Cooper moving up career pin list

Before the Big Ten season even starts, junior Coyte Cooper finds himself with an undefeated dual meet record (12-0), an overall record of 21-1, the No. 5 ranking in the nation at 141-pounds, Big Ten wrestler of the week honors (Dec. 23-30) and nine pins in 2002-03. \nCooper has been a mainstay for the Hoosiers all season, going undefeated since losing the 141-pound championship bout at the Missouri Open. That was on Nov. 24, nearly two months ago. \nSince then, Cooper has been as close to a sure thing as it gets. On a team that has only one senior, it has been necessary for younger wrestlers, like Cooper, to take a leadership role. Junior and team captain Ty Matthews said there has been no shortage of that.\n"I don't feel a whole lot of pressure when it comes to being a leader because we have such a great group of underclassmen," Matthews said.\nCooper's winning ways have made him a leader, but so has his team-first attitude. Coach Duane Goldman said leadership has made him an integral part of the team.\nAt the beginning of the season, when he held a preseason No. 9 ranking, Cooper said he didn't put much stock into preseason rankings.\n"Not a lot," Cooper said, "although it is kind of nice to be ranked and recognized."\nCooper's attitude towards personal honors was reinforced after Saturday's dual meets against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Missouri Valley and Eastern Michigan. After pinning SIUE sophomore Alec Lininger and EMU junior Josh Wiles, Cooper totaled nine pins on the season and nineteen for his career.\nCooper's nineteenth pin was good enough to tie Brian Dolph (1987-1990) and Chuck Wertschnig (1967-1969) for tenth all-time on IU's career pins list. After the meet, Cooper said the record came as a surprise to him.\n"No," he said, "I didn't know that. It's nice because getting a lot of pins means you are wrestling well. But I try not to worry about my own accomplishments."\nWith the Big Ten season opening Friday against Penn State, the Hoosiers will need Cooper to continue his winning habits and leadership by example. Cooper offers a solidifying presence at 141 pounds, and Goldman said he has the respect of the team.\n"We only have a few upperclassmen," Goldman said. "But they're good leaders, and Coyte's one of them"