March 3, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - The following are results of Northwestern's wrestlers from the first session of this weekend's Big Ten Wrestling Championships, taking place at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The competition will continue tonight with an evening session beginning at 7 p.m. Tomorrow at noon, all weight classes will conduct their third, fifth, and seventh-place matches. Championship matches for all weight classes will begin at 3 p.m.
125 -- Unseeded Rob Potashnick was defeated by sixth-seeded Chris Williams of Michigan State (9-1 decision) in the first round. Potashnik will meet Ohio State's Kore Sharpley in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
133 -- Northwestern does not have a wrestler competing in this weight class.
141 -- Unseeded Josh Ballard fell to top-seeded Doug Schwab of Iowa (22-11 major decision) in the first round. Ballard will meet seventh-seeded Coyte Cooper of Indiana in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
149 -- Unseeded Ryan Cumbee fell to fifth-seeded Mike Kulczycki of Michigan (18-6 major decision) in the first round. Cumbee will meet seventh-seeded Gabe Cook of Indiana in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
157 -- Fourth-seeded Jason Erwinski was the Wildcats' only winner during the first session, as he used a late takedown to defeat Indiana's Alex LaPoynte, 5-3, in the first round. In his quarterfinal match, Erwinski was defeated by fifth-seeded Griff Powell of Illinois, 6-3. This evening, Erwinski will wrestle Wisconsin's P.J. Dowling in a first-round wrestleback this evening.
165 -- Unseeded Ryan Kane was pinned by top-seeded Donny Pritzlaff of Wisconsin in 3:39. Kane will meet sixth-seeded Ben Shirk of Iowa in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
174 -- Unseeded Andrew Curran was defeated by sixth-seeded Ryan Hieber of Ohio State (7-3 decision) in the first round. Curran will meet fifth-seeded Ben King of Illinois in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
184 -- Unseeded Brendan Curran was pinned by fourth-seeded Andy Hrovat of Michigan in 1:14. Curran will meet sixth-seeded Jessman Smith of Iowa in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
197 -- Unseeded Will Marcantel was defeated by sixth-seeded Ty Matthews of Indiana (17-0 technical fall) in the first round. Marcantel will meet fourth-seeded Joe DeGain of Michigan in the first round of wrestlebacks this evening.
285 -- Sixth-seeded Josh Saul was pinned by third-seeded Matt Brink of Michigan in 5:55 of the quarterfinal round. Saul will meet Wisconsin's Justin Staebler in a first-round wrestleback this evening.