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(10/13/03 5:42am)
The men's golf team will tee off in its final tournament of the fall today. The Xavier Invitational will feature 21 teams, the largest field the Hoosiers have played in all season. The Xavier Musketeers played well at the Northern Intercollegiate Sept. 20-21, took first place and forced the Hoosiers to settle for second.\nThe Hoosiers were able to exact some revenge by overcoming a five-stroke Xavier lead on the final day of the 49er Collegiate Classic Oct. 7 to take its second consecutive first place finish. Coach Mike Mayer hopes his team can repeat last week's performance.\n"Xavier is a good team," Mayer said. "They are a strong team; they have proved that this fall. The last time we faced them head-to-head like that, they came out on top at the last round at the Northern (Intercollegiate). This time we faced them head-to-head, and we were the stronger of the teams. We have to be strong every weekend."\nXavier is not the only challenge the Hoosiers will face in their quest for three consecutive tournament victories. The largest tournament field the Hoosiers faced this season prior to the Xavier Invitational was 15. The 21-team field the Hoosiers will face this week will provide extra competition.\n"(At) that becomes a little scary because when you get that many teams, you know some teams are going to play well," Mayer said. "You can't control what these other teams do in our sport. So 21 teams brings a whole other element into it."\nDon't confuse that cautiousness with shaky confidence. After winning back-to-back tournaments, the Hoosiers believe they can compete in any field.\n"I expect us to be right there with a chance to win coming down the last couple of holes," junior Mike Birkenfeld said. \nSenior Ryan Cassidy said the team will go up against some good competition.\n"We will get a good feel for where we stand in terms of district and for NCAA Regionals," Cassidy said. "But obviously our main concern is going in there and winning the tournament. Xavier is going to be the main team to beat, but we're all playing well enough right now. We have a pretty good chance."\nThe Hoosier lineup has had plenty of solid contributors this fall. Junior Jeff Overton has won his first three tournaments, junior Heath Peters has two top-10 finishes, Cassidy has a pair of top-10 finishes and Birkenfeld has a second place finish. The Hoosiers' lineup has been playing well, and the Hoosiers said they hope that can lead to more success.\n"Obviously we're playing well," Mayer said. "We're shooting good numbers. We're making birdies. We're making things happen when they need to happen. So I don't know how much more confident we can feel going into this tournament." \nThe Xavier Invitational begins today with 36 holes of play starting at 8:30 a.m., on the Grizzly Tournament course of The Golf Center at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, Tuesday, the final 18 holes will be played starting at 8 a.m.\n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu.
(10/06/03 6:59am)
After winning the Hoosier Invitational last weekend by 33 strokes and earning the No. 5 ranking in the country, the IU men's golf team has plenty of reasons to be confident. When the Hoosiers tee off today in Charlotte, N.C., for the 49er Collegiate Classic, they will do so as a nationally ranked team according to Golfstat and Golfweek.\nThe Hoosiers believe they have a strong lineup going into this week's tournament, and it starts with junior Jeff Overton. He has led the way for the Hoosiers this season by finishing first in the first two tournaments of the season. Overton's hot streak has been a great asset to the Hoosiers, and the rest of the golf community has taken notice. After winning the Northern Intercollegiate, Overton was named Golfer of the Week by GolfWorld magazine. Following his first place finish at the Hoosier Invitational, Overton was given the No. 4 ranking in the nation by Golfweek. Coach Mike Mayer is not surprised at the recognition that Overton has received.\n"(Overton) deserves that honor," Mayer said. "He is, I would argue, the hottest college golfer out there right now. We're proud of what he has accomplished this early in the fall season. He played (the Hoosier Invitational) with a lot more confidence, and I think he is going to go down to Charlotte with that same kind of confidence and that same type of attitude. He knows he's the best player in the field."\nBut Overton is not the only Hoosier golfer that gives the team confidence for this week's event. Junior Heath Peters already has finished tied for seventh in the two tournaments. Senior Mike Birkenfeld took second place at last weekend's Hoosier Invitational. Senior Ryan Cassidy finished tied for fifth at the Hoosier Invitational. Cassidy believes that the lineup's strength is its consistency. \n"We're pretty confident going down there," Cassidy said. "Heath has finished seventh the past two tournaments. Jeff has won. Birkenfeld finished in the top twenty and then finished second. So (the Hoosiers' lineup) is consistent."\nThe 49er Collegiate Classic will give the Hoosiers an opportunity to face teams they would not normally face. Eleven other teams will compete in the tournament. Xavier and Marquette are the only teams in the field that the Hoosiers have faced so far this year, but Overton says the field does not intimidate the Hoosiers. \n"It will be interesting. There will be a lot of teams that we have not really had much experience playing against," Overton said. "So I think we just have to go out there, be patient, and keep doing the same things we're doing. But I don't think there are too many teams that can compete with us right now, the way we are playing."\nThe Hoosiers' lineup will feature Overton, Peters, Birkenfeld, Cassidy and freshman David Butwell. The tournament begins Monday at the Skybrook Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C., with an 8 a.m. shotgun and 36 holes of play. The tournament will conclude with 18 holes Tuesday beginning at 8 a.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu.
(09/29/03 6:39am)
The IU men's golf team picked up its first tournament victory of the season at the Hoosier Invitational this weekend. In a tournament that saw the Hoosiers set numerous records, junior Jeff Overton once again led the way for the Hoosiers with his second victory in as many weeks. \nOverton shot a 65 in Saturday's opening round, tying a school record for 18 holes and setting a new career low. With a second round 69, Overton shot a school record 134 through the first 36 holes. The previous mark was 135, set by Brent Landry at the 1998 Xavier Intercollegiate. Overton also took first place at the Northern Intercollegiate September 20-21. After winning his second consecutive tournament, Overton said his confidence is high.\n"I've been playing really well for probably the last four or five months," Overton said. "I have a large amount of confidence right now in my game. But, at the same time there are some things that I have to work on, fine tune, and get ready for next week."\nOverton was not the only Hoosier with record-setting efforts. Senior Ryan Cassidy began the tournament with an opening round 68, establishing a new career low 18-hole score. Junior Heath Peters also got off to a record-setting start on the tournament's first day. Peters shot a 142 over the first two rounds, tying his career low 36-hole total.\nAt the end of Saturday, the Hoosiers had four golfers in the top 10. Overton was alone in first, senior Mike Birkenfeld was tied for third, and Cassidy and Peters were tied for eighth. On Sunday, the Hoosiers showed no signs of slowing down.\nOverton shot a final round 69 for a total score of 10-under-par 203, good enough to take first place by five strokes and set a new school record for low 72-hole total. The previous record was 204, set by Dan Olsen at the 1989 Ellwood Greens Invitational.\nBirkenfeld also shot a final round 69 to claim a total score of 208 and second place.\n"I am very pleased with the way I played," Birkenfeld said. "I hit the ball really well. I could have putted a little better, but the way I hit the ball I really wasn't going to make anything worse than bogey. I made a couple bogeys, but made a few birdies and played solid overall."\nWith so many individual records being set, the Hoosiers could not avoid setting a few team records. The Hoosiers easily defeated the competition with a total score of 15-under-par 837. Eastern Michigan came in a distant second with an 18-over-par 870, giving the Hoosiers a 33 stroke margin of victory. The score of 837 marks a school record for 72 holes. The previous mark was 840 at the 2000 Legends Intercollegiate, which was also the last time the Hoosiers took first place as a team. Coach Mike Mayer said he was very impressed with his team's performance.\n"We got a big win here, in a big way," Mayer said. "This team needed to get through that door, get through that threshold of winning. And I think they did it in a big way today. These scores to me are a little bit unbelievable. It's not like this golf course is playing easy; as a matter of fact ... it was playing very tough."\nThe victory, coming on the heels of a second-place finish at last weekend's Northern Intercollegiate, marks the best start to a season since 1990, when the team began with a first place finish at the UC/Johnny Bench and followed with a tie for second at the Indiana Intercollegiate. \nThe Hoosiers will try to continue their success when they travel to Charlotte, NC, for the 49ers Invitational October 6-7.\n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu.
(09/26/03 6:35am)
The men's golf team will host the Hoosier Invitational this Saturday and Sunday at the IU Golf Course. The team's confidence remains high entering the weekend thanks to a strong showing at last weekend's Northern Intercollegiate. Junior Jeff Overton took home the individual title, and the Hoosiers took second place as a team.\n"It was great for us to get off to that kind of start," coach Mike Mayer said. "We played very solidly the whole tournament. We had very few hiccups. Obviously we fed off of Jeff Overton's play. Having somebody leading like Jeff Overton leading makes everybody a little bit more comfortable."\nThe Hoosiers have reason to be comfortable heading into the weekend. The Hoosier Invitational will be the only tournament of the year hosted by the Hoosiers. The team has had ample practice rounds on the IU Golf Course and feels that it has an advantage against its opponents.\n"Since we didn't have a tournament to start off with early in the season, it gave us a chance to get out here and play a lot more qualifying rounds," junior Heath Peters said. "So that can only help us in the long run."\n"I'd like to take a few of those rounds and just count them as our tournament rounds because we've had some great rounds on this course," Mayer said. "Sure this tournament is on our home course, and sure we have a home course advantage, there's no question about it." \nThis weekend's tournament also provides the Hoosiers with a chance to give playing time to additional team members. The Hoosiers take only five members to tournaments on the road. But this weekend, the Hoosiers will enter two teams of five and two individuals in the field. Overton, Peters, junior Mike Birkenfeld, senior Ryan Cassidy, and sophomore Oren Hodak will make up the Crimson team. The Cream squad will be made up of sophomore Scott Seibert, freshman David Butwell, sophomore Brad Marek, junior Rob Ockenfuss, and junior Aaron Walters. Senior Kirk Wood and freshmen Tad Sacheck will compete as individuals this weekend. Having additional players gives other Hoosier golfers a chance to strengthen their game.\n"I think it's going to be great because there have been a lot of players who have worked really hard, but haven't gotten the physical side of their golf games down," Overton said. "Playing in tournaments allows you to understand your physical strengths and weaknesses. So allowing more people to play in this tournament is going to benefit everybody."\nBut getting extra work in is not the only thing the Hoosiers have in mind. With two teams in the field, the Hoosiers want to take first and second place at this weekend's tournament.\n"We always set pretty lofty goals," Mayer said. "Our goal is to finish one-two. Obviously we have a subset of goals from that. We want to win this golf tournament. We need that win. We've been knocking on that door as a team.\n"Our goals are always to go out there and play the best golf we can. We need to be physically ready and mentally ready, and I feel we're going to be that way. The rest has to take care of itself."\nThe Hoosier Invitational begins on Saturday at the IU Golf Course with an 8:00 a.m. shotgun start and 36 holes of play. The tournament ends with a final 18 holes of play on Sunday with an 8:30 a.m. start. \n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu.
(09/19/03 6:24am)
The men's golf team kicks off its fall season this weekend with the Northern Intercollegiate in Ann Arbor, Mich. hosted by the University of Michigan. The Hoosiers had three weeks to prepare for the two-day, 15-team event, and they are eager to finally get the season under way at the U of M golf course.\n"The past couple of years, we started off right away," senior Ryan Cassidy said. "Once we got down here, we had a tournament that weekend. We've had pretty much three weekends off since we got down here, so we're definitely ready to go." \nBesides being eager to start the season, the Hoosiers are confident that a victory is within reach. The team believes they have a solid lineup and are capable of competing with the entire field at the Northern Intercollegiate. \n"Our team is about as deep as we've ever been right now," Cassidy said. "We should have a good chance of winning the tournament and that's our main goal."\nSecond-year player Brad Marek gained experience on a talented squad last year.\n"Any time you go to a tournament, you have to expect to win," he said. "As a team, there's no reason, if we're clicking well, that we can't win this tournament."\nThis weekend will also provide the Hoosiers with a chance to become better acquainted with their Big Ten opponents. Six other Big Ten schools -- Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin -- will compete in the Northern Intercollegiate. Seeing the competition so early will give the Hoosiers an idea of what their Big Ten rivals can do.\n"Obviously, this is like the Big Ten preview," Cassidy said. "So it's important that we play well and let them know where we're at as well as figure out where they are."\nThe Hoosiers will send five players into competition this weekend. Junior Jeff Overton enters the weekend as the Hoosiers' number-one golfer. Following Overton are junior Heath Peters, Cassidy, junior Mike Birkenfeld and Marek. Freshman David Butwell will also join the Hoosiers in Ann Arbor and play as an individual.\nOverton's recent performances have only raised the Hoosiers' expectations. During the fifth of six qualifying rounds for this weekend's tournament, Overton set a new IU Golf Course record by shooting a nine-under-par 62. After seeing such a strong performance from Overton, assistant coach Josh Brewer thinks that Overton could have a big weekend.\n"(Overton) has to pace himself a little bit just to calm down on the first couple of holes and just be himself," Brewer said. "If he plays like he has been playing, I'd be surprised if he doesn't get his first college tournament victory."\n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu
(09/05/03 6:17pm)
Sporting goods stores are filled with gimmicks offering to take strokes off of one's golf game. But, the best way to improve a golf game is simply to play as much as possible, according to IU men's golf coach Mike Mayer. Mayer believes that over the summer his players have to be responsible for themselves and improve their game on their own.\n"As far as what I can do, it's minimal. I can encourage; I can motivate; I can inspire, but I can't dictate anything over the summer," Mayer said. "It's taking upon themselves to play a lot of very competitivie golf."\nSo during the summer, the Hoosiers played. Juniors Heath Peters and Jeff Overton both had strong summers and are being counted on to provide leadership for the rest of the team.\n"I've been trying to play in as many golf tournaments as possible, just to keep the competitive edge," Peters said. "The more tournaments you get in, the better the competition, it's easier to rate your game."\nThe highlight of Peters' summer was the 88th Indiana Open Championship. The junior shot rounds of 69, 71, 69, and 70 and finished seventh. Peters was 11 strokes behind the winner, but his 9-under par total was the best among amateurs. \nOverton played in tournaments around the country and collected numerous honors. Among Overton's tournaments were the Indiana State Amateur Championships, the North South Amateur Championships, the US Amateur Public Links Championship, the Western Amateur, and the Evansville City Championship. \nOverton won the Indiana State Amateur Championships by 12 strokes. In Pinehurst, N.C., Overton won his first four matches at the North South Amateur before being eliminated. At the Public Links, in Galloway Township, N.J., Overton shot an opening round 64 for seven under par, which tied Robert Gamez's 1989 second-round score for lowest single round score in tournament history. Overton went on to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by ninth seed Dayton Rose.\n"I played in a bunch of really top-level golf tournaments, and I've actually had a pretty decent summer," Overton said. "I think that it got me ready for the upcoming season."\nThe way Peters and Overton have performed against such top-level competition has Mayer optimistic for this season. But Mayer says that other Hoosiers have done well over the summer and give support to his hopes for improvement.\n"(Sophomore) Brad Marek played a lot. (Sophomore) Scott Siebert played a lot. (Senior) Mike Birkenfeld played a lot. That's what it takes to be good," Mayer said. "You have to have a commitment over the summertime, playing in all these events. It's quite a commitment. It's a time commitment; it's a financial commitment, and they have to take it upon themselves to do it."\nMayer and the Hoosiers seem excited to finally get the season under way. But, more importantly, they feel that they have done what they needed to do to get prepared.\n"I'm thrilled with the summer we've had," Mayer said. "So going into this year I think we're very optimistic that things will work out in our favor." \n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Gillingham at cgilling@indiana.edu.
(08/29/03 6:01am)
The IU field hockey team is set to kick off its fourth season this weekend with matches against two Mid-American Conference opponents. The season opens today with a 1 p.m. match against defending MAC champion Central Michigan at the Mellencamp Pavilion. After Friday's match, the Hoosiers will prepare for Saturday's 1 p.m. match against Miami (Ohio). \n"I'm very confident that we are prepared for this season," said junior midfielder Kayla Bayshore. "This has been one of our strongest preseasons as far as preparation and intensity is concerned."\nThe Hoosiers have been practicing against each other and are eager to finally test themselves against competition. Last season, the Hoosiers set school records in goals (22), assists (12), and goals per game (1.16), and they said they believe they can improve that mark. \n"We haven't scrimmaged any outside teams," coach Amy Robertson said. "So it's an understatement to say that we're really excited to finally play an opponent outside of ourselves." \n"We look really strong this year," senior goalkeeper Molly Pulkrabek said. "We already look twice as good as we did last year. I'm really excited to see how well we do." \nCentral Michigan is coming off a strong 14-7 season and return junior Kristy Reed who led the MAC in scoring in 2002. But the Hoosiers are not intimidated by the MAC champs. \n"They play very hard," Robertson said. "They're a good team that plays in a very good conference. But I think we'll match up very well against them."\nPulkrabek sees a lot of potential in this team and thinks IU will have a good weekend.\n"I have no doubt that we will match and beat these teams," Pulkrabek said. "I think we're a lot stronger team this year, and I think our level of play has increased a lot. So I think we're going to go out and kick their butts."\nCentral Michigan and Miami will be a tough challenge for the Hoosiers so Robertson said she is trying to make her team focus on what they do best.\n"We're focusing on trying to go to our strengths, play our tempo and play the game that's going to help us be most successful," Robertson said. "We're a very fast-breaking team, we also have good possession. We like to control the ball and be patient and then go with our speed."\nMiami provided the Hoosiers with a 4-1 victory on opening day last season. The Hoosiers hope to get the same outcome on Saturday. \nIU is counting on a strong core of returning players including junior midfielder Kayla Bayshore, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors her sophomore season, and Pulkrabek, who posted a 2.12 goals against average last year. \nBut with senior midfielder/forward Erica Nilsson recovering from a knee injury, the Hoosiers will be without their leading scorer in 2002 for the start of the season. But Robertson sees strength in some of her younger players that will help compensate for Nilsson.\n"We have a trio of sophomores," Robertson said. "Leslie Wiler is a very dynamic player. Morgan Albini, in the backfield, is very athletic and a very strong back for us. Mallory Reabold, on our forward line, is very exciting to watch. (Nilsson) is just starting to come back, hopefully within a week or two she'll be able to play."
(03/11/03 5:11am)
The Cooper brothers, junior Coyte and freshman Matt, represent the present and the future of IU wrestling at the same time. \nCoyte has been a leader for the Hoosiers all season and has written his name in the IU record books. Matt is part of a group of Hoosier underclassmen that coach Duane Goldman has been praising all season and is one of only two true freshmen to regularly start for the Hoosiers. \nMatt Cooper has provided coach Goldman with plenty of reasons to believe in the Hoosiers' young talent. In his true freshman year, Matt cracked the Hoosier lineup and saw regular time on the mat as the Hoosiers' 149-pounder. Although he went winless in the Big Ten season this year, Matt showed plenty of promise by earning 17 victories. He may have had a tough season, but Goldman said the Hoosiers are counting on him and other young Hoosiers to deliver based on the promise that they have shown thus far.\n"Obviously youth is somewhat of a disadvantage," Goldman said. "But it should be exciting for the future. We have a lot of good young talent." \nCoyte Cooper has been one of the best Hoosier wrestlers all season and may soon be considered one of the best Hoosier wrestlers ever. Coyte finished the season with 16 pins on the year, which tied him for second on IU's all-time single season pins list. His 26 career pins are tied for fifth on the Hoosiers' all-time career pins list.\nAnd on Sunday Coyte finished in second place at the Big Ten Championships in Madison, Wisc., earning a place in the NCAA Finals, March 20-22.\nOne explanation of how the Coopers got so good could be that they learn from each other. Coyte and Matt perfect their techniques against each other at practice and neither give an inch to his sibling. Both say their dedication is more a case of brotherly love than sibling rivalry.\nMatt said his brother has taught him quite a bit about staying consistent in his freshman year. \n"He has reminded me to forget who I am wrestling and just go out and wrestle," Matt said.\nCoyte said his brother does the same.\n"It goes both ways," he said. "I've never had a better workout partner or friend."\nNeither Cooper has a bigger fan than his brother.\nDuring a meet, when one Cooper is on the mat, the other one is not far away cheering him on and yelling advice. \n"The hardest part for me when Matt wrestles is sitting back and not getting too excited so I can still concentrate on my own wrestling," Coyte said.\nNext season will be Coyte's senior year, and -- with a full season already under his belt -- Matt is sure to meet greater expectations. With one more year together, the Cooper brothers will try to deliver on the promise of IU wrestling.
(03/07/03 3:52pm)
A grueling Big Ten regular season has come to a close for the Hoosiers. The IU wrestling program had a tough time in the conference season this year, earning only one dual meet victory against a Big Ten team, but the Hoosiers will now have a chance for redemption.\nAfter finishing ninth in the conference regular season, the IU wrestling team will travel to Madison, Wisc., for the Big Ten Wrestling Championships. The Hoosiers will have their work cut out for themselves at the conference tournament. \nThe Big Ten, traditionally considered one of the toughest conferences in college wrestling, has lived up to its reputation this season.\n"The Big Ten is always tough no matter who you are wrestling," senior Greg Schaefer said in January. A simple glance at the national rankings shows how true Schaefer's comments are.\nThree Big Ten teams hold rankings in the top five, and nine of eleven Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25 including: No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Minnesota, No. 5 Illinois, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 14 Penn State, No. 17 Purdue and No. 22 Wisconsin.\nThe nine ranked teams are easily more than any other conference, the closest being the Big 12, which has five. The Big Ten is so highly regarded that the Wisconsin Badgers, who are hosting the tournament this year, hold the No. 22 ranking despite winning only once in conference competition.\nIU goes into competition this weekend after a two-week break. The Hoosiers lost their last two meets of the season to No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Minnesota. But, despite the loss, some Hoosier wrestlers said they think that having faced Iowa and Minnesota so close to the start of the postseason can give the Hoosiers an advantage this weekend.\n"Facing two of the best teams in the country I think will help us. It will be good to wrestle two of the tougher teams before Big Ten Championships," 141-pound junior Coyte Cooper said.\nCooper finished the regular season with the No. 10 ranking in the nation and is the only Hoosier that holds a No. 1 seed in his weight class this weekend. Cooper, 184-pound junior Ty Matthews, who holds the third seed, and 197-pound sophomore Pat DeGain, who holds the fifth seed, are the only Hoosiers with a top five seed. The only other Hoosiers with a top eight seed are freshman Brady Richardson (sixth at 174) and Schaefer (sixth at 133).\nIf the Hoosiers can manage a strong showing at this weekend's tournament, they will manage to earn what they have been working toward since practice began in the fall, a trip to Kansas City, Mo., for the NCAA Finals.\n"My goal this season is to be in the NCAA Finals," DeGain said earlier in the season. "You have to set your goals high, or else you'll never reach them"
(02/24/03 6:02am)
A crowd of nearly 500 people, the largest crowd of the season, arrived at University Gym for the IU wrestling team's final home meet of the year on Friday night. The raucous group loudly cheered every Hoosier point, but even the largest crowd of the season could not stop IU from going 0-2 against Iowa and Minnesota this weekend.\nFriday night the Hawkeyes came to town and were victorious in nine of 10 bouts, earning a 34-3 victory. Junior Coyte Cooper was the only Hoosier to score a victory by way of a 2-1 decision over Iowa senior Luke Moffit. \nThe Hoosiers were able to hang close in most bouts, six matches including Cooper's, were decided by five points or less. But in the end, the No. 2 Hawkeyes proved to be too much.\nThe Hoosiers had little time to dwell on the loss, however, as they left Saturday morning for a Sunday meet against the No. 3 Minnesota Golden Gophers. But, the Hoosiers fared only slightly better in their final meet of the year. The Gophers took six of the 10 bouts and won 25-17. \nBut with the regular season now at a close, the Hoosiers were still able to find positives to build on for the upcoming post season.\n"Every now and then we need a wake-up call," sophomore Pat DeGain said of the team's loss to Iowa.\nOne positive note for the Hoosiers was Coyte Cooper's continued dominance. Cooper proved worthy of his No. 12 ranking at 141-pounds by earning two tough wins. His second victory of the weekend, a 14-8 decision, came at the expense of Minnesota's Derek Phillips. After the Iowa meet, Cooper said he thought finishing the season against the two quality opponents would help the Hoosiers prepare for the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Finals.\n"Facing two of the best teams in the country I think will help us," Cooper said. "It will be good to wrestle two of the tougher teams before Big Ten Championships."\nOther Hoosiers showed toughness by shaking off difficult losses to their Iowa opponents and winning at Minnesota.\nSenior Ty Matthews, who lost to Iowa senior and No. 1 ranked Jessman Smith on Friday night, responded by beating Minnesota freshman Matt Nagel by virtue of a 17-1 technical fall on Sunday. \nFreshman Isaac Knable lost to Iowa freshman Joe Johnston on Friday.\n"We just have to learn form this," Knable said following the Iowa meet. "We just have to go all seven minutes. Everyone wrestled hard. We should have won more than we did." \nKnable showed that he was able to learn form Friday's meet by pinning Gopher sophomore Tyler Marr on Sunday.\nFreshman Brady Richardson could not overcome Iowa junior Tyler Nixt on Friday. But, Richardson recovered on Sunday by upsetting No. 20 ranked Gopher sophomore Josh McLay.\nThe Hoosiers will not compete for nearly two weeks. They will next see competition beginning March 8 in Madison, Wisc., where the Big Ten Championships will take place.
(02/21/03 6:21am)
As the regular season winds down, the IU wrestling team will face a weekend of tough competition followed by a 13-day break to prepare for the Big Ten Championships, March 8 and 9 in Madison, Wisc. Tonight the Hoosiers will face the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes at 7 p.m. at University Gym. \nFollowing the Iowa meet, IU must prepare to travel to Minnesota to take on the No. 3 Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers currently hold the top spot in the conference standings with Iowa and Michigan State tied at second.\nUpsetting two top five teams in the same weekend will be a difficult task to accomplish. But the Hoosiers, who are coming off their first conference win of the season with a 28-9 victory over Northwestern last Friday, are feeling up to the task.\n"Iowa and Minnesota pose a huge challenge for us, and right now in the Big Ten any win is a good win, and we have to use it to the fullest," said coach Duane Goldman, who wrestled for the Hawkeyes from 1983-86.\n"These next two teams are both ranked in the top five, so we really have to focus," sophomore Pat DeGain said. \nIU's first test will be Iowa. The Hawkeyes enter tonight's meet boasting a 5-1 Big Ten record and have won their last three meets. Iowa's only conference loss came Feb. 7 at Michigan State, when after tying the Spartans at 19-19 after the completion of all ten bouts, the Spartans were awarded the victory because they had more pins in the meet. It was Michigan State's first victory over Iowa in 22 meetings.\nSince then Iowa has defeated three straight ranked opponents: No. 14 Penn State, their arch rival No. 3 Minnesota and No. 17 Purdue.\n"We have to start somewhere, but now we have to focus toward Iowa and Minnesota," senior Ty Matthews said after the Northwestern meet. \nMatthews has been a mainstay for the Hoosiers this year. Matthews, since moving from heavyweight to 184-pounds, has gone undefeated with a record of 17-0 and currently holds the No. 8 ranking in the nation. Tonight Matthews will likely be pitted against Iowa senior Jessman Smith, who holds the No. 1 ranking.\nAfter tonight it is off to St. Paul for the Hoosiers as they conclude the regular season by taking on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Gophers hold first place in the Big Ten standings with a 6-1 conference record. A victory over the Hoosiers, who have not beaten Minnesota since 1968, would secure a regular season conference championship for the Gophers.\nMinnesota appears strong throughout their lineup. Seven Gophers are ranked in the top 15, including 133-pound senior Ryan Lewis. But make no mistake about it. This weekend the Hoosiers have upset on their minds.\n"These next two teams are both ranked in the top five, so it would be good to get a win," DeGain said.
(02/18/03 4:55am)
Coach Duane Goldman has maintained all season long that his team is young and learning, but is still talented.\n"This year we want to get them some experience and get them to learn to win," Goldman said of his underclassmen at the start of the year. "It should be really exciting for the future."\nGoldman's confidence in his underclassmen can be seen in the starting lineup. Last Friday, the Hoosiers started five freshmen against the Wildcats in a 28-9 victory. \nFreshmen like Joe Dubuque, Matt Cooper and Joel Powers have helped to spark the Hoosiers while gaining valuable experience.\nBut, even the talented freshmen will look to the athletes above them for an example to follow. This season, the Hoosiers have seen many wrestlers take a leadership role. Juniors Coyte Cooper and Ty Matthews, and sophomore Pat DeGain have turned in strong performances all year long.\n"It's a little more responsibility," Matthews said of being one of the older wrestlers on the team, but he said he remains confident in the team's freshmen. "We have a great group of underclassmen."\nBut, one would assume that the largest burden of leadership would fall on Greg Schaefer, the team's only senior. Schaefer has been consistent all year long, earning a 24-6 record heading into Friday's meet against Iowa. \nSchaefer originally made his mark for the Hoosiers in the 125-pound weight class, where he wrestled his first four years for IU. He made an impression from the start when he was the only freshman to see action at the varsity level. Last year seemed to be a breakthrough season for Schaefer as he earned a 17-11 record as a junior and earned a trip to the NCAA Finals.\nSchaefer has wrestled in the 133-pound weight class for the Hoosiers this year, as Dubuque took over the 125-pound weight class for IU and is currently gaining valuable experience in that division. Schaefer added weight and moved up to 133. \nThis season, Schaefer reached eighty wins for his career after defeating Purdue sophomore Rene Hernandez in a Hoosier loss. But, despite all his accomplishments, Schaefer said he does not feel any added pressure as the team's only senior and emphasizes teamwork.\n"I don't really think so, I think they're all a part of the team and we're all together," Schaefer said.
(02/17/03 5:16am)
After losing four consecutive Big Ten dual meets, the IU wrestling team got on track against Northwestern Friday night. Things were looking up for the Hoosiers from the start when freshman Joe Dubuque returned to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 24. \nThe only action Dubuque had seen during the Big Ten season was during a loss in the conference opener to Penn State. Friday Dubuque helped the Hoosiers start the evening off right.\nThe first bout of the night pitted Dubuque against Northwestern sophomore John Valez in the 125-pound weight class. Dubuque had not faced competition for about three weeks, but that did not stop him from defeating Valez 9-7.\n"It was good to have Joey back in the lineup," coach Duane Goldman said. \nSenior Greg Schaefer and junior Coyte Cooper won the 133 and 141-pound weight classes respectively for the Hoosiers. Schaefer scored a 12-2 major decision over Northwestern sophomore John Ott to make the lead 7-0. Cooper's 3-0 victory over Wildcat senior John Giacche gave the Hoosiers a 10-point lead.\nThree straight wins brought the Wildcats to within one point of the Hoosiers with a score of 10-9, but this was as close as Northwestern would get.\nSophomore Pat DeGain put the victory on ice for the Hoosiers by pinning Northwestern freshman Matt Delguyd and pushing the Hoosier lead to 22-9.\nThe meet ended with Northwestern forfeiting the heavyweight bout making the score 28-9.\n"It was good to get a win here, because the next three teams we are going to face are all in the top ten," DeGain said, referring to upcoming meets against Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota.\n"We have to start somewhere," Matthews said. "Now we have to focus towards Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota."\nBut, now the Hoosiers will only have to focus on Iowa and Minnesota. Due to the weekend's inclement weather and poor traveling conditions, Sunday's meet between the Hoosiers and the Illini in Champaign, Ill., was cancelled.
(02/14/03 5:36am)
Northwestern, by all accounts, is a desperate team. The Wildcats have lost their last eight dual meets and are winless in conference action. In the team's last meet, they suffered a blowout loss against Minnesota losing 41-3, and the Wildcats cannot claim any ranked starters. One would probably think when IU and Northwestern square off at 7 p.m. tonight at the University Gym, that the smart money is on IU to end its conference losing streak. \nAfter all, the Hoosiers will be facing a team that just suffered a demoralizing loss and IU can boast a projected starting lineup that has five wrestlers with twenty or more wins. But, that doesn't mean the Hoosiers are taking the Wildcats lightly. \n"The Big Ten is a grueling season," junior Ty Matthews said.\nThis year the Big Ten continues to be one of the toughest conferences in the nation. In fact, nine Big Ten wrestling programs can claim a top 25 ranking in polls provided by www.themat.com, an online wrestling magazine. Five of those teams are even ranked in the top ten: No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan, and No. 8 Illinois.\nThe Hoosiers, who still stand at 0-4 in Big Ten competition, cannot afford to look past Northwestern.\n"The Big Ten is tough no matter who you're wrestling," senior Greg Schaefer said.\nIU coach Duane Goldman said there is never an easy game in the Big Ten conference.\n"We know that the Big Ten is not easy," he said. "Right now we're still trying to just bring some guys along."\nThe Hoosiers will try to get their first conference win and extend the Wildcats' losing streak to nine straight tonight. But they may again be without freshman Joe Dubuque.\nDubuque has been one of the Hoosiers' best wrestlers this season when healthy, compiling a 22-4 record and being ranked as high as No. 16. But, an injury to Dubuque's right knee has kept him out of the last three Big Ten meets. His official status is day-to-day. Since Dubuque is the team's only 125-pounder, the Hoosiers were forced to forfeit the 125-pound bout at each competition, giving up six points each time.\nThe regular season is winding down for the Hoosiers. After facing Northwestern, IU will have three more regular season meets. Sunday, the Hoosiers leave for Champaign, Ill. for another tough road test when they face the No. 8 Illinois Fighting Illini. After returning home to face the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers will complete the regular season at No. 3 Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 25.
(02/12/03 5:42am)
Senior Ty Matthews and sophomore Pat DeGain have been two of the strongest performers on the IU wrestling team this year. Matthews is undefeated at 184 pounds and is ranked in the top ten. DeGain, at 197 pounds, has compiled a 27-3 record and has also earned a top ten ranking.\nBut injuries can strike anyone at anytime and when that happens, a reliable backup is needed. \nMatthews missed the Penn State meet with a bad knee and DeGain had to sit out the Purdue meet fighting a case of the flu. In both cases, the Hoosiers turned to freshman Andy Rios.\nRios' first test was filling in for Matthews against Penn State senior Mark Becks. Becks held the No. 4 ranking at 184 pounds, and, in a microcosm of the evening for the Hoosiers, Becks defeated Rios 9-3 as Penn State rolled 37-4. But, by facing tough competition on such short notice, Rios showed how capable he was.\n"I knew I was ready to go, my weight was down and I felt good," Rios said. "You always have to be ready because injuries can happen at anytime."\nRios got another chance against Purdue. With DeGain out, Rios had to fill in once more for the Hoosiers, this time at 197 pounds. And, this time, Rios came away with his first career Big Ten victory, defeating Purdue sophomore Bryan Kapp 12-3.\nRios, usually a 184-pounder was able to move up a weight class and outlasted Kapp, who outweighed him by about ten pounds.\n"Rios did a good job," coach Duane Goldman said. "He came in about ten pounds light, but Andy did well."\nRios is not about to unseat either Matthews or DeGain, who are still ranked among the top ten in their weight classes. But he is part of a group of underclassmen that has a significant upside and is given an example to follow by the few upperclassmen that are on the team.\n"We have a few guys with really good experience," junior Coyte Cooper said at the beginning of the season. "The older guys have done a really good job of leading."\nWhile the team does have a strong core of leaders in DeGain, Matthews, Cooper and senior Greg Schaefer,Goldman said the team is still young and wrestlers like Rios are using this season to gain experience.\n"We have a lot of good young talent," Goldman said at the start of the year. "It should be really exciting for the future"
(02/07/03 6:19am)
The Hoosier wrestling team returned, winless, from a road trip to No. 4 Ohio State and No. 10 Michigan last week. This pushed the Hoosiers' Big Ten record to 0-3. But coach Duane Goldman still is not worried.\n"I'm not disappointed in anybody at all," Goldman said. "Those were all tough teams we faced, and I'm not upset with our performance."\nEven though Goldman said he is not disappointed with his team's performance, he is looking for them to show improvement tonight against the No.19 Purdue Boilermakers at 7 p.m. in the University Gym.\nTonight, the traditional IU versus Purdue rivalry will once again rear its head. But the Hoosiers, for the most part, are downplaying the rivalry and are just looking to win.\n"Those in state rivalries are always important. But, we've done well against them in the past," Goldman said. "They have a good team this year and they're ranked well. But we have a good team too."\nFreshman Brady Richardson, 174-pound, who returned to action last week and earned his first Big Ten victory against Michigan, said that a win against Purdue would be great.\n"We need to get some momentum back, and I hate Purdue," Richardson said.\nRichardson said he is looking forward to tonight's meet and participating in a rivalry he grew up with. \n"Growing up, everyone either loved IU and hated Purdue or loved Purdue and hated IU," said Richardson, a native of Vincennes. \nAnd where did Richardson's loyalties lie while growing up?\n"I always hated Purdue," Richardson said.\nMeanwhile, senior Greg Schaefer, a native of Evansville, said the rivalry is not more important for him than the rest of the team.\n"I don't think it carries any extra significance for me," Schaefer said. "Whether they're from Indiana or not, I think they're all a part of the IU-Purdue rivalry. The Big Ten season is tough no matter who you're wrestling."\nThe Boilermakers prove that. \nDespite being winless (0-2) in conference meets and losing their last three home meets, Purdue cannot be taken lightly; they still hold the No. 19 ranking in the country. \nThe Boilermakers biggest strength seems to be at 125-pounds, where they boast the top-ranked wrestler in the nation, sophomore Cliff Fleeger. Normally, the Hoosiers would send freshman Joe Dubuque against Fleeger, but Dubuque has had trouble with a right knee injury all season and missed the last two meets.\nGoldman said Dubuque is day-to-day. If Dubuque is unable to go, the Hoosiers may have to forfeit the 125-pound bout. Dubuque is the team's only 125-pounder and a forfeit to Fleeger will give the Boilermakers an easy six points.\nWith or without Dubuque, the Hoosiers are simply looking for their first win of the Big Ten season. If it happens to come at the expense of Purdue, Richardson said he couldn't be happier.
(01/31/03 5:58am)
One of the tougher road trips facing the IU wrestling team this season will come to an end tonight in Ann Arbor, Mich. when the Hoosiers face the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines at 7 p.m. at Michigan's Cliff Keen Arena.\nUpsetting the Wolverines will not be an easy task. Last Friday Michigan came from behind to score a mild 19-13 upset of No. 7 Illinois by sending eight wrestlers ranked in the top 20 against the Illini. \nThe Wolverines are also very well rested. Michigan has not wrestled since the Illinois meet one week ago. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers are coming off a meet against the Ohio State Buckeyes Thursday night.\nOSU knocked off the Hoosiers Thursday night 34-12. IU jumped out to an early 9-0 lead but was not able to hang on. The Hoosiers fall to 15-5, 0-2 in the Big Ten. The loss was IU's seventh straight to the Buckeyes.\nSenior Greg Schaefer started off the night with a pin against Rob Rosenfeld. Junior Coyte Cooper followed that up with a decision to give IU the early lead.\nSenior Ty Matthews fought off injuries to win his match 10-7 to round out the scoring for IU. No. 5 sophomore Pat DeGain lost a close bout to No. 7 Anton Talamantes in overtime. The loss ended DeGain's 18 match win streak.\nMatthews and freshman Joe Dubuque have nagging knee injuries that might hamper their performance. Dubuque returned from his knee injury last week in a loss to Penn State. But, Matthews's status remains in doubt.\n"Ty's an extremely tough kid," coach Duane Goldman said before his team left for Ohio State. "If he can tough it out, he will, but it's up to the trainers." \nWith or without Matthews, Cooper said the Hoosiers will have to turn in their best performances to defeat the Wolverines.\n"We just need to stay consistent and forget who we're wrestling and just go out and wrestle," Cooper said.\nOne week ago, the Hoosiers suffered a blowout 37-4 loss to Penn State and have tried to draw any positives from it that they could.\n"It was a good bonding moment for us," DeGain said. "It kind of brought us together. We learned from it so now we can move on."\nThe team will return home to face rival Purdue next Friday, Feb. 7 in University Gym.
(01/30/03 5:44am)
The IU wrestling squad started the Big Ten season on the wrong foot. Penn State came to Bloomington last Friday and overpowered an injury-depleted Hoosier squad 37-4. But the next day, the Hoosiers went to Indianapolis and swept a four-team dual meet. This three-meet winning streak should provide the Hoosiers a morale boost going into meets against No. 3 Ohio State tonight and No. 10 Michigan Friday.\n"It's good to have some momentum," said junior Coyte Cooper. "We dug ourselves into a hole (against Penn State), now we got ourselves out."\nThe Hoosiers will get plenty of tough competition this week as they face what will probably be their most challenging road trip of the regular season. The Buckeyes boast five victories over top 10 teams this season. Tonight's meet will mark the beginning of Big Ten competition for Ohio State.\nThe Wolverines are 6-4 this season and are riding high after defeating Illinois last Friday night to open up their Big Ten season. \nCoach Duane Goldman outlined what he thought his team needed to do to improve on the Penn State meet.\n"We're obviously looking for a much better showing than what we did against Penn State," Goldman said. "We need to stay aggressive and stay smart. Some of our guys, against Penn State, didn't wrestle as smart as they should have. Some of our guys need to take this chance to focus and establish themselves regardless of their age or rank."\nSophomore Pat DeGain, said the team needs a confidence boost.\n"We have great lower weights and our upper weights have done great," said DeGain. "Once our middle weights pull through and as soon as they start believing in themselves, we'll have a great team."\nThe Hoosiers may receive another boost if they can return to full health tonight. Joe Dubuque, a freshman, missed four meets with a knee injury and returned to the lineup against Penn State. But Goldman said that Dubuque wasn't quite ready. Dubuque was beaten by Penn State sophomore Adam Smith and was limping noticeably towards the end of the bout. Dubuque went 3-0 the next day and should be ready to compete tonight.\nAnother Hoosier making his way back from injury is 184-pound junior Ty Matthews. Matthews was forced to miss the Big Ten season opener with a knee injury of his own, but there is a possibility he could be in the lineup tonight. \n"Ty's an extremely tough kid," Goldman said. "It's still bothering him, but he wants to wrestle. Pain is not a big deal to him. He might be able to overcome the pain, but we have to decide if it's the smartest thing for him"
(01/27/03 5:48am)
Friday night belonged to Penn State. The Nittany Lions came to Bloomington and took advantage of an IU squad bitten by the injury bug. Penn State won nine of 10 bouts to beat the Hoosiers by a final score of 37-4. It was the Penn State wrestling program's largest margin of victory since they joined the Big Ten Conference.\nBut the Hoosiers rebounded with a 3-0 performance only a day later, beating the University of Indianapolis, Carson-Newman and Truman State.\nThe Hoosiers missed the presence of junior 184-pounder Ty Matthews all weekend. The No.19 wrestler in his weight class in the nation injured his knee earlier in the week at practice and did not compete in the weekend's competitions. \nReplacing Matthews in the lineup was freshman Andy Rios. Rios drew a tough assignment, having to face Penn State senior Mark Becks who held the No. 4 ranking in the nation. Rios eventually lost 9-3.\n"I felt I was ready to go," Rios said. "You always have to be ready because injuries can happen at anytime."\nFreshman 125-pounder Joe Dubuque returned from his own knee injury on Friday night but was limping noticeably by the end of competition. Dubuque wrestled Penn State sophomore Adam Smith, but lost 10-5.\nThe only Hoosier victorious on Friday was 197-pound sophomore Pat DeGain, who defeated Penn State senior Ryan Cummins 19-5. In spite of Friday night's disappointment, DeGain did his best to keep a positive outlook.\n"We have a six week grind ahead of us," DeGain said. "We have to stay on the right track."\nCoach Duane Goldman said he was disappointed in Friday night's performance, but still tried to help his young team use the loss as a learning experience.\n"We have a lot of young guys who were wrestling up one or two weight classes against All-Americans," Goldman said. "It's a tough way to start the season, but we just have to learn and move on. We can't get down on ourselves."\nThe Hoosiers did not take long to get back on the right track. Saturday, IU traveled to Indianapolis for a three way dual meet against Carson-Newman, Truman State, and the University of Indianapolis.\nDubuque quickly dispersed further doubts of his health after going 3-0 with one pin on Saturday and most of the Hoosiers' squad followed suit as IU also went 3-0, earning blowout victories over each opponent, as IU wrestlers totaled ten pins on the day.\nIU's first opponent Saturday was the Carson-Newman Eagles. The Hoosiers made quick work of the Eagles, defeating them by a score of 42-3. Truman State and the University of Indianapolis fared only slightly better. \nThe Truman State Bulldogs were only able to win three bouts as IU won by a score of 39-9. Indianapolis also won only three bouts as IU defeated the Greyhounds 34-12. \nThe Hoosiers will resume the Big Ten season when they will travel to Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 30 to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Hoosiers will then travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Michigan Wolverines the next day.
(01/24/03 5:49am)
As the wrestling squad prepares for tonight's Big Ten season opener, they will have to do so without 184-pound junior Ty Matthews. Matthews is undefeated in the 184-pound weight class this year and held the No. 19 ranking in the country at that weight. Matthews was going to face 184-pound Penn State senior Mark Becks, who holds the No. 4 ranking in the nation, but now the Hoosiers will likely turn to freshman Andy Rios.\n"Ty's out, he hurt his knee in practice (on Tuesday)," coach Duane Goldman said. "It's a disappointing to us because that would have been a huge swing match for us and it would have been a good test for Ty."\nCompounding the health problem for IU is 125-pound freshman Joe Dubuque's bad knee. Last weekend, Dubuque's knee forced him out of all for 125-pound bouts. Since Dubuque is the team's only 125-pounder, the Hoosiers were forced to forfeit all 125-pound bouts. His status for tonight remains unclear.\n"Dubuque's still day-to day," Goldman said. "But we're hoping he'll be ready."\nThese injuries are bad news for the Hoosiers who have relied on strong performances from a few wrestlers to offset the inconsistencies of some of the more inexperienced wrestlers. With Matthews out and Dubuque questionable, the Hoosiers will need some of the younger wrestlers to step up.\n"For most of the season, we've had five guys towing the line for us," Goldman said. "Now some of the younger guys that did an excellent job last weekend will have to come through."\nOne of the "younger wrestlers" mentioned by Goldman is 149-pound freshman Matt Cooper. Cooper had a breakthrough performance after going 3-0 last Saturday in IU's four team meet against Missouri Valley, Eastern Michigan, and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Cooper said he is looking to improve during the rest of the season.\n"I'm looking forward to keep getting better and getting through the Big Ten season," Cooper said. "I can only improve from here."\nThe Hoosiers will need strong performances throughout their lineup as tonight's meet against Penn State is shaping up as match pitting strength versus strength.\n"We match up very well against Penn State," sophomore Pat DeGain said. "It's just going to come down to who wants it more."\nGoldman said the two teams are evenly matched.\n"Where we're strong, they're strong and where we're weaker, they're weaker," he said.\nWithout Matthews and possibly Dubuque, two of IU's strengths now seem a little bit weaker. The meet begins at 7 p.m. in University Gym.
