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SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 3-10-82 |
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6 Wrestlers To Compete For NCAA Titles |
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by Mike Jones |
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| Before leaving for this weekend's NCAA wrestling championships at Iowa State, SJSU coach T.J. Kerr told his wrestlers
just how big the tournament is. "I told them going to the NCAA championships is as big as going to the Olympics," he said. Kerr and his six PCAA champions--Brad Gustafson (118), Wayne Jones (126), Eddie Baza (134), John Middlestead (142), Andy Tsarnas (167), and Casey Gulliford (hwt)--departed for Iowa early yesterday morning to prepare for the championships. "We look real good," Kerr said. "Baza and Jones have good chances at being All-Americans, but the competition is pretty awesome." The top eight from each weight class are awarded with All-American honors. Each weight class, however, has at least 32 wrestlers, so making the top eight will be extremely difficult. Two of the Spartan wrestlers who have been to the NCAAs before are Baza and Gulliford. Baza, who is making his fourth appearance at the championships, is very optimistic about his chances. "I feel better than last year," he said. "I'm both optimistic and confident, but anything can happen." Baza, who holds the record for most career wins by an SJSU wrestler with 128, wants to better his fifth place finish of a year ago.. "I'll be shooting for No. 1," he said. "I know i can do better than a fifth." Gulliford, who lost his first match in the NCAA championships in 1980, expects 1982 to be different. "I feel good, i'm not real nervous like the last time," he said. "I'm a lot more confident and i think i have a good chance at making All-American." Gulliford missed much of this season with a knee injury but says his knee is fine now. A newcomer to the championships will be Middlestead, who pulled off an upset win in the PCAA championships. He knows he will need the same kind of performance to do well in the NCAA championships. "if i stay calm, i'll be ok," he said. "I'm not real confident because i haven't had that much competition. I'm worried about staying relaxed." Middlestead, like Gulliford, missed much of this season with a knee injury but also says his knee is fine. Kerr added that the Spartans will be considered underdogs partly because of the seeds. Twelve wrestlers from each weight are seeded, and Kerr said Baza will probably be the only Spartan seeded. "I feel good physically," said Baza. "I'm in as good condition as i could be in but i have to do it in the mind. The mind is the most important thing. If i can do it there then i know i can win." Middlestead added that he too is ready. "I'm ready as i can be," he said. "I just have to stay relaxed." The tournament will start tomorrow with the pigtail matches. These matches are used when there are more wrestlers than the 32-man bracket. Kerr said most weight classes have pigtail matches. The quarterfinals will be held on Friday with the semifinals held that night. The battle for third, fourth, and consolation winners will be Saturday. The championships, the right to be No. 1, will be held that night. |
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