def. #3 Coyte Cooper (IU) Dec., 10-8 (SD)
#3 Coyte Cooper (IU) def. Theo Dotson (Ohio State) MD, 14-1
#3 Coyte Cooper (IU) def. DeWitt Driscoll (Penn State) Fall, 6:02
#3 Coyte Cooper (IU) def. Tommy Owen (Minnesota) MD, 13-3
#3 Coyte Cooper (IU) def. Tyler Laudon (Wisconsin) Dec., 4-2 (THIRD PLACE MATCH)

149
#5 Anton Dietzen (Illinois) def. Cameron Sakon (IU) MD, 12-2
#6 Dan Jankowski (Purdue) def. Cameron Sakon (IU) Dec., 6-2

157
#6 Matt Nagel (Minnesota) def. Matt Cooper (IU) Dec., 6-0
#4 Joe Johnston (Iowa) def. Matt Cooper (IU) Dec., 6-1

165
#6 Nick Hayes (Northwestern) def. Mike Sabatello (IU) Dec., 3-2
#5 Kelly Flaherty (Wisconsin) def. Mike Sabatello (IU) TF, 16-0

174
#3 Jon Duncombe (Minnesota) def. #6 Brady Richardson (IU) Fall, 5:59
#6 Brady Richardson (IU) def. Andrew Curran (Northwestern) Dec., 10-4
#6 Brady Richardson (IU) def. #7 Nick Roy (Michigan) Dec., 8-6 (SD)
#5 Pete Friedl (Illinois) def. #6 Brady Richardson (IU) Dec., 12-5
#6 Brady Richardson (IU) def. #4 Ralph DeNisco (Wisconsin) Dec., 9-4 (FIFTH PLACE MATCH)

184
#4 Blake Kaplan (Ohio State) def. Andy Rios (IU) Dec., 9-2
#3 Brady Reinke (Wisconsin) def. Andy Rios (IU) Dec., 13-6

197
#4 Pat DeGain (IU) def. #5 Ryan Flaherty (Wisconsin) Fall, 0:49
#1 Damion Hahn (Minnesota) def. #4 Pat DeGain (IU) Dec., 8-3
#4 Pat DeGain (IU) def. Jeff Clemens (Michigan State) Dec., 3-2
#4 Pat DeGain (IU) def. Matt Delguyd (Northwestern) Fall, 3:32 (THIRD PLACE MATCH)

HWT
#3 Pat Cummins (Penn State) def. #6 Josh Buuck (IU) Fall, 4:31
Mike Little (Northwestern) def. #6 Josh Buuck (IU) Dec., 10-9

Big Ten Championship Team Results
1) Iowa 129.5
2) Minnesota 124.5
3) Illinois 98.5
4) Michigan 96.0
5) Penn State 90.0
6) Purdue 89.0
7) Wisconsin 85.0
8) Ohio State 74.0
9) INDIANA 53.5
10) Michigan State 36.0
11) Northwestern 33.5