Heavyweights illustrate recruiting difference

The difference between the wrestlers from No. 1 Minnesota and No. 22 IU was apparent in the heavyweights' post-match wardrobes.\nMinnesota freshman Garrett Lowney walked from the locker room to the team bus after Friday's 25-12 win wearing a jacket from the 2000 Olympic Games. Senior heavyweight Mike Dixon left the Hoosiers' locker room wearing an IU letterman jacket.\nLowney had a good reason to wear the Olympic jacket. Prior to joining the Golden Gophers earlier this semester, Lowney spent the fall earning a bronze medal as a Greco-Roman wrestler for the United States in the Sydney Games.\nNow, Lowney is the No. 2 heavyweight in the country and an example of the talent coach J Robinson attracts to Minnesota. \n"They have had two or three No. 1 recruiting classes in the last five years," IU coach Duane Goldman said. "So, they're getting the best kids in the country. It's hard to compete against a lot of guys like that."\nDixon managed to compete with Lowney, losing 2-1 in a tight match. The match was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, but Lowney accumulated more riding time during the eight minutes to earn the win.\n"I was one takedown from winning that match," Dixon said. "I can beat that kid." \nBesides Dixon, junior Viktor Sveda (184 pounds) and sophomore Greg Schaefer (125 pounds) Hoosier wrestlers struggled to match-up with the talented Golden Gophers. Sveda and Schaefer were the only two Hoosiers to defeat Minnesota wrestlers in their matches.\nLike Lowney, every Minnesota starter is nationally ranked and has a realistic chance to qualify for the NCAA championships. Minnesota is one of college wrestling's top programs. The Golden Gophers are considered a favorite to win the NCAA team title in March.\n"They have second-string guys that could be ranked top 10 in the nation," Sveda said.\nIU is a top-25 program, and a few Hoosier wrestlers will qualify for the NCAA championships. Unlike basketball or football where upsets happen on a regular basis, there is a significant gap between teams like Minnesota and IU. \n"There is a big difference between the top five and six teams and the others," said Robinson, who has a 216-81-3 record in 15 seasons at Minnesota. "We probably have more balance than they do. They got two or three good guys, and we probably have eight or nine good guys"