Spartan Wrestlers Tabbed No. 7 In Preseason Poll
10/14/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Oct. 14, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State wrestling team will begin the 1999-2000 season ranked No. 7 in the nation by InterMat Wrestling. The ranking is the highest for MSU since it began the 1996-97 season ranked third. Six Spartan grapplers will also start the season among the top 20 in their individual weight classes.
Senior Nick Muzashvili (Unadilla, N.Y./Republic of Georgia) leads the way for Michigan State, beginning the season ranked No. 1 at 197 pounds. Muzashvili finished third at 197 in last years NCAA Championships, twice defeating the second-seeded wrestler.
Sophomore Pat McNamara (Jordan, Minn.), defending Big Ten Champion at 133 pounds and former All-American at 126 pounds, is ranked No. 3 at 133. Senior Will Hill (Indianapolis, Ind.) moves up a weight class and earns a No. 8 ranking at 184 pounds, while senior Greg DeGrand (Saline, Mich.), who was redshirted in 1998-99, starts this season ranked No. 9 at 165 pounds.
Freshman 157-pounder Gray Maynard (Las Vegas, Nev.) and senior heavyweight Matt Lamb (Pensacola, Fla.) round out the group for MSU, ranking 19th and 20th in their respective weight classes.
Michigan State will kick off the 1999-2000 season by hosting the Michigan State Open, Nov. 13 and 14 at Jenison Fieldhouse.