Napoleon Dynamite kills wolverines
Michigan? On the rise? I dare say it is so. A top half finish in the Big Ten and 15th at the NCAA tournament already shows the strides this program is taking. They recently revamped their wrestling facilities in order to show their renewed dedication to the sport. Michigan becoming a power is not a lock yet. The recent recruiting classes have been poor, yet a new coaching acquisition in Donny Pritzlaff may turn that around.
2011 Summary
Michigan put eight wrestlers into the NCAA tournament (distancing themselves easily from every other team covered so far). Of the eight only one made All American, who was also a national champion.
Name: Sean Boyle (125)
Record: 28 - 15
Status: Junior
Big Ten place: 4th
NCAA place: Round of 12
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Second round loss to Matt McDonough (Iowa, 4-14), won twice then lost to Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma, 2-4)
Vs. PSU: Beat Patakay three times (11-3, 9-5, 8-1), beat Nate Morgan (6-2), lost to Pataky (2-8) and lost to Martellotti (3-9)
Name: Zac Stevens (133)
Record: 22 - 17
Status: Senior
Big Ten place: 5th
NCAA place: Round of 16
Notable win(s): Scotti Sentes (CM, 4-3)
Season ended when: Lost to Kyle Hunter (Old Dominion, 1-3) to start, won 2 then lost to Flint Ray (Utah Valley, fall)
Vs. PSU: Lsot to Long twice 3-12 and 6-16
Name: Kellen Russell (141)
Record: 38 - 0
Status: Senior
Big Ten place: Champion
NCAA place: Champion
Notable win(s): Too many to mention
Season ended when: Defeated Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly, 3-2) for the national title
Vs. PSU: Beat Alton three times (4-3, 2-1, 3-1)
Name: Eric Grajales (149)
Record: 18 - 14
Status: Sophomore
Big Ten place: 2nd
NCAA place: Round of 12
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Back to back losses to Ganbayar Sanjaa (American, 3-10) and Derek Valenti (VA, 7-9)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Molinaro twice 3-8 and 0-3
Name: Dan Yates (165)
Record: 24 - 13
Status: Sophomore
Big Ten place: 5th
NCAA place: Round of 32
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Opened with back to back losses to Scott Winston (Rutgers, 2-4) and Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion, 4-6)
Vs. PSU: Beat Vollrath twice (8-2, SV 3-1) and Fischer once (5-2)
Name: Justin Zeerip (174)
Record: 16 - 15
Status: Senior
Big Ten place: 8th
NCAA place: Round of 32
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Painful opening draw of Jon Reader (Iowa State, 3-13) then lost to Ryan Patrovich (Hofstra, 1-3)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Ruth twice 3-11 and 6-13
Name: Anthony Biondo (197)
Record: 23 - 14
Status: Graduated
Big Ten place: DNP
NCAA place: Round of 24
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Lost to Sonny Yohn (Minn, 1-6) then later to John Hall (Boston U, 2-4)
Vs. PSU: Beat Ortega 9-4 and Ruggear 12-3
Name: Ben Apland (HWT)
Record: 18 - 16
Status: Junior
Big Ten place: 6th
NCAA place: Round of 24
Notable win(s): Jarod Trice (CM, 6-2)
Season ended when: Pinned by Ryan Flores (American), won one then lost to Anthony Nelson (Minn, 0-2)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Wade four times 2-4, 0-3, fall and 0-9
With the return of national champion Kellen Russell the Michigan squad looks to have good leadership with 6 of the other 7 NCAA qualifiers returning. Grajales did not look strong for most of the season, but with it being his first year of competition he apparently learned quickly and came on strong to take a second place finish at the Big Ten's after being seeded 6th. This should give him a big confidence boost heading into the 2012 campaign. Dan Yates and Ben Apland look to be the other wrestlers that could show big improvement, although Apland seemed to fizzle out as the 2011 season went on. Either way, not counting wrestler waiting in the wings, Michigan will once again field a strong squad in 2012.
Recruiting
Michigan's 2011 recruiting class was rather bad. It had no ranked recruits in it, however with as young as Michigan's team is they most likely felt no need to be heavy on recruiting. Still even when a team doesn't need much they should at least go hard after one or two top tier recruits. However their 2012 recruiting class is shaping up to be a big one.
Early on in the pre-season recruiting #35 Jordan Thomas from Greenville, Michigan gave a verbal commitment. Jordan has a 172 - 3 record with a second place finish as a freshman and two state titles. He has participated in junior nationals freestyle but hasn't placed higher than 5th. Jordan is projected to wrestle at 174/184 in college.
Just recently Michigan landed an even bigger verbal commitment from #12 Rossi Bruno (Brandon, FL). Rossi has accrued a record of 228 - 3 over four state championships. In 2011 he was a champion at the prestigious Clash folkstyle tournament, an NHSCA Junior National folkstyle champion, a Junior Nationals greco-roman champion and a Junior nationals freestyle 3rd place finisher. Additionally in 2010 he finished second at the Super 32 Challenge. Rossi is projected to wrestle at 125/133 in college.
2012 Outlook
Michigan had a solid 2011 season and will look to repeat the performance in 2012. Kellen Russell is the favorite to repeat as a national title. Expect the Wolverines to be at the lower end of the top half of the Big Ten. Keep an eye on their 2012 recruiting class as it continues to build since it could be one of the best they have ever had.
Michigan's 2011 schedule included duals against Lehigh (twice), Central Michigan and Pitt along with a trip to the Southern Scuffle. In 2012 the Wolverines will have only three non-conference duals including Pitt and Central Michigan. Instead of going to the Southern Scuffle they will participate in the Cliff Keen Invitational as well as the Mat Town Invitational. Overall the schedule outside of the Big Ten is weaker, which is disappointing for a team that is supposedly trying to ramp up its program.
Vs. PSU: Lsot to Long twice 3-12 and 6-16
Record: 38 - 0
Status: Senior
Big Ten place: Champion
NCAA place: Champion
Notable win(s): Too many to mention
Season ended when: Defeated Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly, 3-2) for the national title
Vs. PSU: Beat Alton three times (4-3, 2-1, 3-1)
Record: 18 - 14
Status: Sophomore
Big Ten place: 2nd
NCAA place: Round of 12
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Back to back losses to Ganbayar Sanjaa (American, 3-10) and Derek Valenti (VA, 7-9)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Molinaro twice 3-8 and 0-3
Record: 24 - 13
Status: Sophomore
Big Ten place: 5th
NCAA place: Round of 32
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Opened with back to back losses to Scott Winston (Rutgers, 2-4) and Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion, 4-6)
Vs. PSU: Beat Vollrath twice (8-2, SV 3-1) and Fischer once (5-2)
Record: 16 - 15
Status: Senior
Big Ten place: 8th
NCAA place: Round of 32
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Painful opening draw of Jon Reader (Iowa State, 3-13) then lost to Ryan Patrovich (Hofstra, 1-3)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Ruth twice 3-11 and 6-13
Record: 23 - 14
Status: Graduated
Big Ten place: DNP
NCAA place: Round of 24
Notable win(s): none
Season ended when: Lost to Sonny Yohn (Minn, 1-6) then later to John Hall (Boston U, 2-4)
Vs. PSU: Beat Ortega 9-4 and Ruggear 12-3
Record: 18 - 16
Status: Junior
Big Ten place: 6th
NCAA place: Round of 24
Notable win(s): Jarod Trice (CM, 6-2)
Season ended when: Pinned by Ryan Flores (American), won one then lost to Anthony Nelson (Minn, 0-2)
Vs. PSU: Lost to Wade four times 2-4, 0-3, fall and 0-9
With the return of national champion Kellen Russell the Michigan squad looks to have good leadership with 6 of the other 7 NCAA qualifiers returning. Grajales did not look strong for most of the season, but with it being his first year of competition he apparently learned quickly and came on strong to take a second place finish at the Big Ten's after being seeded 6th. This should give him a big confidence boost heading into the 2012 campaign. Dan Yates and Ben Apland look to be the other wrestlers that could show big improvement, although Apland seemed to fizzle out as the 2011 season went on. Either way, not counting wrestler waiting in the wings, Michigan will once again field a strong squad in 2012.
2011 Team Stats
Dual Record: 11 - 5 (6 - 4 in Big Ten)
Big Ten Championship: 5th
NCAA Championship: 15th
Southern Scuffle: 4th
Individual Record: 332 - 248
Pins: 49
Tech. Falls: 12
Major Decisions: 61
Vs. PSU: Lost twice 12-24, 13-28
Recruiting
Michigan's 2011 recruiting class was rather bad. It had no ranked recruits in it, however with as young as Michigan's team is they most likely felt no need to be heavy on recruiting. Still even when a team doesn't need much they should at least go hard after one or two top tier recruits. However their 2012 recruiting class is shaping up to be a big one.
Early on in the pre-season recruiting #35 Jordan Thomas from Greenville, Michigan gave a verbal commitment. Jordan has a 172 - 3 record with a second place finish as a freshman and two state titles. He has participated in junior nationals freestyle but hasn't placed higher than 5th. Jordan is projected to wrestle at 174/184 in college.
Just recently Michigan landed an even bigger verbal commitment from #12 Rossi Bruno (Brandon, FL). Rossi has accrued a record of 228 - 3 over four state championships. In 2011 he was a champion at the prestigious Clash folkstyle tournament, an NHSCA Junior National folkstyle champion, a Junior Nationals greco-roman champion and a Junior nationals freestyle 3rd place finisher. Additionally in 2010 he finished second at the Super 32 Challenge. Rossi is projected to wrestle at 125/133 in college.
2012 Outlook
Michigan had a solid 2011 season and will look to repeat the performance in 2012. Kellen Russell is the favorite to repeat as a national title. Expect the Wolverines to be at the lower end of the top half of the Big Ten. Keep an eye on their 2012 recruiting class as it continues to build since it could be one of the best they have ever had.
Michigan's 2011 schedule included duals against Lehigh (twice), Central Michigan and Pitt along with a trip to the Southern Scuffle. In 2012 the Wolverines will have only three non-conference duals including Pitt and Central Michigan. Instead of going to the Southern Scuffle they will participate in the Cliff Keen Invitational as well as the Mat Town Invitational. Overall the schedule outside of the Big Ten is weaker, which is disappointing for a team that is supposedly trying to ramp up its program.
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