2001-02 College News - Gophers capture 2002 Big Ten championship

Gophers capture Big Ten championship

March 10, 2002

Minnesota left no doubt that it is the best team in the Big Ten and the odds-on favorite for the national title with its runaway triumph at the 2002 Big Ten Championships at the University of Illinois. The top-ranked Golden Gophers captured their second consecutive team conference title, scoring 174 points and winning individual titles at 125, 133, 157, 184 and 197-pound classes.

The 2002 edition of Maroon and Gold grappling becomes the first Minnesota wrestling team to repeat as conference champs since the 1912 and 1913 squads won consecutive Western Conference crowns. It was Minnesota's third Big Ten title in the past four years.

All 10 Golden Gophers placed in the top five, ensuring that Minnesota will once again send its full lineup to the NCAA Championships, held March 21-23 in Albany, N.Y. Minnesota had five individual champions, two runners-up, two third-place finishers and one fifth-place grappler. Minnesota had never posted five individual champions at a Big Ten Championships. Its previous high for champions was three, which happened three times.

Rounding out the top five were Iowa (129 pts.), Michigan (121.5 pts.), Ohio State (115 pts.) and Illinois (91.5 pts.)

Leroy Vega claimed Minnesota's first individual title of the Championships, scoring a 7-4 decision over Iowa's Luke Eustice at 125 pounds. Vega claimed his first Big Ten crown.

Minnesota continued its momentum when Ryan Lewis claimed his first Big Ten title with a 5-2 decision over Ohio State's Jeff Ratliff. Lewis, who remains unbeaten on the season, was named the Big Ten Wrestler Of The Year.

Chad Erikson, who entered the Championships seeded fourth, advanced to the championship match at 141 pounds but was pinned by Iowa's Luke Moffitt in 4:31 and took second place.

Jared Lawrence, the defending Big Ten champion at 149 pounds, was defeated 4-3 by Iowa's Mike Zadick in the championship bout. Zadick scored a controversial takedown with just eight seconds left to claim the title.

Luke Becker won his first Big Ten title at 157 pounds, scoring a 5-3 decision over Michigan's Ryan Bertin. At 165 pounds, Nate Baker claimed fifth place with a 3-3 sudden victory win over Michigan's Charles Martelli. Baker entered the meet as the eighth seed and will now compete at his first NCAA Championships.

Jacob Volkmann recovered from an opening round loss to win three straight matches to advance to the third place bout where he dominated Michigan State's Rashard Evans 13-1.

At 184 pounds, Damion Hahn captured his first Big Ten crown with an 8-4 decision over Michigan's Andrew Hrovat. In the following bout, Owen Elzen won a narrow 9-8 decision over Ohio State's Nick Preston, avenging a defeat in the final dual meet of the season.

Minnesota ended the day with a third place finish at heavyweight. Sophomore Garrett Lowney won a 3-1 decision in overtime over Michigan's Matt Brink. Lowney was the 2001 Big Ten heavyweight champion.

The Golden Gophers earned their ninth conference title overall. Minnesota's 2002 Big Ten crown was the program's fifth-straight finish in the top three at the Big Ten Championships