Despite an inconsistent start to the season, it’s time for the Northwestern wrestling team (5-4) to shrug off its disappointment and avenge its 2001-02 Big Ten season.
Last year NU lost each of its conference duals by a deficit of 10 points or more — all to opponents that were ranked in the Top 25 nationally at some point in the season — and finished 11th at the Big Ten Championships.
The Wildcats took off in the beginning of the 2001 season, with a record of 7-4 heading into the conference duals, but were soon side-swiped by national wrestling giants, such as Illinois, Iowa and defending NCAA champion Minnesota.
The Cats also were without an integral part of their line-up, then-junior Jason Erwinski. He spent the early part of the season recovering from knee surgery and was unable to regain his form, struggling in matches against well-practiced Big Ten opponents. Now the senior has fine-tuned his moves and has a 15-9 record at 174 pounds, including a three match sweep at the Lone Star Duals on Jan. 4.
With the senior back in shape, and the rest of the line-up getting its kinks out, the wrestlers believe they have the opportunity to capitalize on their underdog status and do some damage in the Big Ten this year.
“It’s a matter of having a sense of urgency and turning (matches) around,” NU coach Tim Cysewski. said. “They can’t wait until next week.”
Delguyd-ing the way: Most freshmen wrestle in a few matches, but spend the majority of their first year observing their older counterparts on the mat.
Matt Delguyd is no ordinary freshman.
Delguyd has stormed onto the college wrestling scene. In the first two meets of his collegiate career, the 197-pounder placed third at the Michigan State Open on Nov. 9 and sixth at the Missouri Open on Nov. 24.
The freshman laid a big surprise on Purdue’s Jon Bush Jan. 12 at the Wendy’s Classic. Delguyd asserted himself over the the fifth-year senior, taking down the No. 12 197-pound wrestler in the nation 7-3.
Despite coming off a disappointing one-point loss to James Oliva of Northern Illinois on Friday, Delguyd is tied for the second-best record on the team at 18-12.
“I should have won the match,” he said. “I came up short on two take-downs that I had good shots on and I just didn’t finish them.”
As the high school All-American moves into his first Big Ten season, he knows what he and the rest of the Cats need to do for a successful run — avoid sudden defeats in the last minute of a match.
“Those last second losses are really killers,” he said.
Strong but silent: Though often cast in the shadow of teammates Mike Kimberlin and John Giacche, redshirt freshman John Velez is quietly gaining respect.
With an 18-12 record, he is tied with Delguyd for the second best record on the team behind Kimberlin’s 22-9.
Velez saw little action in the 2001-02 season, dropping all four of the matches he wrestled.
Now a year older and stronger, he has a monopoly over the 125-pound position, wrestling every dual this season.
“Basically I am just trying to really have a good season and keep mentally focused,” he said. “It’s kind of a surprise that I got the shot to be on the varsity (line-up).”
Velez showed he deserved to be a starter Jan. 16 when he was one of only two NU wrestlers to win a dual against Northern Illinois.
“I am taking it one step at a time,” he said, “but I am going to take advantage of it.”
