admin
09-06-2006, 12:00 PM
http://www.illinoismatmen.com/images/colleges/nu_trans.gifBY GREGG HENRY
BigElevenWrestling.net
In case you didn't see this great season preview by Gregg Henry in our discussion forum...
College wrestling fans are no longer surprised by Northwestern's performance as this team has clearly progressed into a strong and stable program. Head coach, Tom Cysewski, is preparing for his 17th season in Evanston and he enters the season with two top-ranked wrestlers in Lang and Herbert, who will lead this team into the 2007 campaign. The Wildcats are coming off a very successful 2006 season that saw them finish in a 4th place tie with Penn State in the dual meet season, earning a 5-3 record in conference action. In post-season tournament action, Northwestern finished in 5th at the Big 10 Championships and followed that up with a 13th place finish in the NCAA tournament, crowning 3 All-Americans. The following is a detailed analysis of the expected 2007 line-up.
125 lbs:
Projected Starter: Looking to step-in for departed All-American, John Velez, will be incoming freshman, Brandon Precin, Orland Park, IL. Precin comes to Evanston as a 2X state champion, a 2X 3rd place finisher, and as the 2nd all-time win leader in the state of Illinois as he had his hand raised 186 times during his four year career. In addition to his high school placing, Precin earned a 7th place finish at the Junior Freestyle Championships in Fargo last season. As his resume shows, Precin has a tremendous high school background and has a great collegiate career in front of him. When he signed with the Wildcats the expectation was for him to be ready to come in and start right out of the gate, and the plan remains unchanged. It will be interesting to watch the development of Brandon as he takes the next step up into the elite Division 1 level.
Depth: Battling for the starting position will be redshirt freshman, James Kohlberg, Rolling Meadows, IL, who was 2-2 in his redshirt season, competing at the Michigan State Open. Kohlberg finished 3rd in Illinois in his final high school season. New to the program is Robert Joyce, St. Viator, IL, who is expected to redshirt.
133 lbs:
Projected Starter: The battle for the top-slot at 133 will be a two-man race. The current leader in the clubhouse is Eric Metzler, Luxembourg, WI, who took a redshirt season in 2006 and did not see any action. Metzler's high school resume is impressive as he was 172-5 in his career, and was a 2X state champion, in addition to a 2nd and a 3rd place finish. The lack of action during his redshirt season is a bit of a concern as Metzler will need to shake off the rust and fend off the challenge of another talented incoming freshman to gain the starting position.
Depth: If he does not end up in the starting line-up, new recruit, Keith Sulzer, Lakewood, OH, will provide depth behind Metzler. Sulzer earned an Ohio state title last season at 125 pounds after placing 2nd at 119 the prior year. Keith recently earned a 7th place finish at 130 pounds at the Junior Freestyle Championships in Fargo, ND, and he enters the Northwestern program highly-regarded and as a great prospect for the future of the program.
141 lbs:
Projected Starter: Absolutely no debate at 141 pounds, as Ryan Lang, North Royalton, OH (#1 in WR.com 6/28 rankings) returns after claiming his first All-American honors, placing 4th last season. In 2005, in his initial trip to the NCAA tournament, Lang reached the round of 12 before bowing out. Lang is the highest returning place winner from last year and has earned the pre-season #1 ranking as he looks to build upon his 50-17 career record. At last year’s Big 10 tournament, Lang earned a 2nd place finish, as he was topped by Michigan State’s Andy Simmons in the final. Ryan bounced back and defeated Simmons in consolation action at the NCAA tournament on his way to his All-American finish, as these two wrestlers continue to battle back and forth and look to do so again in 2007. Overall, Lang made huge progress last season and made himself a contender on the national stage. Coming into this season Ryan now sits at the top of the perch and has his sights set on a national crown.
Depth: Behind Lang is a concern as there is no wrestler on the roster who has seen action in this weight class, with the exception of Gould, who has moved up this year. If needed, one of the wrestlers listed at 133 could make the move to 141. Added to the roster is Andrew Nadhir, Detroit, MI.
149 lbs:
Projected Starter: Ready to take full command of the starting position at 149 pounds after moving up from 141 during the 2006 season is Marty Gould, Lincolnwood, IL. Gould needed to move up in weight to fill a hole in the Wildcat line-up, and he completed the season at 6-11, including going winless in 6 duals after shifting to 149. Marty did provide a glimpse of his potential in a thrilling 7-6 loss to the Illlini’s, nationally ranked Troy Tirapelle, in a dual meet. Having a full off-season to bulk up and become a full sized 149 pounder is critical for Gould, and he is likely to make major improvements after his learning experience of his freshman campaign.
Depth: Looking to gain varsity experience after a redshirt season is Vince Colletti, Naperville, IL. Colletti saw limited action competing only at the Michigan State Open and going 1-2 at the tournament. Vince arrived at Northwestern as a 2X state champion and will provide a stiff challenge to Gould. Also coming off of redshirt is Jamie Smith, Wheeling, IL, a 2X state place winner, who did not see action last season.
157 lbs:
Projected Starter: Ready to face his first action in an official Northwestern singlet is Dominic Marella, Roselle, IL. Marella only saw action at last season’s Michigan State Open where he went 3-2 on the day. Marella arrived in Evanston as a state runner-up in his senior season, going 38-3 on the year. Clearly, Marella is inexperienced, but the Northwestern staff like what they see already out of Dominic. This will be a season to step in with the big boys in a brutal Big 10 weight class.
Depth: Behind Marella, will be Jim Friend, Libertyville, IL. Friend did not compete last season and was 2-2 in his freshman season. A key signing for the Wildcats is Kyle Bertin, Lakewood, OH who heads to college after a 2nd place finish in Ohio last season. Bertin is a prospect with great upside and has a very familiar wrestling name, as his brother Ryan was a national champion and 4X All-American at Michigan.
165 lbs:
Projected Starter: Beginning the trend of heading up a weight class this year is Greg Hagel, Linwood, NJ (#30 in WR.com 6/28 rankings). Hagel spent the entire 2006 season at 157, where he finished the year at 16-16 (2-6 Big 10 duals) and 0-2 at the Big 10 championships. Hagel did open last season with an impressive showing at the Michigan State Open, where he earned a 3rd place finish, including two wins over Central Michigan’s nationally ranked Andy Keller and Indiana’s tough freshman, Matt Coughlin. Hagel is entering his 3rd year in the starting line-up, providing valuable experience, and after reviewing last year’s results, he has demonstrated that he is more than capable of stepping up this year and becoming a consistent winner.
Depth: A concern here is that there is no experience on the roster at this weight class. Hagel will need to man the starting position for the entire season.
174 lbs:
Projected Starter: Returning to the Wildcat line-up and moving up a weight class after taking a redshirt season is Nick Hayes, Council Bluffs, IA (#24 in WR.com 6/28 rankings). Entering this season, Hayes is looking to earn his 2nd trip to the NCAA championships after reaching the tournament in his freshman season after placing 7th in the Big 10. In his last season of action in 2005, Hayes was 11-10 overall (1-5 in Big 10 duals) and was unable to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Hayes stepped into the Northwestern line-up as a true freshman and immediately contributed, earning a trip to the post-season. But, Nick seemed to struggle in his sophomore season and was unable to make a 2nd consecutive trip to the NCAA’s as he did not place in the Big 10 tournament. The expectation is that by taking a redshirt season, which allowed him to bulk up to 174, that Nick will be back on track and ready to win at his new home in the line-up.
Depth: Much the same story at 174 as at 165, depth is a major concern as the current roster is thin in the middle weights.
184 lbs:
Projected Starter: Already with one of the most impressive resumes in collegiate wrestling, Jake Herbert, Wexford, PA (#1 in WR.com 6/28 rankings) is back and moving up a weight class to make a run at a national title. Last season, Herbert was 36-1, falling only in the national finals to Missouri’s Ben Askren. In his first two seasons of varsity action, Herbert has already earned NCAA finishes of 2nd and 3rd and has a career record of 69-4. Jake also has Big 10 finishes of 1st and 2nd and last season had his Northwestern record 42 straight win streak snapped at the NCAA final. Herbert also claimed titles at last years Michigan State Open, Reno Tournament, and Midlands. In the past off-season, Herbert continues to impress as he claimed an individual title at the University Nationals, defeating Minnesota’s, Roger Kish in the finals. He also earned a bronze medal at the World University Championships in June. Jake is already well on his way to becoming Northwestern’s best wrestler in school history, and this season he is focused on claiming his 1st national title.
Depth: Resting comfortably behind Herbert is Carl Howe, Three Rivers, MI. Howe competed at the Michigan State Open last season, finishing at 0-2. Carl arrived at Northwestern after earning a 7th place finish in the state in his senior season. Also in the mix is Mark Graves, Evansville, IN, who returns after a 0-3 season.
197 lbs:
Projected Starter: Heading to 197 is Mike Tamillow, Oak Park, IL (#13 in WR.com in 6/28 rankings) after spending two seasons at 184. Last year, Tamillow finished the season at 22-11 (5-3 in Big 10 duals) and earned his 1st trip to the NCAA tournament by placing 6th at the Big 10 championships. Tamillow also earned a title at the Michigan State Open and the Reno Tournament, where he defeated the NCAA champion, Shane Webster of Oregon, for the title. Tamillow has produced 2 solid seasons in his first years at Northwestern, by moving up to 197; Tamillow is expected to make a run at an All-American finish in Detroit.
Depth: Prepping for action as needed is Larry Langowski, Chicago, IL, who competed in limited action last season, going 1-2 on the year.
HWY:
Projected Starter: Returning for his 3rd season as a starter is Dustin Fox, Galion, OH (#5 in WR.com in 6/28 rankings). Fox finished last season at 28-11 (5-3 in Big 10 duals), but his season ended in disappointment as he lost his first two bouts at the NCAA tournament, after placing 3rd at the Big 10 championships. In his freshman season, Fox earned four victories in his initial trip to the NCAA tournament after taking 4th in the Big 10. Also, last season, Fox finished 2nd at the Michigan State Open, 5th at Reno, and 7th at Midlands. Fox is one of the elite heavyweight prospects in the country and is clearly capable of stepping onto the AA podium this year.
Depth: Larry Langowski is likely to cover both 197 and heavyweight, as again, depth is minimal.
Recap: The Northwestern line-up yet again looks to be solid in dual meet action and has NCAA top ten scoring potential. As usual with the Wildcats, depth across the line-up is minimal and maintaining a healthy starting line-up is critical to the team's overall success.
BigElevenWrestling.net
In case you didn't see this great season preview by Gregg Henry in our discussion forum...
College wrestling fans are no longer surprised by Northwestern's performance as this team has clearly progressed into a strong and stable program. Head coach, Tom Cysewski, is preparing for his 17th season in Evanston and he enters the season with two top-ranked wrestlers in Lang and Herbert, who will lead this team into the 2007 campaign. The Wildcats are coming off a very successful 2006 season that saw them finish in a 4th place tie with Penn State in the dual meet season, earning a 5-3 record in conference action. In post-season tournament action, Northwestern finished in 5th at the Big 10 Championships and followed that up with a 13th place finish in the NCAA tournament, crowning 3 All-Americans. The following is a detailed analysis of the expected 2007 line-up.
125 lbs:
Projected Starter: Looking to step-in for departed All-American, John Velez, will be incoming freshman, Brandon Precin, Orland Park, IL. Precin comes to Evanston as a 2X state champion, a 2X 3rd place finisher, and as the 2nd all-time win leader in the state of Illinois as he had his hand raised 186 times during his four year career. In addition to his high school placing, Precin earned a 7th place finish at the Junior Freestyle Championships in Fargo last season. As his resume shows, Precin has a tremendous high school background and has a great collegiate career in front of him. When he signed with the Wildcats the expectation was for him to be ready to come in and start right out of the gate, and the plan remains unchanged. It will be interesting to watch the development of Brandon as he takes the next step up into the elite Division 1 level.
Depth: Battling for the starting position will be redshirt freshman, James Kohlberg, Rolling Meadows, IL, who was 2-2 in his redshirt season, competing at the Michigan State Open. Kohlberg finished 3rd in Illinois in his final high school season. New to the program is Robert Joyce, St. Viator, IL, who is expected to redshirt.
133 lbs:
Projected Starter: The battle for the top-slot at 133 will be a two-man race. The current leader in the clubhouse is Eric Metzler, Luxembourg, WI, who took a redshirt season in 2006 and did not see any action. Metzler's high school resume is impressive as he was 172-5 in his career, and was a 2X state champion, in addition to a 2nd and a 3rd place finish. The lack of action during his redshirt season is a bit of a concern as Metzler will need to shake off the rust and fend off the challenge of another talented incoming freshman to gain the starting position.
Depth: If he does not end up in the starting line-up, new recruit, Keith Sulzer, Lakewood, OH, will provide depth behind Metzler. Sulzer earned an Ohio state title last season at 125 pounds after placing 2nd at 119 the prior year. Keith recently earned a 7th place finish at 130 pounds at the Junior Freestyle Championships in Fargo, ND, and he enters the Northwestern program highly-regarded and as a great prospect for the future of the program.
141 lbs:
Projected Starter: Absolutely no debate at 141 pounds, as Ryan Lang, North Royalton, OH (#1 in WR.com 6/28 rankings) returns after claiming his first All-American honors, placing 4th last season. In 2005, in his initial trip to the NCAA tournament, Lang reached the round of 12 before bowing out. Lang is the highest returning place winner from last year and has earned the pre-season #1 ranking as he looks to build upon his 50-17 career record. At last year’s Big 10 tournament, Lang earned a 2nd place finish, as he was topped by Michigan State’s Andy Simmons in the final. Ryan bounced back and defeated Simmons in consolation action at the NCAA tournament on his way to his All-American finish, as these two wrestlers continue to battle back and forth and look to do so again in 2007. Overall, Lang made huge progress last season and made himself a contender on the national stage. Coming into this season Ryan now sits at the top of the perch and has his sights set on a national crown.
Depth: Behind Lang is a concern as there is no wrestler on the roster who has seen action in this weight class, with the exception of Gould, who has moved up this year. If needed, one of the wrestlers listed at 133 could make the move to 141. Added to the roster is Andrew Nadhir, Detroit, MI.
149 lbs:
Projected Starter: Ready to take full command of the starting position at 149 pounds after moving up from 141 during the 2006 season is Marty Gould, Lincolnwood, IL. Gould needed to move up in weight to fill a hole in the Wildcat line-up, and he completed the season at 6-11, including going winless in 6 duals after shifting to 149. Marty did provide a glimpse of his potential in a thrilling 7-6 loss to the Illlini’s, nationally ranked Troy Tirapelle, in a dual meet. Having a full off-season to bulk up and become a full sized 149 pounder is critical for Gould, and he is likely to make major improvements after his learning experience of his freshman campaign.
Depth: Looking to gain varsity experience after a redshirt season is Vince Colletti, Naperville, IL. Colletti saw limited action competing only at the Michigan State Open and going 1-2 at the tournament. Vince arrived at Northwestern as a 2X state champion and will provide a stiff challenge to Gould. Also coming off of redshirt is Jamie Smith, Wheeling, IL, a 2X state place winner, who did not see action last season.
157 lbs:
Projected Starter: Ready to face his first action in an official Northwestern singlet is Dominic Marella, Roselle, IL. Marella only saw action at last season’s Michigan State Open where he went 3-2 on the day. Marella arrived in Evanston as a state runner-up in his senior season, going 38-3 on the year. Clearly, Marella is inexperienced, but the Northwestern staff like what they see already out of Dominic. This will be a season to step in with the big boys in a brutal Big 10 weight class.
Depth: Behind Marella, will be Jim Friend, Libertyville, IL. Friend did not compete last season and was 2-2 in his freshman season. A key signing for the Wildcats is Kyle Bertin, Lakewood, OH who heads to college after a 2nd place finish in Ohio last season. Bertin is a prospect with great upside and has a very familiar wrestling name, as his brother Ryan was a national champion and 4X All-American at Michigan.
165 lbs:
Projected Starter: Beginning the trend of heading up a weight class this year is Greg Hagel, Linwood, NJ (#30 in WR.com 6/28 rankings). Hagel spent the entire 2006 season at 157, where he finished the year at 16-16 (2-6 Big 10 duals) and 0-2 at the Big 10 championships. Hagel did open last season with an impressive showing at the Michigan State Open, where he earned a 3rd place finish, including two wins over Central Michigan’s nationally ranked Andy Keller and Indiana’s tough freshman, Matt Coughlin. Hagel is entering his 3rd year in the starting line-up, providing valuable experience, and after reviewing last year’s results, he has demonstrated that he is more than capable of stepping up this year and becoming a consistent winner.
Depth: A concern here is that there is no experience on the roster at this weight class. Hagel will need to man the starting position for the entire season.
174 lbs:
Projected Starter: Returning to the Wildcat line-up and moving up a weight class after taking a redshirt season is Nick Hayes, Council Bluffs, IA (#24 in WR.com 6/28 rankings). Entering this season, Hayes is looking to earn his 2nd trip to the NCAA championships after reaching the tournament in his freshman season after placing 7th in the Big 10. In his last season of action in 2005, Hayes was 11-10 overall (1-5 in Big 10 duals) and was unable to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Hayes stepped into the Northwestern line-up as a true freshman and immediately contributed, earning a trip to the post-season. But, Nick seemed to struggle in his sophomore season and was unable to make a 2nd consecutive trip to the NCAA’s as he did not place in the Big 10 tournament. The expectation is that by taking a redshirt season, which allowed him to bulk up to 174, that Nick will be back on track and ready to win at his new home in the line-up.
Depth: Much the same story at 174 as at 165, depth is a major concern as the current roster is thin in the middle weights.
184 lbs:
Projected Starter: Already with one of the most impressive resumes in collegiate wrestling, Jake Herbert, Wexford, PA (#1 in WR.com 6/28 rankings) is back and moving up a weight class to make a run at a national title. Last season, Herbert was 36-1, falling only in the national finals to Missouri’s Ben Askren. In his first two seasons of varsity action, Herbert has already earned NCAA finishes of 2nd and 3rd and has a career record of 69-4. Jake also has Big 10 finishes of 1st and 2nd and last season had his Northwestern record 42 straight win streak snapped at the NCAA final. Herbert also claimed titles at last years Michigan State Open, Reno Tournament, and Midlands. In the past off-season, Herbert continues to impress as he claimed an individual title at the University Nationals, defeating Minnesota’s, Roger Kish in the finals. He also earned a bronze medal at the World University Championships in June. Jake is already well on his way to becoming Northwestern’s best wrestler in school history, and this season he is focused on claiming his 1st national title.
Depth: Resting comfortably behind Herbert is Carl Howe, Three Rivers, MI. Howe competed at the Michigan State Open last season, finishing at 0-2. Carl arrived at Northwestern after earning a 7th place finish in the state in his senior season. Also in the mix is Mark Graves, Evansville, IN, who returns after a 0-3 season.
197 lbs:
Projected Starter: Heading to 197 is Mike Tamillow, Oak Park, IL (#13 in WR.com in 6/28 rankings) after spending two seasons at 184. Last year, Tamillow finished the season at 22-11 (5-3 in Big 10 duals) and earned his 1st trip to the NCAA tournament by placing 6th at the Big 10 championships. Tamillow also earned a title at the Michigan State Open and the Reno Tournament, where he defeated the NCAA champion, Shane Webster of Oregon, for the title. Tamillow has produced 2 solid seasons in his first years at Northwestern, by moving up to 197; Tamillow is expected to make a run at an All-American finish in Detroit.
Depth: Prepping for action as needed is Larry Langowski, Chicago, IL, who competed in limited action last season, going 1-2 on the year.
HWY:
Projected Starter: Returning for his 3rd season as a starter is Dustin Fox, Galion, OH (#5 in WR.com in 6/28 rankings). Fox finished last season at 28-11 (5-3 in Big 10 duals), but his season ended in disappointment as he lost his first two bouts at the NCAA tournament, after placing 3rd at the Big 10 championships. In his freshman season, Fox earned four victories in his initial trip to the NCAA tournament after taking 4th in the Big 10. Also, last season, Fox finished 2nd at the Michigan State Open, 5th at Reno, and 7th at Midlands. Fox is one of the elite heavyweight prospects in the country and is clearly capable of stepping onto the AA podium this year.
Depth: Larry Langowski is likely to cover both 197 and heavyweight, as again, depth is minimal.
Recap: The Northwestern line-up yet again looks to be solid in dual meet action and has NCAA top ten scoring potential. As usual with the Wildcats, depth across the line-up is minimal and maintaining a healthy starting line-up is critical to the team's overall success.