Wrestlers Battle Intrastate Rival Michigan
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
February 4, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#20 MSU vs #9 Michigan, Fri., Feb. 5
Breslin Center, 7:30 p.m.
Scouting the Wolverines-
The only opponent this weekend for the Spartans will be their rival from down the road in Ann Arbor. Michigan is 7-3, 2-1 in the Big Ten and has already defeated the Spartans earlier this year, 21-9 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 51-32-4.
Wolverines in the Rankings-
The Wolverines boast a very talented lineup with six wrestlers ranked in the top 20 according to Amateur Wrestling News: Chris Viola (7th, 125), Joe Warren (6th, 133), Damion Logan (6th, 141), Corey Grant (14th, 149), Otto Olson (5th, 174) and Andy Hrovat (14th, 184).
McNamara at All-Star Dual-
Sophomore All-American Pat McNamara (133 pounds) competed in the NWCA All-Star dual on Monday night in Stillwater, Okla. The dual matched the top two wrestlers at each weight class. McNamara was defeated 15-6 by Oklahoma State's top-ranked Eric Guerrero, a two-time defending NCAA champion and three-time All-American. McNamara still owns a very impressive 23-4 record with all four losses coming to top five wrestlers. Prior to the Guerrero match, McNamara had held his last two opponents scoreless.
Northwestern Recap-
The Spartans fell to 20th-ranked Northwestern, 28-17, last Friday night in Jenison Field House. The Spartans opened up the dual by winning three of the first four matches. McNamara scored a 9-0 major decision. Issac Miller then followed with a 9-5 victory over #8 Scott Schatzman. Mike Castillo added a 17-4 major decision but the Wildcats would respond by taking the next five matches, including three straight pinfalls.
Spartans in the Rankings-
Six members of the MSU squad are ranked among the top wrestlers in their individual weight classes according to the Amateur Wrestling News and/or InterMat Wrestling. Chris Williams is 16th/- at 125, Pat McNamara is third/fifth at 133, Issac Miller is -/20th at 141, Will Hill is 12th/10th at 174, Nick Muzashvili is sixth/eighth at 197 and Matt Lamb is 17th/19th at 285.
Keeping Up with the Spartans-
There are now more ways than ever to stay current with Michigan State wrestling. Fans can visit the MSU website at www.msuspartans.com. The wrestling program has also recently launced a new website. For complete results, Spartan wrestling merchandise or any other information on MSU wrestling visit www.msuwrestling.com. Finally, be sure to call the Spartan wrestling hotline for results updated within minutes of every match. Call (517) 355-0289.
PROJECTED SPARTAN STARTING LINEUP
125- CHRIS WILLIAMS - Redshirt Freshman - Fowlerville, Mich./Fowlerville - 20-11
#16-Amateur Wrestling News
Placed third at the Eagle Open and sixth at the Northern Iowa Open ... Williams also placed seventh in the MSU Open ... defeated ninth-ranked Matt Azevedo, 5-2, in a dual meet with Arizona State on Jan. 8 ... 0-2 against Michigan's Chris Viola
133- PAT McNAMARA - Sophomore - Jordan, Minn./Jordan - 23-4
#3-Amateur Wrestling News/#5-InterMat Wrestling/#1-Big Ten Wrestling Coaches
The 1998 All-American has four tournament titles to his credit this season, winning the MSU Open, Eagle Open, Northern Iowa Open and Midlands Championships ... has defeated Iowa's second-ranked Eric Juergens two times this season ... wrestled in the NWCA All-Star Duals against two-time national champion Eric Guerrero of Oklahoma State, losing 15-6 ... leads the team with four falls ... has outscored opponents 225-68 ... placed fifth at the 1998 NCAA Championships at 126 pounds ... he posted a 33-9 record in 1997-98, including 12-9 in Big Ten action ... 2-0 against Michigans sixth-ranked Joe Warren.
141- ISSAC MILLER - Senior - Flint, Mich./Beecher - 24-9
#20-InterMat Wrestling
Miller is the lone senior competing this season for the Spartans ... has won four of his last five matches, including a 9-5 victory over Northwestern's eighth-ranked Scott Schatzman ... this year, he has placed second at the MSU Open and the Ashland Eagle Open and sixth at the Northern Iowa Open ... as a junior, he qualified for the NCAA Championships after placing sixth at the Big Ten Championships ... defeated by Michigan's sixth-ranked Damion Logan, 5-3, in December.
149- MIKE CASTILLO - Soph. - Ada, Mich./Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central - 18-12
Earns the starting nod this season after serving primarily as Isaac Millers backup in 1997-98 ... this fall, he captured his first tournament title at the Eagle Open ... he also placed third at the MSU Open ... last season he compiled a record of 17-12, including 3-8 in the Big Ten ... placed eighth in the Big Ten Championships at 142 pounds ... 0-2 vs. Michigan's Corey Grant.
157- CORY POSEY - Sophomore - Westfield, N.J./Westfield - 16-10
Started the season in strong fashion with a victory at the MSU Open ... placed fifth in the Eagle Open ... posted a record of 12-10 last season while splitting time at 142 and 150 ... 0-1 vs. Michigan's Charles Martelli
165- KEVIN SPIESS - Freshman - Ovid, Mich./Ovid Elsie- 5-16
A true freshman, who earned his first collegiate tournament title with a victory at the Ben McMullen Open ... a 1998 Michigan state champion, he posted a four-year high school record of 156-20 ... 0-1 vs. Michigan's Jason Rawls
174- WILL HILL - Junior - Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central - 25-8
#12-Amateur Wrestling News/#10-InterMat Wrestling/#5-Big Ten Wrestling Coaches
A 1998 NCAA, placed second at the Eagle Open, third at the MSU Open and Northern Iowa Open and fourth at the Midlands Championships ... defeated Central Michigan's Ryan Cunningham and Northwestern's Mark Bybee at the Midlands, who were ranked fifth and second respectively ... finished 1997-98 with a 27-18 record, including 10-10 in the Big Ten ... qualified for the NCAA Championships by placing fifth at the 1998 Big Ten Championships ... 0-2 vs. Michigan's fifth-ranked Otto Olson.
184- NIK FEKETE - Freshman - Cranford, N.J./Cranford - 11-15
A true freshman, placed sixth at the MSU Open in his first collegiate tournament ... won his first tournament at the Ben McMullen Open ... posted a three-year record of 95-5, including 74 pins, at Cranford H.S. ... in 1998, finished first at the Junior Nationals in the freestyle competition ... 0-1 vs. Michigan's 14th-ranked Andy Hrovat.
197- NICK MUZASHVILI - Junior - Unadilla, N.Y./Unatego - 20-10
#6-Amateur Wrestling News/#8-InterMat Wrestling/#4-Big Ten Wrestling Coaches
A 1998 NCAA qualifier, placed first at the Eagle Open, second at the MSU Open, fourth at the Northern Iowa Open and fifth at the Midlands Championships ... defeated third-ranked Sam Neider of Northwestern and 12th-ranked Chris Vike of CMU at the Midlands ... finished sixth at the 1998 Big Ten Championships ... came to the United States before his senior year of high school after growing up in the Republic of Georgia in the former Soviet Union ... 1-0 vs. Michigan's 20th-ranked Frank Lodeserto.
285- MATT LAMB - Sophomore - Pensacola, Fla./Beaufort - 23-9
#17-Amateur Wrestling News/#19-InterMat Wrestling/#5-Big Ten Wrestling Coaches
Joined the MSU program last January after serving a six-year stint in the United States Navy ... 7-2 in his last nine matches ... finished second at the MSU Open, third in the Eagle Open and seventh at the Midlands Championships ... defeated 13th-ranked Abe Boomer of Wyoming at the Midlands ... finished fifth at the 1998 U.S. National Championships in the Greco-Roman division ... posted a 4-16 record in 1997-98 ... 0-1 vs. Michigan's Matt Brink.
NWCA Top 25 (Feb. 3) Team Points 1. Oklahoma State (18-0) 325 2. Minnesota (11-2) 312 3. Iowa (10-2) 299 4. Oklahoma (12-3-1) 279 5. Iowa St. (14-5-1) 271 6. Nebraska (14-3) 266 7. Illinois (9-1) 233 8. Central Mich. (10-5-1) 230 9. Michigan (7-3) 221 10. Arizona St. (7-5-1) 218 11. Penn St. (8-3) 202 12. Cal-Bakersfield (11-5-1) 182 13. West Virginia (3-2) 150 14. Purdue (13-3-1) 149 15. Pennsylvania (5-0-1) 133 16. Oregon State (10-7) 119 17. Rider (8-2) 115 18. Cornell (9-2-1) 110 19. Northwestern (4-5) 99 20. Michigan St. (4-6) 78 21. North Carolina (9-3) 69 22. Pittsburgh (9-1-1) 50 23. Indiana (7-3-1) 39 24. Northern Iowa (6-7) 25 25. Lehigh (6-4) 16