Indiana University Athletics
Heated Battle Awaits IU Grapplers at FITE Duals
12/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
FITE Duals Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Dec. 13, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana wrestling team continues its non-conference schedule as it travels to Park Forrest, Ill., to compete at the FITE Duals on Dec. 18. The Hoosiers (2-0) are looking to remain perfect on the young season as they face their first ranked opponent in No. 21 Northern Illinois. Southern Illinois and Wisconsin-Whitewater round out the competition.
"Northern Illinois presents a strong challenge for us and they have had a very successful season to date," head coach Duane Goldman said. "We need to be prepared to wrestle a tough match. We also are looking forward to having Southern Illinois and Wisconsin-Whitewater make the trip. Hopefully, we will be in a situation to get a number of guys on the mat to gain experience, continue to build momentum and have everyone stay healthy going into Christmas break."
The Hoosiers will begin the morning at 11 a.m. at the Rich East High School gym against the Huskies before taking on Southern Illinois and Wisconsin-Whitewater in successive duals. Each dual will begin 20 minutes after the end of the previous dual.
HOOSIER DUALS RECAP
The Indiana wrestling team opened dual action on Dec. 10, hosting the Hoosier Duals. The Hoosiers grappled to a commanding victory over Eastern Illinois and Gardner-Webb by scores of 36-3 and 37-3, respectively, to kick off the season 2-0.
The Hoosiers dropped only two bouts on the day to dominate the Hoosier Dual competition. As a team, IU posted three pins, three technical falls, three major decisions, one forfeit and 11 decisions.
Defending national champion and top-rated Joe Dubuque remained unbeaten on the year by posting two wins. Dubuque pinned Cortney Robert of Gardner-Webb in his first bout of the morning followed by a forfeit victory against Eastern Illinois. Dubuque is 6-0 on the season.
At 133, sophomore Andrae Hernandez saw action in his first dual meet bouts of his career, going 2-0 on the day. IU's first-year starter posted a technical fall against Eastern Illinois' Tony Metzger, 23-6, after taking a close decision against Josh Pniewski (Gardner-Webb), 5-4. Hernandez stands at 10-2 on the season.
Senior Nick Spatola (141) started slow in his first bout against A.J. Renteria (EIU) before running away with a victory, posting a technical fall, 18-2. Spatola followed the performance with a decision over Casey Carrino (Gardner-Webb), 8-2. The Cincinnati, Ohio native stands at 7-5 on the season.
Junior Matt Cooper (149) fell to Daniel Elliot of Gardner-Webb, 3-2, in a close battle, but rebounded in his next match to claim a sudden victory win against Chris Smith (EIU), 4-1. On the season, Cooper holds an 8-2 record.
At 157, All-American Brandon Becker continues to return to his NCAA form from a year ago, this time disposing of Eastern Illinois' Tyler Williams by fall at the 0:32 mark. The IU sophomore then took a commanding 6-0 decision over Adam Glaser (Gardner-Webb). On the season, Becker remains unbeaten with a record of 5-0.
In an impressive start to the dual season, NCAA qualifier Max Dean (165) posted a fall and major decision in his two bouts of the Hoosier Duals. Against Andy Mangiaguerra (EIU), Dean cruised to a major victory, 22-9, before pinning Dave Pelsang (Gardner-Webb) at the 5:03 mark to complete the performance. Dean improved to 7-3 on the season with the effort.
Facing a tough competitor in Eastern Illinois' Kenny Robertson, sophomore Marc Bennett (174) battled to a 4-1 loss to the 11th-ranked grappler in the country. Bennett kept with one of the nations best through two periods before Robertson sealed the deal in the third. However, Bennett did not walk away empty-handed, defeating Chad Davis (Gardner-Webb) by a decision of 7-4. Bennett's performance moved him to 5-4 on the season.
Starting at the 184-pound division, sophomore Justin Curran (184) went 2-0 defeating Greg Perz (EIU) and Brandon Beach (Gardner-Webb) in consecutive bouts. Against Perz, Curran used a combination of defense and offense to overcome the Panther grappler, 10-8. In a heated battle, Curran needed three-extra periods to seal the win against Beach, 7-4. Curran is currently 9-2 on the young season.
Two-time NCAA qualifier Brady Richardson (197) went undefeated on the day to extend his senior-season record to 11-2. Richardson opened the day with a decision over Terron Williams of Eastern Illinois, before grappling to a major decision over Brent Blackwell (Gardner-Webb), 13-5.
Rounding out the Hoosier competitors at 285, sophomore Dave Herman looked sharp against Danny Perez (EIU), taking the match 5-2. Herman seemed to be warming up, following the low scoring bout with a major decision over Brandon Schweitzer (Gardner-Webb), 12-3. Herman improved to 14-4 on the season.
FITE DUALS PREVIEW
The Northern Illinois Huskies present the greatest challenge for the 16th-ranked Hoosiers, entering the event ranked 21st in the country and coming off an upset win over Big Ten foe 11th-ranked Wisconsin, 18-17. Northern Illinois is 1-1 on the season, with its sole loss coming against then-No.15 Northwestern, 28-10. NIU's win against the Badgers broke a 30-year losing streak. NIU boasts three grapplers ranked in the USA Today / NWCA / InterMat NCAA Div. I Coaches' Poll (141-Josh Wooton, 9th; 149-Mike Grimes, 7th; 174-Danny Burk, 19th).
Southern Illinois (0-3) is coming off a loss to Upper Iowa on Dec. 22, while UW-W is riding a 4-1 record. Southern Illinois has yet to defeat an opponent on the young season, facing Missouri Baptist (23-18), Missouri Valley (34-3) and Upper Iowa (23-13). On the opposite end, UW-W has lost only once, defeating University of Chicago (22-12), Lakeland College (25-10), Wisconsin-Eau Claire (24-17) and Wisconsin-Oshkosh (28-11) before falling to Augustana College (28-11) in its last outing. UW-W is set to face North Central College, Dec. 13, before taking on Indiana and Southern Illinois this weekend.
PILING ON THE WINS
Head coach Duane Goldman needs only nine more dual wins to bring his all-time mark to 175. Goldman during the 2003-04 season earned the honor of being IU's winningest coach surpassing the legendary Charlie McDaniel (1945-72), who previously held the record with 145. Goldman also has taken the Hoosiers to the postseason a remarkable 12 straight years. Goldman's win total currently stands at 166.
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN
The last time defending national champion Joe Dubuque walked away from a mat without his hand being raised as the victor, came at the 2005 Big Ten Championships. Dubuque lost in the second round of the event (3/5-6) before finishing in third. Since March 6, 2005, the Glenn Ridge, N.J., native has gone on to win 13 straight, including his 2005-06 mark of 6-0.
Sophomore Brandon Becker also might have trouble recollecting his last loss. Becker dropped his first bout at the 2005 NCAA Championships (3/17-19), before rattling off five straight wins to finish fifth at the championships. Becker currently has won 10 straight, including his 5-0 start in 2005-06.
WINNING WAYS
Every Hoosier starter entering the FITE Duals on Dec. 18 brings with them a winning record. Two IU grapplers boast an untainted slate, senior 125-pounder Joe Dubuque (6-0) and sophomore 157-pounder Brandon Becker (5-0), while a quartet of Hoosiers only have two losses on the young season, redshirt freshman 131-pounder Andrae Hernandez (10-2), junior 149-pounder Matt Cooper (8-2), sophomore 184-pounder Justin Curran (9-2) and senior 197-pounder Brady Richardson.
Rounding out the Hoosiers in the winning column are senior 141-pounder Nick Spatola (7-5), sophomore 165-pounder Max Dean (7-3), sophomore 174-pounder Marc Bennett (5-4) and sophomore 285-pounder Dave Herman (14-4).
TRIPLE CROWN
Senior Joe Dubuque, sophomore Brandon Becker and junior Matt Cooper brought home a trio of individual crowns at the Mat Town Invitational on Nov. 26. The three Hoosiers also helped lead Indiana to the team title with a commanding performance with a 40.5-point margin over second-place Buffalo and Oregon.
Defending national champion Joe Dubuque took the title after going 4-0 en route to his first season and career regular season tournament title. Dubuque capped off the title run with a decision over 18th-ranked Obenson Blanc (Lock Haven), 3-1.
All-American Becker strung three victories together on his way to his first season and career title. Becker ended the title run with a decision over 19th-ranked Seth Martin (Lock Haven).
Cooper rounded out the Hoosiers claiming their first season and career titles with a 4-0 run in the 149-pound division.
JERSEY BROTHERS
Senior Joe Dubuque (Bloomfield, N.J.) and sophomore Brandon Becker (Mickleton, N.J.) might not be brothers in real life, but their wrestling careers at Indiana make this duo some of the leading faces of IU wrestling.
Both grapplers opened the season with a top-five rating (Dubuque, 1st; Becker, 4th) and both are undefeated on the year (Dubuque, 6-0; Becker, 5-0).
Dubuque is looking to make his third appearance in the postseason while Becker seeks his second trip in as many years. Both are out to keep their NCAA championships streaks alive as Dubuque, since making his debut at the championships in 2002 has not missed a return trip, and Becker looks to make it two straight showings.
Both IU grapplers garnered All-America honors in their first appearance at the NCAAs, Dubuque finishing eighth as a sophomore in 2002, while Becker claimed fifth as a redshirt freshman in 2005.
In 2005-06, Dubuque and Becker already own individual titles after claiming crowns at the Mat Town Invitational (11/26) at the 125- and 157-pound weight classes, respectively. The duo capped off their tournament-title runs by decisions over ranked opponents. The titles also mark the first for the season and career for both grapplers in the regular season.
THE "RICH" GET RICHER
Richardson continues to impress the 197-pound field after finishing runner-up at the Mat Town Invitational on Nov. 26, followed by a 2-0 start to the dual season at the Hoosier Duals. The senior two-time NCAA Qualifier is primed to make a run in the 197-pound weight class after competing at 174 as a sophomore and junior. In the USA Today / NWCA / Intermat NCAA Div I Coaches' Poll, the Vincennes, Ind., native recently moved up the charts entering the top 10 for the first time this season at No. 8. Richardson began the season tabbed 11th.
Richardson began the year by winning his second career title at the Missouri Open on Nov. 20, defeating two ranked opponents en route to the title. Richardson won seven straight matches starting at the Michigan State Open on Nov. 12 and ending Nov. 26. Richardson's streak ended at the hands of fifth-ranked Kyle Cerminara of Buffalo in the championship bout of the Mat Town Invitational. Overall, Richardson is 11-2 on the season.
HERMAN OR HE-MAN
Sophomore Dave Herman is looking impressive in his first four tournaments, grabbing four top-five finishes, three of which were just one-win short of the title. Herman has posted an overall record of 14-4, tallying three pins, two technical falls and two major decisions in the process.
Herman is a returning letterwinner from last year's team that finished ninth at NCAAs and had seven starts for the Hoosiers behind senior All-American Pat DeGain. With DeGain's graduation, Herman looks to dominate the heavyweight starting position in 2006.
"JUST" IN TIME
Sophomore Justin Curran continued to solidify his starting position at 174 pounds, going 2-0 at the Hoosiers Duals. Curran showed his competitive nature, taking a decision over Brandon Beach of Gardner-Webb in sudden victory, 7-4, after a grueling bout.
Curran also claimed his second third-place finish of the season at the Mat Town Invitational (11/26). The Chicago, Ill., native posted one decision and a major en route to the bronze medal performance.
Curran wrestles at a weight that has three individuals vying for the position, as Curran, junior Josh Buuck and redshirt freshman Heath Vandeventer are grappling for the starting spot. Buuck has the most college experience between the three, but all three Hoosiers have shown promise throughout their careers. Curran's early success only forecasts a good future for the weight class at Indiana, showing no matter who takes the spot in the lineup, it will be a Hoosier who knows how to win.
RECORDS WILL "FALL"
Seniors Joe Dubuque and Brady Richardson are looking to etch their names in the Hoosier record book this coming season. Dubuque stands just seven falls away from entering the all-time Indiana list for most pins in a career, while Richardson is 15 away from an appearance in the history book. Dubuque and Richardson currently stand at 17 and nine falls, respectively, in their careers. Viktor Sveda (1998-2002), one of the program's most decorated wrestlers, owns the record with 47.
The seniors look to be the fourth and fifth graduating seniors in five years to etch their name in the IU career pins record book. Sveda took the top spot in 2002 (47), current IU volunteer coach Coyte Cooper tabbed third on the list in 2004 (37) and last year's All-American Pat DeGain finished in fourth in 2005 (35).
LOOKING FOR THE "W"
Senior national champion Joe Dubuque currently stands at an 90-17 career record. Dubuque falls just 15 wins outside of the top 10 all-time most wins in a career record book. Should Dubuque garner 15 wins in his senior campaign, the Hoosier will tie current 10th-ranked IU grapplers Mark Galyan (1978-1982) and Scott Holman (1986-1990) on the list at 105.
Also looking to end his career in record-setting fashion is two-time All-American Brady Richardson. Richardson currently stands at 78 wins in his career, 27 wins out of the top-10 record book. Viktor Sveda (1997-2002) currently holds the all-time record with 149.
TAKE DOWN KNABLE
Junior Isaac Knable has had an up-and-down career at Indiana, but there is one thing this Floyd Knobs, Ind., native has had no trouble doing, pinning an opponent. Of Knable's 23 career wins at IU, the 2005 NCAA Qualifier has taken 16 of those matches by falls.
Knable's 16 falls is one short of defending national champion senior Joe Dubuque for the most falls by any current Hoosier grappler, and is eight away from entering the all-time Indiana pins list. Should Knable post eight more pins in 2005-06, the junior will tie Pat Cassidy (1997-2000) on the list at 24. Viktor Sveda (1998-2002) holds the all-time IU record in the category with 47.
As a freshman, Knable posted nine pins followed by five as a sophomore. In 2005-06, Knable already has two at the Mat Town Invitational where he finished seventh.
REPEAT PERFORMANCE
Indiana 125-pound national champion Joe Dubuque returns for his senior season and looks to defend his national championship from a year ago. His journey has already started off on the right foot as Dubuque added his first career tournament title to an already long list of accomplishments during his campaign as a Hoosier. At the Mat Town Invitational on Nov. 26, Dubuque pinned two and registered a major decision to dominate the field and go 4-0 at the invite to claim the title.
The Bloomfield, N.J., native became the first Indiana national champion since Brian Dolph grappled to the title in 1991 and looks to be the first Hoosier to achieve back-to-back titles in a career.
Charlie McDaniel (1935-38) is the only Hoosier to win two NCAA crowns (1935 and 1938) during his stint at IU, and one of only three Hoosiers to garner All-American status three times (Millard Duffy, 1935-36,38; Brian Dolph, 1987-90).
Dubuque looks to join the ranks of some of the best Hoosier grapplers ever to don the Cream and Crimson.
TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER
Head coach Duane Goldman named seniors Joe Dubuque and Brady Richardson as the 2005-06 team captains.
Both Hoosiers enter the senior campaign with high goals for not only the team, but have individual expectations.
Dubuque looks to become the first Hoosier to garner back-to-back NCAA titles, the second (Charlie McDaniel, 1935 and 1938) Hoosier to garner two national crowns in a career and only the fifth IU grappler to receive All-American honors three-times during their stint at IU.
Richardson looks to garner his first All-American accolade after qualifying for the postseason the last two years at 174. Goldman says the Vincennes, Ind., native looks stronger and more comfortable in his new weight class and has all the potential to achieve his 2006 goals.
