2008 Woodie Awards
Wrestling team to face No.1 Iowa
Under new coach, team will try to regain spot in national rankings
Hirdesh Matta
Issue date: 11/26/08 Section: Sports
After finishing seventh at the Body Bar Invitational this weekend, the Terrapin wrestling team will travel to New York to face the 2008 NCAA champion Iowa, fifth-ranked Missouri and Drexel, as it tries to regain its spot in the national rankings.
After a 1-2-1 start to the season, the Terps under first-year head coach Kerry McCoy hope to bounce back from some early-season struggles.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs in our season this year," McCoy said. "It's just one of those things that happens when you start off with a tough schedule and a tough training. It's just a matter of making sure we stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is March, and not get discouraged by the early season setbacks."
The Terps will need a strong performance from junior Hudson Taylor - the second-ranked wrestler in the 197-pound weight class - to have a shot at taking down Iowa and Missouri. Taylor will need to bounce back from his 13-1 exhibition loss to top-ranked junior Jake Varner of Iowa State at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Monday.
"Twenty-five years from now, five years from now, no one is going to remember what happened [Monday], but everyone will remember what happens at ACCs and nationals," Taylor said. "For me, it's take it in, obviously don't let [the loss] weigh me down and turn it into something positive and improve."
Taylor, who was an All-American last season, will likely wrestle against three top-25 opponents Saturday. First, he'll face No. 10-ranked senior Jon Oplinger from Drexel; then, No. 22-ranked junior Chad Beatty from Iowa; and finally, No. 6-ranked junior Maxwell Askren from Missouri.
This weekend will be the Terps' biggest test thus far in the season and will help the team try to prove they are ready to defend their ACC Championship and compete for a national title.
"The best thing about it is we got nothing to lose," McCoy said. "We're wrestling guys that are ranked real high in the country. We just have to go out there and perform, and any positive thing that happens from here will just give us more momentum towards the end of the year."
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After a 1-2-1 start to the season, the Terps under first-year head coach Kerry McCoy hope to bounce back from some early-season struggles.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs in our season this year," McCoy said. "It's just one of those things that happens when you start off with a tough schedule and a tough training. It's just a matter of making sure we stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is March, and not get discouraged by the early season setbacks."
The Terps will need a strong performance from junior Hudson Taylor - the second-ranked wrestler in the 197-pound weight class - to have a shot at taking down Iowa and Missouri. Taylor will need to bounce back from his 13-1 exhibition loss to top-ranked junior Jake Varner of Iowa State at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Monday.
"Twenty-five years from now, five years from now, no one is going to remember what happened [Monday], but everyone will remember what happens at ACCs and nationals," Taylor said. "For me, it's take it in, obviously don't let [the loss] weigh me down and turn it into something positive and improve."
Taylor, who was an All-American last season, will likely wrestle against three top-25 opponents Saturday. First, he'll face No. 10-ranked senior Jon Oplinger from Drexel; then, No. 22-ranked junior Chad Beatty from Iowa; and finally, No. 6-ranked junior Maxwell Askren from Missouri.
This weekend will be the Terps' biggest test thus far in the season and will help the team try to prove they are ready to defend their ACC Championship and compete for a national title.
"The best thing about it is we got nothing to lose," McCoy said. "We're wrestling guys that are ranked real high in the country. We just have to go out there and perform, and any positive thing that happens from here will just give us more momentum towards the end of the year."
sportsdbk@gmail.com
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