A year after going 1-7 in the Big Ten, the Wisconsin wrestling team kicks off its 2003 Big Ten campaign, winning nine of its last 10 dual meets. Over winter break, the Badgers won the Lone Star Duals in Texas and placed third at the Virginia duals, losing only to No. 7-ranked Lehigh 21-15.
?We had an opportunity to beat Lehigh,? head coach Barry Davis said. ?Our positioning was much better. We?re riding much better on top and putting more pressure on our opponents.?
At the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Wisconsin defeated Harvard 27-13, Brown 35-9, and Utah Valley State 26-15. The wins left Wisconsin?s program record at 599 wins and saw the return of co-captain Tyler Laudon to the Badger lineup.
Laudon missed the first three weeks of the season after being slammed in practice. Before the Lone Star Duals, Laudon saw limited action, but since coming back, he is 6-3.
?[The slam] hurt by not giving me many matches,? Laudon said. ?It also took a while to get my conditioning and weight control back.?
The 6-3 record includes two losses by one point and one with Laudon wrestling up a weight class.
?There were two one-point losses at [the Lone Star Duals] where I was winning with about 30 seconds to go in the match,? Laudon said. ?I think if I would?ve had a few more matches, I would have come out harder and put more pressure on.?
Wisconsin continued to impress at the Virginia duals, placing third after nearly advancing to the finals. The Badgers opened up the tournament defeating Lock Haven 28-15. The next match was against Big Ten rival and 17th-ranked Purdue. Wisconsin came away from the match with a 26-15 victory. The Badgers then lost a close match to highly ranked Lehigh 15-20.
After falling to Lehigh, Wisconsin bounced back with a 27-18 victory over 23rd-ranked Rider, then finished off the day by defeating Purdue again 22-12. Overall, the Badgers were 4-1 at the tournament, picking up the program?s 600th win in the process.
Wisconsin will take a 13-2 record into Friday?s matchup with Indiana. Davis said the success Wisconsin had over break should be a sign of things to come for the young squad. The return of Laudon and 133-pounder Ed Gutnik, both NCAA qualifiers, from injuries will only add to that success.
?Having Laudon and Gutnik back makes a big difference,? Davis said. ?Those are two key guys at their weight classes.?
Davis has also seen great improvement in both of the Flaherty brothers. At the Lone Star Duals, Kelly Flaherty won 18-2 by technical fall over 19th-ranked Sean Jenkins of Brown. Davis said the win is indicative of the brothers? work ethic.
?Both of those guys have made big improvements,? Davis said. ?Kelly has made a big improvement on his feet. They?re starting to realize they belong here and should be winning matches, and they are.?
Both Davis and Laudon stressed the importance of winning the close matches when the Big Ten season begins. Laudon was 1-6 in the Big Ten last year but won close matches and finished fourth at the Big Ten tournament.
?Every Big Ten match is going to be tough,? Davis said. ?All of them are ranked. It?s going to come down to the close matches. When the NCAAs come around you have to win the close matches, and the Big Ten prepares you for that.?
