Spartan Wrestling Signs Two To National Letters Of Intent
4/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
April 23, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head wrestling coach Tom Minkel has announced that two more wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to attend MSU next fall and join the Spartan wrestling program for the 2003-04 season.
The two signees are Joe Williams (Santa Ana, Calif./Calvary Chapel High School) and Bryan Harney (Chicago, Ill./Mt. Carmel High School).
"We are very excited to add these two incredibly gifted wrestlers to our program," said MSU head coach Tom Minkel. "Both of them can become big factors for our team for many years to come. In addition to their athletic skills, they are also two outstanding students."
JOE WILLIAMS (Santa Ana, Calif./Calvary Chapel High School):
Williams is the No. 2 high school wrestler in the nation according to Amateur Wrestling News ... A two-time California state champion at 189 and 171 pounds ... A two-time Reno Tournament Champion ... Cadet National Champion ... Earned the Dave Schultz Outstanding Wrestler Award for California in 2003 ... His older brother, Conan, currently wrestles for the Spartans.
Minkel on Williams: "Joe is the marquee wrestler of this incoming class. He has constantly been ranked as one of the top wrestlers in the nation in any weight class. He really wanted to wrestle in a Big Ten environment, plus, his brother is already on the team. This is really a huge recruit for this program."
BRYAN HARNEY (Chicago, Ill./Mt. Carmel High School):
Two-time Illinois state champion ...Claimed first place his senior year at 160 pounds ... Won the 152-pound division his junior year ... Third-place finish his sophomore year at 140 pounds ... Older brother wrestles for the University of Chicago.
Minkel on Harney: "Bryan comes from one of the most successful wrestling high school programs in the Midwest. He has all the attributes to become an enormously successful wrestler at the Big Ten level. We are very pleased Bryan is joining the Spartan program."
Williams and Harney will join Ryan Froese (Howard City/Howard City High School), Guy Gibson (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas High School) and Joe Wood (Clarkston/Clarkston High School), who signed National Letters of Intent earlier in the fall.