Indiana University Athletics
Wrestling Begins Season at Michigan State Open
11/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 11, 2006
The Indiana wrestling team enters its first action of the 2006-07 season as it heads to East Lansing, Mich., on Sunday, Nov. 12, for the Michigan State Open. IU is one of several national powers who will compete in the Open, including fellow Big Ten squads Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State.
The Hoosiers competed in their annual intra-squad wrestle-offs a week ago, with three of the Hoosiers' four returning NCAA qualifiers competing and taking major decisions over their teammates. Andrae Hernandez (12-2 over Jose Escobedo), Brandon Becker (12-2 over Ryan Pribble) and Max Dean (11-2 over Paul Young) all tallied decisive victories in the event. Four freshmen - Trevor Perry, Angel Escobedo, Nick Walpole and Nathan Everhart - added major decisions of their own.
The Hoosiers have been ranked in the preseason top 20 by three publications - RevWrestling.com (14th), TheWrestlingMall.com (13th) and Intermat.com (19th) - and is also ranked 24th by Wrestling International Magazine. Becker, a two-time All-American, is ranked third by three of the publications at 157 pounds, while redshirt freshman Matt Coughlin is ranked fifth at 149 pounds by RevWrestling.com.
At last season's open, then-true freshman Escobedo took home the 133-pound title, competing unattached in the competition. Perry, Coughlin and Herman all took home top-five finishes at the event last year while competing unattached, with Perry and Herman clinching fourth place at 174 pounds and heavyweight, respectively, while Coughlin finished fifth at 157 pounds.
The Open is a one-day event for the first time this year, with preliminary matches running from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST, and the finals and medal matches running from 6-8 p.m. Thirty-two wrestlers will compete in each weight class in the event.
