Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, December 29
Evanston, Ill.
All Day
Indiana University
vs
Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
Indiana Wrestling to Compete in the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
12/28/2022 9:00:00 AM | Wrestling
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––––– For the first time since the 2019-20 season, Indiana Wrestling will compete in the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
The event is hosted by Northwestern and is widely considered the most prestigious non-conference wrestling tournament in the country.
GEARING UP FOR MIDLANDS:
-The Hoosiers were slated to be in the event a year ago, but the competition was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.
-The tournament will run from Thursday Dec. 29 to Friday, Dec. 30 and be split up across four different sessions. Session I and II will take place through Thursday morning and night while Friday's Session III and IV will cover the semis, consolation finals, and medal matches.
-Indiana is one of 43 men's wrestling programs competing in the tournament, including seven other Big Ten programs.
-There are 10 currently ranked top-25 squads who will be in the event, too.
-Indiana plans to enter 16 grapplers in the competition. Routine starters Jacob Moran (125), No. 29 Cayden Rooks (141), No. 28 Graham Rooks (149), Derek Gilcher and Nick Willham will all hit the mat.
-This is the 58th annual edition of the tournament, recently renamed in honor of the competition's founder, Ken Kraft, who passed away at 85 in October 2020.
BULLOCK ON NOTICE:
-Indiana's No. 32-ranked Jacob Bullock (285) put the conference on notice this past week when the senior wrestler was honored with the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Dec. 20.
-Bullock earned the recognition after going 5-0 en route to a 285 title at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
-In the tournament, Bullock won his first three matches by two major decisions and by fall.
-His last two wins of the day, both by decision were decided by no less than four points each.
-This was the heavyweight's second tournament title this season after previously winning the 285 title in the Cleveland State Open on Dec. 11.
-Bullock has won 12 matches in a row after starting the season 0-1 to improve his season record to 12-1.
RENO REWIND:
-Indiana's last time out competing was at the Dollamur Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.
-Thirteen Hoosiers hit the mat and came away with major success for the team, who finished third behind Michigan State and Wyoming, respectively.
-Jacob Bullock (285) and Graham Rooks (149) were both champions of their weight classes' brackets.
-In total, seven Hoosiers placed in their tournament bracket. Four of the placers took either second or third place.
-All of Indiana's placers were as follows:
- Jacob Moran (125 - 6th)
-Henry Porter (133 - 2nd)
-Graham Rooks (149 - 1st)
-Derek Gilcher (157 - 3rd)
-DJ Washington (174 - 3rd)
-Nick Willham (197 - 2nd)
-Jacob Bullock (285 - 1st)
-In notable victories from the tournament, Gilcher notched an impressive victory in the third-place match over Michigan State's Chase Saldate, who was ranked No. 17 by InterMat that week.
-That was Gilcher's first ranked victory of the year.
The event is hosted by Northwestern and is widely considered the most prestigious non-conference wrestling tournament in the country.
GEARING UP FOR MIDLANDS:
-The Hoosiers were slated to be in the event a year ago, but the competition was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.
-The tournament will run from Thursday Dec. 29 to Friday, Dec. 30 and be split up across four different sessions. Session I and II will take place through Thursday morning and night while Friday's Session III and IV will cover the semis, consolation finals, and medal matches.
-Indiana is one of 43 men's wrestling programs competing in the tournament, including seven other Big Ten programs.
-There are 10 currently ranked top-25 squads who will be in the event, too.
-Indiana plans to enter 16 grapplers in the competition. Routine starters Jacob Moran (125), No. 29 Cayden Rooks (141), No. 28 Graham Rooks (149), Derek Gilcher and Nick Willham will all hit the mat.
-This is the 58th annual edition of the tournament, recently renamed in honor of the competition's founder, Ken Kraft, who passed away at 85 in October 2020.
BULLOCK ON NOTICE:
-Indiana's No. 32-ranked Jacob Bullock (285) put the conference on notice this past week when the senior wrestler was honored with the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Dec. 20.
-Bullock earned the recognition after going 5-0 en route to a 285 title at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
-In the tournament, Bullock won his first three matches by two major decisions and by fall.
-His last two wins of the day, both by decision were decided by no less than four points each.
-This was the heavyweight's second tournament title this season after previously winning the 285 title in the Cleveland State Open on Dec. 11.
-Bullock has won 12 matches in a row after starting the season 0-1 to improve his season record to 12-1.
RENO REWIND:
-Indiana's last time out competing was at the Dollamur Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.
-Thirteen Hoosiers hit the mat and came away with major success for the team, who finished third behind Michigan State and Wyoming, respectively.
-Jacob Bullock (285) and Graham Rooks (149) were both champions of their weight classes' brackets.
-In total, seven Hoosiers placed in their tournament bracket. Four of the placers took either second or third place.
-All of Indiana's placers were as follows:
- Jacob Moran (125 - 6th)
-Henry Porter (133 - 2nd)
-Graham Rooks (149 - 1st)
-Derek Gilcher (157 - 3rd)
-DJ Washington (174 - 3rd)
-Nick Willham (197 - 2nd)
-Jacob Bullock (285 - 1st)
-In notable victories from the tournament, Gilcher notched an impressive victory in the third-place match over Michigan State's Chase Saldate, who was ranked No. 17 by InterMat that week.
-That was Gilcher's first ranked victory of the year.
Players Mentioned
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