University of Iowa Big Ten Championships advance press release

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Traci Wagner (Univ. of Iowa)
02/28/2001


PROBABLE LINEUP  Wt./Name/Yr./Hometown/Record  125 - Jody Strittmatter, Sr., Ebensburg, PA, 24-2  133 - Eric Juergens, Sr., Maquoketa, IA, 22-1  141 - Doug Schwab, Sr., Osage, IA , 27-0  149 - Mike Zadick, Jr., Great Falls, MT, 17-5  157 - T.J. Williams, Sr., Harvey, IL, 21-0  165 - Ben Shirk Jr., Wilton, IA, 24-11  174 - Gabe McMahan, Sr., Gakona, AK, 16-3  184 - Jessman Smith, So., Des Moines, IA, 16-8  197 - Ryan Fulsaas, *Fr., Ridgeway, IA , 6-15  HWT - Josh Liddle, So., Camanche, IA, 7-16  *redshirt freshman    THIS WEEK  Iowa will try for its 31st Big Ten team title, and its 27th in the last 28 seasons, at the Big Ten Championships, Saturday and Sunday in Evanson, IL. All matches will be held in Welsh-Ryan Arena on the Northwestern University campus.    Four Hawkeyes will defend individual conference titles. Seniors Jody Strittmatter (125) and Eric Juergens (133) will both be looking for their second title, while seniors Doug Schwab (141) and T.J. Williams (157) will be vying for their third. Strittmatter was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships and Iowa Head Coach Jim Zalesky was named Big Ten Coach of the Year at the 2000 Big Ten Championships.    ON THE AIR  Mark Allen and Morrie Adams will call the action live on AM-800 KXIC. The Championship finals will be televised on Fox Sports Chicago, with the date and time to be announced.    PRESS CONFERENCE  A pre-championships press conference will be held Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the North Arena, which is the practice facility attached to Welsh-Ryan Arena. Head Coaches Jim Zalesky (Iowa), J Robinson (Minnesota), Joe McFarland (Michigan) and Tim Cysewski (Northwestern) will all be attendance.     TICKET INFORMATION  Tickets are still available from the Northwestern Athletic Ticket Office at 847/491-2287. All-session reserved tickets are $32 for adults and $22 for students. Tickets for Sessions I and II are $10 for adults and $7 for students. Tickets for Session III are $12 for adults and $7 for students.    NCAA QUALIFIERS  The Big Ten is allocated 72 qualifiers for the 2001 NCAA Championships, held March 15-17 in Iowa City, IA. That means the top seven placewinners in each weight class will automatically advance to the national tournament. Big Ten coaches will select an additional two wild card qualifiers after the conclusion of the meet. Iowa advanced nine wrestlers last season.     2000 BIG TEN REVIEW  Iowa used four individual champions and two runners-up to win it's 30th Big Ten team title at the 2000 Big Ten Championships in West Lafayette, IN. The Hawkeyes accumulated 140.50 points in the two-day tournament, defeating runner-up Minnesota by eight points. Hawkeyes Jody Strittmatter (125) and Eric Juergens (133) each won their first conference title, while Doug Schwab (141) and T.J. Williams (157) each won their second. Gabe McMahan (174) and Wes Hand (Hwt.) both placed second.  Strittmatter was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships, and Head Coach Jim Zalesky was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.    BIG TEN RECORDS  The Hawkeyes hold records in five of seven Big Ten Championships categories. Iowa holds records for Most Individual Champions in One Tournament (nine in 1983), Most Consecutive Team Titles (25), Most Team Falls in One Tournament (12 in 1979), Greatest Winning Margin By a Champion (118 ¿ points in 1983) and Fastest Fall in All Matches (1992 - Hawkeye Bart Chelesvig in 23 seconds over Illinois' Keith Bolman in the 177-pound quarterfinals match).     Seven of the 10 four-time Big Ten Champions competed at Iowa. The list includes Joe Scarpello (1947-50), Mike DeAnna (1977-79), Ed Banach (1980-83), Barry Davis (1981-83, 1985), Duane Goldman (1983-86), Jim Heffernan (1983, 1985-87) and Mark Ironside (1995-98). Sixteen of the 39 three-time Big Ten Champions also wrestled for the Hawkeyes.    HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY  Iowa has competed in 942 dual wrestling meets since 1911. Overall, Iowa's  dual meet record is 729-183-30 (.790). The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 10, and 30 Big Ten titles. Iowa's 45 NCAA Champions have won a total of 68 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 11 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes' 93 Big Ten Champions have won a total of 170 conference individual titles. Iowa has had seven four-time, 16 three-time and 24 two-time conference winners. Iowa's 115 all-Americans have earned all-America status 225 times, including 15 four-time, 24 three-time and 27 two-time honorees.      CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE  The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Jim Zalesky, Tom Brands, Lincoln McIlravy, Wes Hand and Joe Williams all wrestled at the University of Iowa. They earned a total of 12 individual NCAA titles, 11 Big Ten titles and 18 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record was 617-58-3 (.912), including six undefeated seasons.