447 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(01/27/10 4:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When senior Nate Everhart arrived on the IU campus his freshman year, he was far from the physical beast he is today. Weighing below 200 pounds, Everhart was not intimidating many wrestlers with his size. The Tinsley, Ill., native received offers to play baseball at Iowa and Missouri but decided wrestling at a Big Ten school and getting a Big Ten education was the right path. IU coach Duane Goldman knew that he was getting a guy with brains and brawn. “He seemed like a full-package kid,” Goldman said. “We knew that he was going to be a good fit with our team.”Everhart did not have the time most wrestlers do to get used to the flow of Big Ten wrestling. Instead of redshirting his freshman year, Everhart earned his way into the starting lineup at 197 pounds.“It kind of added some fuel to my fire to make sure that I get to that top level of wrestlers,” Everhart said.As a true freshman, Everhart paid his dues in the Big Ten, finishing with a 2-6 record. A 20-17 overall record gave Everhart plenty to build on heading into his sophomore year.The fall of 2007 was different than any other for Everhart. He decided to move up to the heavyweight class, which meant gaining close to 30 pounds. The unorthodox jump to heavyweight meant he was going to have to put on pure muscle.“It’s really a competition to stay that big when you’ve been cutting weight for so long,” assistant coach Pat DeGain said.But Everhart’s first year as a heavyweight started with an unfortunate blow. He suffered a foot injury, forcing him to sit out the entire non-conference schedule. Determined to come back strong with a season of Big Ten play under his belt, Everhart made his debut in the Big Ten opener. But he failed to adjust to the pace of Big Ten wrestling and finished conference play 1-6.Instead of blaming the foot surgery for his record, Everhart knew he still had a chance to salvage his season in the Big Ten Championships, and that’s exactly what he did. Everhart took down three Big Ten foes to take seventh place and punch a ticket to the NCAA Championships.“I felt the desire to prove that I could hang with some of the best guys in the country,” Everhart said.Instead of struggling as a lighter heavyweight, Everhart has put in the time to make himself a rare breed. The No. 2 ranked heavyweight has found a balance of speed, power and finesse that has made him unbeatable this season (26-0, 2-0).So far, Everhart’s senior highlight came at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December. With a slew of ranked opponents, the heavyweight bracket was no cakewalk. But he was determined to prove he could hang with the big boys.“He just looked at me and said, ‘Coach, nobody is going to beat me. I’m gonna win this tournament,’ ” DeGain said.The soft-spoken Everhart delivered on his word, taking down ranked opponents en route to the heavyweight podium. As the Las Vegas Invite and the Southern Scuffle heavyweight champ, Everhart is building up confidence to win the heavyweight title at the NCAA Championships. But he is not about to give his opponents a bulletin-board guarantee.“It would be a letdown for me not to win it all,” Everhart said about his national championship hopes. “I’ve put in the time and the effort and I think I deserve to win it.”Everhart has found the balance to make himself mentally and physically stronger than all that stands in his way. Whether or not Everhart brings home that national championship in March, one thing is certain – he will always look for ways to develop himself.“He knows that there is always more to accomplish,” Goldman said. “He never gets caught in the moment and lets himself be satisfied.”
(01/22/10 5:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU wrestling team will not be allowed to ease into the Big Ten season. The No. 11 Hoosiers will open up their season on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. today when they travel to No. 19 Wisconsin.The Hoosiers’ undefeated 11-0 record puts them in elite company coming into the Big Ten opener. No. 1 Iowa is the only other Division 1A team to boast an undefeated record at this point in the season. While the Hoosiers have had an unblemished record in dual play this season, IU coach Duane Goldman said he knows the real season starts now. “When we hit this time of the year, the intensity of the team really picks up,” Goldman said.On paper, the Hoosiers are favored to take care of business at Wisconsin. With four nationally ranked wrestlers, the Hoosiers would appear favored for the match. But at the same time, the Badgers are favored to win six of the 10 matches. Five of the Badgers’ six ranked wrestlers are competing in weight classes where the Hoosiers are not ranked.Getting production out of the younger Hoosiers, such as sophomore Matt Powless (197 pounds) and freshman Danny Monaco (141 pounds), could be what makes the difference.“You have to throw the rankings out the window,” Goldman said. “We are going to have to pull some upsets in order to win.”The lone matchup with two ranked opponents is at 165 pounds, where No. 13 Paul Young will take on Wisconsin’s No. 1-ranked Andrew Howe, whose closest call of the season actually came against Young in the Las Vegas Invitational.Young gave Howe everything he could handle but came up short in a 3-2 defeat. The rematch is something Young has been able to put all his time and energy into in the past week.“When you wrestle a single match like this, it gives you a chance to focus specifically on that one guy,” Young said. Both are known for being the aggressor in their matches, recording takedowns early and often. Young refuses to have a “not-to-lose” mindset going up against Howe.“We both wrestle with similar, aggressive styles,” Young said. “I’m just excited to wrestle him.”With the Hoosiers’ Big Ten opener being broadcast, experience on the big stage could play into the Hoosiers’ favor.“It’s something that you learn to adapt to,” Young said about wrestling before a large audience. “But it’s hard not to notice the large crowd and the fact that it’s televised.”If the Hoosiers want to continue to bolster their unblemished record and start the Big Ten season with a victory, they will have to step up to the occasion.“The Big Ten is brutal, but this is what these guys signed up to do,” Goldman said. “They have to be ready.”
(01/19/10 2:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU senior wrestler Nate Everhart showed on Saturday why he is on the shortlist of contenders for a heavyweight national championship. With the Hoosiers on the brink of their first loss all season - down 22-18 going into the final match against American University - Everhart would need to record a tech fall or a pin for the win. The No. 2 ranked Everhart stepped up to the challenge. Everhart recorded a tech fall in the third period, capping off the Hoosiers’ come-from-behind, 23-22 win in their closest dual of the season.Coming into Saturday, the Hoosiers had failed to allow double-digit points in a dual, resulting in their perfect 9-0 record. The Hoosiers appeared to be heading in the right direction after No. 1 Angel Escobedo won on a major decision 13-5 at 125 pounds.Little did the Hoosiers know that this was the last time they would have the lead until the final match. The Hoosiers dropped the next four matches to fall to a 17-4 deficit.The last defeat of those four came at the hands of No. 7 Kurt Kinser at 157 pounds. Coming into the day, the premiere matchup was Kinser taking on American’s Sean Fittery, who ranks No. 4 nationally at 157 pounds.The matchup failed to live up to its billing, as Fittery delivered takedown after takedown en route to a surprising 17-1 tech fall. The loss took the air out of the IU crowd at University Gym because, for the first time all season, the Hoosiers were being dominated.However, the quiet mood would not last long. Junior Paul Young, who came into the match ranked No. 13 at 165 pounds, came up big for the Hoosiers. Young recorded a pin against American’s Tanner Shaffer in the first period to get the Hoosiers back in the match. “The most important thing for me was not getting wrapped up in the match before,” Young said. “I was pumped up for sure and I knew it was important to get the team amped up.”With Young’s pin, the Hoosiers rallied to within four points heading into the final match. The final matchup could not have fared any better for IU. With his experience, Everhart understood what he needed to get done.“I knew that I only had a short period to rack up a lot of points,” Everhart said. “It’s definitely an advantage to have that experience.”The tech fall in the third period gave the Hoosiers a nail-biting win that was unconventional for this team. A 44-4 victory against Cleveland State in the latter part of the dual improved the Hoosiers to 11-0 heading into their showdown at No. 21 Wisconsin on Friday.While the Hoosiers came out with two wins Saturday, IU coach Duane Goldman knows close calls will not cut it in Big Ten play. “It was good that we were able to get wins in a bind,” Goldman said. “But the hard part is that we lost the playbill matchups.”
(01/06/10 7:09pm)
After a victorious showing at last week's Southern Scuffle, multiple members of the No. 13 IU wrestling team climbed in the national rankings.
(01/01/10 12:22am)
- By Connor O'Gara
(12/14/09 2:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Saturday afternoon, the wrestling team got exactly the performance it was looking for heading into a two-and-a-half-week break from competition. The Hoosiers took down Eastern Michigan 30-6 and SIU Edwardsville 50-0 at the F.I.T.E. Duals in Oak Lawn, Ill. The 50-0 defeat of SIU Edwardsville marked the second time this year the Hoosiers have recorded a shutout. They also tallied one against Wabash with a 45-0 defeat on Nov. 17.“We knew that we were going to have some pretty tough matches against Eastern,” IU coach Duane Goldman said. “To come back from Vegas and wrestle the way we did was good for us.”Only two Hoosiers suffered losses on Saturday, improving their record to 8-0 on the year. The No. 13 Hoosiers have been fortunate enough to have very few injuries this year, but one of those hurt this year was junior Kurt Kinser (157 pounds). Kinser has been plagued with a knee injury that has sidelined him for the last few matches but was able to respond well on Saturday, shutting out Eastern Michigan’s Aaron Sulzer 6-0. The No. 9-ranked Kinser continued his dominance in his second match of the day, where he pinned SIUE’s Nick Jones in 3:36.Goldman stressed the importance of getting Kinser back and healthy for the rest of the season.“Kurt is one of the leaders of this team,” Goldman said. “It’s nice to get that type of individual back in the lineup because he brings a sense of security and confidence to this team.”No. 6 heavyweight Nate Everhart improved his undefeated record to 16-0. Everhart continued his senior campaign with a 12-3 defeat of EMU’s David Wade and a 20-5 technical fall of SIUE’s David Devine.Currently, Everhart’s 16-0 record has made him the top-ranked heavyweight in the Big Ten.Everhart said his start to the season has improved his outlook on the mat.“I definitely have more confidence in my wrestling,” Everhart said. “I’ve been physically getting after it and pushing my intensity.”With Everhart and the rest of the 8-0 Hoosiers wrestling quality matches, the 17-day layoff is not coming at the best time for this squad. While the Hoosiers are now faced with their longest competition break of the season, Goldman will make sure that his team keeps its focus. Goldman admitted that although his team has an unblemished record, there are still many aspects in which he feels they need to get better.“We’re going to take this time and improve on things that we’re doing well and continue to move forward in all phases,” Goldman said.
(12/11/09 5:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Angel Escobedo was a redshirt freshman, he watched Joe Dubuque win the second of his back-to-back National Championships at 125 pounds. Dubuque might not have realized it, but he was setting the bar for Escobedo’s future with IU wrestling.Dubuque had led by example and fueled Escobedo to leave a legacy similar to his own, ending at the top of the podium. Although he physically dominated opponents, Dubuque’s mental approach left a lasting impression on Escobedo.“I learned from him that you have to have that confidence that no matter what happens, you always have to believe you’re the best,” Escobedo said. “It was definitely hard to follow in a national champion’s footsteps, but it’s what made me work even harder.”Just four years earlier, Escobedo was watching Dubuque win national championships. Now the man that paved the way will coach Escobedo in his pursuit of a second national championship. So far, Dubuque’s advice has paid dividends for Escobedo. As the reigning Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, Escobedo has knocked down all in his path this season. An undefeated 12-0 start and a No. 2 national ranking make Escobedo one of the early favorites to win it all in March at the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb.“Both of them have handled it really well and I believe it has to do with that winning attitude that both of them have,” said IU coach Duane Goldman. “Joe wants Angel to win and Angel knows that Joe can help him do that.”While some star athletes do not respond well to coaching, Escobedo has thrived on having Dubuque there for each step of the way this season.“He knows what it takes to be on top and stay on top,” Escobedo said. “I just try to pick his brain every day.”After Dubuque graduated from IU, he spent three years as an assistant coach at Hofstra. Dubuque had an opportunity to be around the sport that set him apart from the rest, but he wanted a chance to come back to where it all began. That’s when Goldman came calling to offer Dubuque a job on the IU coaching staff.“Getting the opportunity to come back to my alma mater to coach with (Goldman and assistant Pat DeGain) and getting back in the Big Ten to coach was huge for me,” Dubuque said. “I was in the right place at the right time.”Dubuque’s winning attitude is likely what has driven his coaching style. But Dubuque admits that there are some adjustments between being on the mat and working from the sidelines.“When I first started coaching, I would let the first match affect the next one if it didn’t go well,” Dubuque said. “I learned that a coach needs to be composed because when you lose your composure, the wrestler sees that and they get rattled.”IU’s No. 13 national ranking shows the Hoosiers have responded well to the entire coaching staff this season. Dubuque said coaching wrestlers like Escobedo has made his first season at IU a lot easier.“It doesn’t take much to help Angel accomplish his goals,” Dubuque said. “I just try to keep him on track and focused.” Dubuque and the rest of the Hoosiers know how long of a season IU is in for. While a national championship is the ultimate goal, the only thing they can focus on right now is the F.I.T.E. Duals at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Oak Lawn, Ill. The Hoosiers will take on Eastern Michigan and SIU-Edwardsville in one of their final tune-ups for the Big Ten season. With Dubuque and Escobedo working together, IU will attempt to bring nightmares to the rest of the Big Ten. Four years ago, Escobedo was the redshirt freshman trying to dissect everything he could from his predecessor, Dubuque. While Escobedo has proven himself nationally during Dubuque’s absence from IU, he is still determined to learn everything he can from his new assistant coach. A national title is the only way both of them imagine Escobedo’s career ending at IU.“He has that confidence that he can win and dominate every match,” Dubuque said of Escobedo. “My main goal is to get Angel on top of that podium in March.”
(12/06/09 6:47pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU senior wrestlers Angel Escobedo (125 pounds) and Nate Everheart (heavyweight) claimed individual titles at the 28th Annual Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas this weekend.The team finished sixth overall, placing ahead of Big Ten foes Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan and Illinois. Ohio State, another perennial Big Ten powerhouse, won the tournament. Twelve of the nation's top-25 teams were present in Las Vegas, including the Hoosiers, who are currently No. 12 in the NCAA.En route to their championships, both Escobedo and Everheart defeated ranked opposition.Escobedo, No. 2 in the 125-pound weight class, pinned his semifinal opponent at a time of 5:22 and then overcame the No. 3 wrestler in the nation in the finals, Anthony Robles of Arizona State.Everheart's path was significantly difficult as he faced two opponents ranked in the top-10 for his semifinal and final bouts. With his defeat of No. 4 Mitch Montiero of Cal State-Bakersfield and No. 7 Tucker Lane of Nebraska, Everheart's No. 10 ranking is sure to rise in the next polls.For a full story, check out tomorrow's edition of the Indiana Daily Student.
(12/04/09 5:54pm)
We've got content from a variety of sports today, so here are some quick links to stories from today's IDS:
(12/04/09 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU wrestling team will face its first national test Friday in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Forty-four teams from across the country will compete at the Invitational. The Hoosiers are No. 12 in the nation and will wrestle within a field made up of nearly half of the country’s top-25 teams. IU is 6-0 and comes in with the reigning Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, junior Paul Young, who wrestles at 165 pounds.“He had a really great weekend and he’s had a great year so far,” IU coach Duane Goldman said of Young’s 5-0 showing at the Hoosier Duals. “He really deserved it.”Ranked No. 13 in the 165- pound weight class, Young is looking to ride his undefeated record into this weekend.“This is a great opportunity for me to move up and continue my success,” Young said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to wrestle some of the top wrestlers.”One of those opponents Young alluded to is Wisconsin’s Andrew Howe, who was able to get the best of Young last year. Howe is currently ranked No. 3 in the 165-pound weight class and will present Young with his first major match of the year. A win would put Young on an even shorter list of elite wrestlers.While Young’s results show that he is on top of his game right now, he admits that he has not changed up his style much at all.“I actually think I wrestled the same (on Nov. 28) as I have been all year,” Young said.The junior has focused on being the aggressor every time he steps onto the mat. Pinning three opponents at the Hoosier Duals showed that Young is not wasting any time.“I’ve been concentrating on getting forward pressure and staying on the offensive,” Young said.This is a style that Young and the rest of the Hoosiers will need to continue to have success against the nation’s best.“This weekend is a good opportunity for our guys to get some quality wins,” Goldman said. “It’s an important weekend for us.”
(11/30/09 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers were able to defend their No. 11 national ranking on Saturday, going 5-0 in the Hoosier Duals at University Gym.Leading the way for unbeaten IU was senior Angel Escobedo (125 lbs.), Paul Young (165 lbs.), Eric Cameron (184 lbs.) and heavyweight Nate Everhart. The four upperclassmen all posted 5-0 records en route to the Hoosiers’ 5-0 performance.On Saturday, the Hoosiers recorded winning performances from a variety of weight classes, holding all five opponents to single-digit point totals. A reason for that is the effort they were able to get out of guys like Young, Cameron and Everhart.“They were all staying aggressive and trying to dominate,” Goldman said.IU defeated Cumberlands 44-6, drubbed Northern Illinois 27-9 and defeated Chattanooga 30-9. They also won 43-3 versus Liberty and posted a 37-6 victory against San Diego State. Although IU was successful, Goldman said it could have improved.“We had a lot of good matches throughout the day,” he said. “We still had some close matches that would have been nice to win.”Escobedo was on the attack all day, recording three pins for the Hoosiers. The former National Champion did not even wrestle in the third period until his last match of the day, where he won a 9-4 decision against San Diego State’s Aaron Pickrel. A No. 2 ranking at 125 lbs. will be motivation for all opponents heading into a match with Escobedo. Having a day with five wins is something Escobedo will have to continue to do to keep the Hoosiers in the national picture.Young was also able to record three pins after coming into the day with a No. 13 ranking at 165 lbs. Everhart is nationally ranked No. 11, Kurt Kinser (157 lbs.) is ranked No. 12 and Trevor Perry (174 lbs.) is ranked No. 17. Goldman said IU’s few struggles on Saturday were with mental errors rather than the physical aspects of the matches.“Most of it is between the ears and their attitudes on the mat,” Goldman said.Maintaining intensity is an area Goldman stressed as the key to closing out matches.“We need to work on our aggressiveness in situations where we can put guys away and build a lead instead of waiting for things to happen,” Goldman said.The undefeated showing at the Hoosier Duals improves their record to 6-0 for the season heading into the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this Friday.Escobedo said he is sure plenty of teams will look to defeat IU there.“That No. 11 ranking puts a target on us, and teams are going to want to take us down,” Escobedo said. “It’s not every day that teams get the chance to take down a ranked opponent.”
(11/18/09 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU wrestling team posted a 45-0 victory at Wabash College on Tuesday. The Hoosiers didn’t lose a single match, getting dominant performances from every weight class.While all the wrestlers were favored to win, a positive sign came from All-American Angel Escobedo at 125 pounds. After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, the senior sat out the MSU Open as a precaution.“After undergoing serious surgery, it was really good for guys on this team to see him back in the lineup,” IU coach Duane Goldman said. “There were a lot of questions of, ‘Was he going to wrestle?’ And, ‘If so, how was he going to?’ And he responded really well.”Escobedo silenced any doubts that his shoulder problems were going to plague the start of his senior year. He pinned Josh Boyer in a mere 53 seconds.“I was very confident with my shoulder being 100 percent,” Escobedo said. “It was a big confidence booster to be dominant so quickly.”Escobedo’s has shown that he is capable of responding in big situations in the past. Wrestling a non-conference school in an early-season dual match does not usually bring feelings of uncertainty before the match, but Tuesday night was different than anything Escobedo had experienced at IU.“I still get nervous every time before a match,” he said. “But this time, I was a little more nervous because I didn’t know how my shoulder would respond.” Escobedo was not the only one to record a pin in their first dual meet. Junior Kurt Kinser at 157 pounds and sophomore Matt Ortega at 133 pounds also pinned their opponents en route to the Hoosier victory.“Guys were trying new techniques and really working on diversifying themselves,” Escobedo said.Getting a big lead early is something that allowed the team to shake things up a bit down the stretch.Being meaner and tougher on the mat is something Goldman stressed to his team after the MSU Open on Sunday. A 45-0 showing for the Hoosiers showed that they were exactly that Tuesday night.“We had a lot of guys that were trying some different moves,” Goldman said. “It was good to see guys open up and be aggressive.”
(11/17/09 5:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a successful start to the season at the Michigan State Open on Sunday, the Hoosiers will get a chance to ride their momentum as they travel to Crawfordsville, Ind., to take on Wabash College.While the Hoosiers have gained more national attention than Wabash, the Matmen are coming off a 4-1 start. IU coach Duane Goldman said he has been around wrestling too long to take a small-school opponent lightly.“They always wrestle hard, and we know that they have some good individuals,” Goldman said.An intriguing matchup will pit IU senior Nate Everhart and Wabash’s Rob Arnett against each other in the heavyweight division. Everhart comes in after winning the heavyweight title, posting an undefeated 4-0 performance at the MSU Open. Arnett is off to a 5-0 start to his senior campaign.“As (Everhart) continues to wrestle good guys, he needs to be able to separate himself,” Goldman said. Although the Hoosiers were able to take home three titles Sunday, Goldman knows that his team has things to correct for Wabash.“We need to work on a couple technical aspects, but we really just need to get meaner and tougher,” Goldman said.
(10/28/09 3:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU wrestling team squared off against each other in their intrasquad meet at Bloomington North High School on Tuesday. While all starting spots were up for grabs, the two most competitive battles were in the 141- and at 157-pound weight classes.The Hoosiers have the most depth at 157 pounds with senior Matt Coughlin and junior Kurt Kinser. Kinser had got his career off at IU with a bang, qualifying for the NCAA tournament as a freshman and sophomore. But last year Kinser was able to overtake Coughlin at 157 pounds and dominate all year. Kinser was also able to qualify for the NCAA tournament after he placed sixth in the Big Tens.“Coughlin and I both believe that we are at our best at that weight class,” Kinser said.Kinser was not ready to give the spot back to Coughlin on Tuesday night, winning 7-1. The match was at a 0-0 stalemate until Kinser took over late in the second period and did not look back. Wrestling against a teammate had a different feel for Kinser.“I always get more nervous wrestling against my teammates than anybody else,” Kinser said. “(Coughlin) is a really great wrestler and I don’t feel like I had any advantage over him.”While Kinser won the job at 157, it is not the end of the road for Coughlin. He is expected to move down a weight class and start at 149 for the Hoosiers.Another storyline coming into Tuesday was the duel between freshmen Danny Monaco and Nick Viterisi at 141 pounds. A low-scoring grind resulted in Monaco pulling out a 3-2 victory. Monaco will look to build off a solid redshirt year where he finished 13-4.Rounding out the rest of the starters for the Hoosiers are senior Angel Escobedo at 125 pounds, sophomore Matt Ortega at 133 pounds, junior Paul Young at 165 pounds, senior Trevor Perry at 174 pounds, and senior Nate Everhart at the heavyweight class.Next on the list for the Hoosiers is the Michigan State Open which will officially kick off the season on Nov. 15.
(10/27/09 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior Angel Escobedo has nothing to prove today, but, as the season approaches, he will have to demonstrate that he is the best the nation has to offer once again.The IU wrestling team will be kicking off its season at 7 p.m. today with its annual intrasquad scrimmage at Bloomington High School North.Coach Duane Goldman comes into his 18th year as IU’s wrestling coach with an array of talent returning after a 24th place finish at the NCAA Tournament. Most notably returning for the Hoosiers is Escobedo, a former NCAA National Champion.The 125-pound Escobedo is coming into his fifth year in the program after redshirting his freshman year and is hungrier than ever to regain the title of National Champion.“It’s a very important year for me,” Escobedo said. “I’ve been putting in four years of hard work and I’ve been trying to represent IU as best as possible.”This off-season was different than any other for Escobedo, who dealt with shoulder problems last season. Off-season surgery allowed Escobedo to return to full strength and embark on leading the squad back to the upper echelon of the Big Ten.“I spent my off-season working on just excelling my wrestling skills, whether it was lifting or going over techniques,” Escobedo said.Goldman said he believes that the senior is above everyone in the nation at the 125-pound weight class despite placing fifth at the NCAA Championships last year.“He’s already proven that he’s the best in the country,” Goldman said. “Any time you win a national title, it’s about skill, luck and health, and it all comes to a head.”Hoosier vs. HoosierAnother story that has been brewing in the off-season is who will lead the Hoosiers at 157 pounds. Junior Kurt Kinser was dominant all last year for the Hoosiers, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament. There is also senior Matt Coughlin, who made two straight trips to the NCAA Championships as a freshman and sophomore.“It’s going to be a big wrestle off, and it will be determined by open competition,” Goldman said.Whoever does not win the job will drop down to wrestle at 149 for the Hoosiers.The battle at 141 will be in full swing today with three young Hoosiers fighting for the spot. True freshman Max Ortega, redshirt freshmen Danny Monaco and Nick Viterisi will all look to impress Goldman to win the job that is up for grabs.While the Hoosiers did not fare as well as they hoped in the Big Ten last season (2-5-1), Goldman does not believe that this reflects the type of team that he has.“We really don’t like to gauge in our performance on how we do in the Big Ten,” Goldman said. “The main thing for us is getting guys through to Nationals.”The experienced group has confidence that they have what it takes to become one of the elite programs in the country. With the Hoosiers returning seven former NCAA Qualifiers, it is hard to argue with that fact.“We want to move up into the top three teams in the Big Ten and win a trophy at Nationals,” Escobedo said. “I don’t see why not this season.”
(09/11/09 3:55pm)
Hello, and welcome to Hoosier Hype!
(08/25/09 4:05pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU wrestling coach Duane Goldman will be inducted into the Iowa Athletics 2009 Hall of Fame.Goldman was a Big Ten champion, All-American selection and reached the NCAA championship match in every season of his four-year career with the Hawkeyes. His banner year came as a senior in 1986 when he went 36-0 and ended the season with an NCAA championship at 190 pounds. Goldman set an Iowa record for winning percentage in that year. Goldman amassed 132 total wins in his four years at Iowa, and captured a gold medal in the 1987 Pan-American championships after his college career. As IU’s wrestling coach for the past 18 years, Goldman has tallied 216 wins, the most in IU history. Under Goldman’s watch, 23 IU wrestlers have earned All-American status, with three winning NCAA titles.
(06/21/09 11:03pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>From 2001 to 2006, Joe Dubuque filled his proverbial closet with nearly as many awards and championships as possible. Now he’ll try to augment his impressive collection from the corner instead of the mat.Dubuque, a two-time national champion Hoosiers grappler, has joined coach Duane Goldman’s IU wrestling staff as an assistant.“We had a spot open on our staff, and you know, we opened it up, national search, and he was one of the people obviously we were interested in,” Goldman said. “He knows what we’re trying to accomplish.”Goldman added that recruiting would be one of Dubuque’s primary capacities as an assistant.A New Jersey native who spent the last three years as an assistant at Hofstra Univeristy, Dubuque said he hopes to use his East Coast contacts to bring high school talent from that area of the country to IU. He said combining that with the Midwestern recruiting base that the team already maintains can elevate IU’s program to the highest levels.“To bring that caliber of wrestlers out to Indiana, that’s what’s going to put us over the top,” Dubuque said.One of two assistants on IU’s staff, Dubuque is not the only former Hoosiers wrestler. His former teammate and roommate Pat DeGain is two years into a stint as an assistant with Goldman and the Hoosiers.Though neither was hired specifically because they are IU wrestling alumni, Goldman acknowledged the value of having former Hoosiers on his staff. Still, he emphasized that he believes both Dubuque and DeGain were the best candidates for their respective positions. “I think it’s important for any program to get the best people available,” Goldman said. “But I believe that, in this case, both times – when it came to hiring Pat and it came to hiring Joe – the best people available were people who had wrestled here.”Dubuque said he’s looking forward to working with DeGain again.“I wasn’t scared to get in his face and push him, and he wasn’t afraid to get in my face and push me (when the two wrestled together at IU),” Dubuque said. “We’re here to get the job done.”Dubuque, who posted a 114-18 overall record during his college wrestling career, comes to IU with some experience coaching high-caliber teams. The Hofstra Pride finished 27th at last year’s NCAA championships.Goldman praised Dubuque’s work at Hofstra University, which the former described as “a good program.” Goldman cited Dubuque’s work with several national qualifiers as examples of the returning Hoosier’s coaching skill.Dubuque returned such praise, calling Goldman “a big reason why” he came to IU out of high school.“We’re gonna have that same relationship where we’re both pushing each other and we both want the team to be great,” Dubuque said. Dubuque joins a program consistently ranked in the top 30 in the national scene.Senior Angel Escobedo is a former national champion and could become the first four-time All-American in IU history. He headlines a squad that includes several other national qualifiers as well.Dubuque said he thinks one of his greatest qualities as an assistant will be helping to motivate those wrestlers, making an instant impact his first year.“I think I do a good job of motivating the athletes to work hard and get the job done and basically have them competing at another level,” he said. “I think that’s something I can bring.”
(02/26/09 5:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every team has its role-players – athletes who are committed, but rarely see the spotlight of competition.The No. 18 IU wrestling team is no exception.The Hoosiers (15-7-1, 2-5-1) head into the Big Ten Tournament next month relying on the preparation that will ready grapplers like No. 5 Angel Escobedo, No. 13 Kurt Kinser and No. 15 Trevor Perry for the competition in collegiate wrestling’s toughest conference.Those names are familiar, but what about the unsung heroes who grind it out on the mat each day for the sake of the team, not getting the media and fan hype more notable wrestlers receive?Scott Kelly, a senior and 141-pound member of the IU wrestling team, knows all too well.Kelly, a native of Carmel, Ind., and four-year member, rarely competes in meets but practices regularly.Many would wonder what would make a former Carmel High School state champion like Kelly put in the work and sweat for no chance at competition.Kelly said his payback is anything but nonexistent.“I love Indiana, and I love this school,” Kelly said. “I always knew I wanted to wrestle because of the lessons it taught me and because I loved it.”Going undefeated his senior year at Carmel, the former Greyhound could have gone to a smaller school and held a bigger role throughout his four years, but his love of IU and the wrestling coaches landed him in Bloomington.“The coaching staff here treated me better than any other school did throughout the recruiting process,” Kelly said. “The guys here are role models, and I thought to myself that they are people I want to be like when I grow up.”That’s not to say there were never bumps in the road for Kelly, but the family-like atmosphere of everyone in the IU athletic department, as well as the lessons wrestling taught him, kept him going through the tough times.“All of the athletes here have always been great to me, and I’ve made so many friends,” Kelly said. “I had to keep going for them.”This past December, Kelly’s payoff came through the pride he had in his school, peers and the respect he earned. That is when the unexpected came his way.At the Midlands tournament over winter break in Evanston, Ill., Kelly competed for the Hoosiers and placed eighth in his weight class, aiding IU in a fifteenth-place finish. The win at the Midlands only reinforced Kelly’s belief that one has to look at the big picture when tempted to quit or focus solely on the wins and losses.Just last week, Andrae Hernandez, Kelly’s practice partner, upset No. 2 Alex Tsirtsis of unbeaten Iowa in the 141-pounds matchup, and Goldman said he felt Kelly played a large part in it.“He’s pushed Andrae very, very hard, and it has really helped him. I think he has put the work in and has really become the best wrestler he can be,” IU coach Duane Goldman said.Goldman said Kelly’s contributions to the IU wrestling program are invaluable.“The thing Scott brings is inspiration through his work ethic,” he said. “We know we’re always going to get a solid effort from him.”Kelly said wrestling has given him more than he has given the sport.“The harder you work, the more directly it will impact your success,” he said, “and that’s something I’ll always carry with me.”
(02/12/09 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It takes Nate Everhart more than an hour – almost two.Almost two hours until he rips off his jumpsuit and heads for the spotlight where hundreds of eyes are glued.As he approaches the mat, some stand up and cheer. Others make thunderous noise by stomping their feet on the bleachers.No, Everhart is not the Tijan Jobe of the IU wrestling team, nor is he a lame warm-up partner who rarely gets his number called.But, he is a fan favorite.Everhart wrestles as a heavyweight, the class for wrestlers weighing more than 197 pounds and the last class of every match.He could have chosen a sport that doesn’t make him sit on the bench longer than his teammates.His stature isn’t quite the makeup of a heavyweight wrestler. One might say his 240-pound muscular physique is more suited for the gridiron. Come to think of it, Everhart could make an immediate impact at linebacker when stopping the run.In fact, he was heavily recruited to play football while in high school.But – as most skeptical athletes say – the aura of IU and its prestigious athletics programs made the decision a no-brainer.“Originally, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play football or wrestle,” Everhart admitted. “Baseball even got in the mix too. But when it came down to it, I visited IU and instantly wanted to be a Big Ten wrestler.”It’s not like wrestling stood a distant third in Everhart’s eyes. It’s not like the coaches took a big gamble on this kid, either.Everhart undoubtedly possesses the necessary experience to tussle in the Big Ten, arguably wrestling’s most nomadic conference.He lived on the mat throughout high school, wrestling from a class as low as 171 and as high as 215 – versatile, to say the least.Everhart’s freshman year saw him bout at 197. And due to an injury in his sophomore season, he inevitably had to make the transition to heavyweight.Everhart said the heaviest opponent he wrestled weighed the maximum 285 pounds, 40 pounds heavier than Everhart. He chuckled when he relived that experience in his mind. As lopsided as that match was, the referee raised Everhart’s arm.“It’s definitely challenging at times to go up against guys who are more than 30 pounds heavier than me,” Everhart said after his 3-1 victory against Purdue’s Chris Kasten. “I’m undersized. I know that. But my mindset gives me an advantage over my opponents,” he said.Sounds a bit like Michael Phelps when he was rewriting Olympic history.Everhart doesn’t eat quite as much as Phelps, but close to it. He might not consume a whopping, yet sickening, 12,000 calories a day, but his 2,500 daily dosage is probably twice as much as the average Joe on campus eats.He plays the smart card, too.Like every well-trained athlete, Everhart understands what he can and cannot eat. That concentration, that determination to stay in tip-top shape, is what’s scripting a new chapter to his own career.Everhart is riding a five-match winning streak, one of his best runs all season. He currently boasts an impressive 21-11 record in his new class.On Friday, his arduous journey continues when he wrestles the No. 16 ranked heavyweight in the nation, John Wise of Illinois, the kind of matchup Everhart lives for.