Spring Break
Wrestlers head to NCAAs
Beavers eye national title after winning Pac-10 championship
Sean McLean
Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: Sports
After winning its first Pac-10 title since 1994, the No. 19 Oregon State wrestling team enters the NCAA Championships looking for its first top 10 finish since 1998.
With team depth on their side, the Beavers sent seven wrestlers to Detroit, Mich., on Thursday to end the first season of the Zalesky era on a strong note.
Oregon State had three weeks to prepare and get healthy for the tournament. Six Beavers qualified for the meet at the Pac-10 Championships by placing top three or higher.
Exciting news came March 9 when 197-pounder Travis Gardner, who was named first alternate for the Pac-10 after not being awarded a wild card spot, was invited to the meet.
Another wrestler from another Pac-10 school could not wrestle due to injury, so Gardner, who finished fourth in the conference in his weight class, gives the Beavers a better chance at a higher finish.
"When we found out we didn't have a wild card, we told him that you have to train like you're going and he's been doing that," coach Jim Zalesky said. "So he should be prepared."
The key to the Beavers going far in the tournament will be the conference and NCAA experience they bring to the table. Four wrestlers have championship experience from the previous year.
In the conference meet three weeks ago, Jeremy Larson (174 pounds) and heavyweight Ty Watterson claimed individual titles, while Derek Kipperberg (149 pounds), Bobby Pfennigs (133 pounds) and Eric Stevenson (125 pounds) finished as runners-up.
Pfennigs forfeited his finals match at the Pac-10 meet due to a hamstring injury but is healthy enough to wrestle at nationals. Kyle Bressler (184 pounds) finished third in his weight class to qualify for the tournament as well.
"Pfennigs battled through that hamstring injury in the second half of the season," Zalesky said. "Hopefully we can get him ready and healthy enough to have a strong showing down the road."
Oregon State will also need to have some wrestlers place in the top eight to give them a shot at a good team finish. They haven't had a wrestler achieve All-American status since Nathan Coy finished fourth at 174 pounds in 2002.
With team depth on their side, the Beavers sent seven wrestlers to Detroit, Mich., on Thursday to end the first season of the Zalesky era on a strong note.
Oregon State had three weeks to prepare and get healthy for the tournament. Six Beavers qualified for the meet at the Pac-10 Championships by placing top three or higher.
Exciting news came March 9 when 197-pounder Travis Gardner, who was named first alternate for the Pac-10 after not being awarded a wild card spot, was invited to the meet.
Another wrestler from another Pac-10 school could not wrestle due to injury, so Gardner, who finished fourth in the conference in his weight class, gives the Beavers a better chance at a higher finish.
"When we found out we didn't have a wild card, we told him that you have to train like you're going and he's been doing that," coach Jim Zalesky said. "So he should be prepared."
The key to the Beavers going far in the tournament will be the conference and NCAA experience they bring to the table. Four wrestlers have championship experience from the previous year.
In the conference meet three weeks ago, Jeremy Larson (174 pounds) and heavyweight Ty Watterson claimed individual titles, while Derek Kipperberg (149 pounds), Bobby Pfennigs (133 pounds) and Eric Stevenson (125 pounds) finished as runners-up.
Pfennigs forfeited his finals match at the Pac-10 meet due to a hamstring injury but is healthy enough to wrestle at nationals. Kyle Bressler (184 pounds) finished third in his weight class to qualify for the tournament as well.
"Pfennigs battled through that hamstring injury in the second half of the season," Zalesky said. "Hopefully we can get him ready and healthy enough to have a strong showing down the road."
Oregon State will also need to have some wrestlers place in the top eight to give them a shot at a good team finish. They haven't had a wrestler achieve All-American status since Nathan Coy finished fourth at 174 pounds in 2002.
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