Jan. 27, 2006
Northwestern Wrestling Notes
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's 16th-ranked wrestling team travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend to face No. 4 Michigan in its third-straight conference road dual at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The 'Cats enter the dual with a 1-1 Big Ten record after dropping their conference opener at top-ranked Minnesota, then rebounding to top No. 22 Wisconsin.
Northwestern enters the weekend primed to climb the Big Ten standings with a win over the Wolverines. Michigan, which has compiled a 1-0 conference record, stands tied at third place. With a win over Michigan--and depending on how the other top teams perform--the 'Cats could end up among the top-three teams in the Big Ten standings by week's end.
Northwestern shares three opponents with MIchigan this season, as both teams have faced No. 11 Arizona State, No. 21 Hofstra and No. 24 Northern Illinois.
Both teams enter the dual with a plethora of individual talent, highlighted by the number of ranked wrestlers on both teams. The 'Cats boast seven nationally ranked wrestlers on their roster, while Michigan has eight. The Wolverines topped each opponent, while NU beat NIU and Hofstra.
Much of the Wildcats success will depend on NU's sophomore All-American Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny). Herbert, who is the nation's second-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs., will likely face Michigan's sixth-ranked Nick Roy. Herbert is the reigning Big Ten Wrestler of the Week--along with Minnesota's Roger Kish--after topping Minnesota's eighth-ranked Gabriel Dretsch and Wisconsin's Mike Felling. Herbert has a 28-match winning streak on the line.
Herbert is 1-0 against Roy, pinning him at 4:56 in his first wrestleback match at the 2005 NCAA Championships. Roy has a 10-6 overall record this season.
At 141 lbs., sophomore Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward) will have a key matchup versus Michigan's Josh Churella. Lang, who is 12-1 this season, is ranked No. 6 in the most recent USAToday/NWCA/Intermat poll, while Churella is ranked fifth. The meeting will be the first between the two wrestlers.
Nineteenth-ranked Will Durkee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) is expected to face the Wolverine's top-ranked Ryan Churella. Durkee is 15-7 this season, has never faced Churella in a dual.
With two teams so evenly matched, the dual could come down to the heavyweight match where ninth-ranked Dustin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion) is expected to face Michigan's third-ranked Greg Wagner. The two have not previously met in a dual meet.
Probable Starting Lineup Wt. Wrestler Overall Dual Big Ten Pins 125--John Velez 16-4 8-1 2-0 -- 133--Daniel Quintela 7-11 1-5 0-2 -- 141--Ryan Lang 12-1 4-0 1-0 7 -or-Marty Gould 0-5 0-5 0-1 -- 149--Jimmy Kim 3-9 2-5 0-2 -- 157--Greg Hagel 14-10 4-5 0-2 2 165--Will Durkee 15-7 5-3 0-2 4 174--Jake Herbert 22-0 8-0 2-0 9 184--Mike Tamillow 15-4 4-3 1-1 3 197--Matt Delguyd 20-6 8-1 2-0 -- 285--Dustin Fox 19-6 7-2 1-1 2