Wisconsin senior wrestler Kevin Black, this year’s Badger team co-captain and a 2002 All-American, has accepted an invitation to compete at the 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic in a lineup of the nation’s best Division I wrestlers. The 37th annual tournament, hosted by the Delaware Wrestling Alliance, will take place at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center on Monday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.
“I just think this is a great honor for both Kevin and the University of Wisconsin,” wrestling head coach Barry Davis said. “I think all of the hard work and effort he’s put in over the last four years have really paid off for him and it shows by being accepted to the All-Star Classic, because they only invite certain individuals. Hopefully, he can go there and represent himself well.”
The All-Star Classic pits the nation’s top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches that are often seen as previews of the upcoming NCAA finals. The 2002 All-Star Classic saw three wrestlers go on to capture NCAA titles in March.
Black, a native of River Falls, Wis., will join a lineup featuring two returning NCAA Champions and five wrestlers ranked first nationally at the time of invitation. The Wisconsin senior, currently ranked sixth by Amateur Wrestling News, will wrestle Oklahoma’s Witt Durden in the 133-pound All-Star Classic match. Durden is currently ranked fifth overall.
“The All-Star Classic gives Kevin an opportunity to wrestle a guy in his weight class that he hasn’t had a chance to wrestle all year long,” Davis said. “So he’ll get a feel for things and I’m sure we’ll meet his opponent later on in the NCAA Championships.”
A four-time high school state champion with a 160-0 record at River Falls High School, Black has built an 84-39 overall record at Wisconsin and qualified for the NCAA Championships three times. In 2002, he finished fourth nationally at 133 pounds to earn his first All-American honor and lead Wisconsin to a 25th place team finish with 20.5 team points.
Currently, Black is 15-2 overall with a 6-1 record in all duals this season. He started the 2002-03 season by winning the 133-pound title at the Michigan State Open and led the Badgers to an eighth-place team finish (of 48 Division I teams) at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
-compiled from staff reports
