Feb. 21, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - With the dual season coming to an end, the Northwestern wrestling team has only two more chances to pick up a Big Ten win. The Wildcats are in Madison Friday, taking on the 18th-ranked Badgers. Match time has been moved up to 4 p.m from its original 7 p.m. start. Sunday, the 'Cats round out the regular season against Indiana in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena. Sunday's dual is set for 2 p.m.
UW has lost its last four duals to fall 10-10 overall and 2-5 in the Big Ten. Last time out, the Badgers lost to No. 2 Michigan, 32-7. They are led by two-time NCAA qualifier Kevin Black. The 187 pound junior is 19-4 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten. The Badgers have four NCAA qualifiers back from last year's squad that placed 10th at the NCAAs, including All-American Grant Hoerr (21-9, 4-1) at 141 pounds.
UW leads the all-time series, 52-27-2. Last season in Evanston, the Badgers won 28-9. NU's last win was a 26-14 decision during the 1997-98 season.
Indiana comes to Welsh-Ryan after a close match with second-ranked Iowa last weekend. The Hawkeyes pulled out a 26-12 win that was closer than the score indicated. With the loss, the Hoosiers fall to 8-11 overall and 0-7 in the Big Ten. IU also has four returning NCAA qualifiers and an All-American in 184-pounder Victor Sveda. Sveda is ranked third in the nation at his weight class, posting a 18-1 dual record.
The Hoosiers have dominated the series with NU, winning 25 of the 30 meetings. Last year in Bloomington, IU defeated NU, 37-6. The 'Cats last win over the Hoosiers came in 1994 when they edged IU, 19-18.
For the Wildcats, John Giacche (Flemington, N.J./Flemington) continues his stellar junior campaign. Giacche is riding an 11-match win streak and has not lost in over a month. The 141 pound Jersey native is 6-0 in the Big Ten. This weekend, he will be put to the test, likely facing UW's 16th-ranked Hoerr and Coyte Cooper (15-7) from the Hoosiers.
Sophomore Ryan Kane (Temecula, Calif./Temecula) has kept pace with Giacche all season. The two are tied for the team-lead in wins with 26. Kane has lost only two matches in his last 15 outings at 165 pounds. He has a good shot of completing the Big Ten dual season with a 7-1 mark. Projected line ups pit him against Ryan Lewis (8-17, 2-4) of Wisconsin and Alex LaPointe (7-13, 0-6) of Indiana.
The 'Cats will have almost two weeks off as they prepare for the Big Ten Championships being held March 9-10. The championships are being hosted by Illinois in Champaign.