IU prepares for double duty this weekend

The IU wrestling team looks to stop a two-match Big Ten conference losing streak against two rivals in their last double duty weekend of the season. \nFirst on the calendar is the No. 2 ranked Michigan Wolverines' trip to Bloomington on Friday, with matches kicking off at 7 p.m. After this, the Hoosiers will travel two hours northwest Sunday for a meet with archrival Purdue University, who just set a school record for most wins in a season. \nUnfortunately for IU, the team will be without the services of junior Pat DeGain, who was injured in last Saturday's match against Minnesota. A high ankle injury will likely keep out the star 197-pounder until the Big Ten Tournament, more than three weeks away. \nIU coach Duane Goldman knows the team will have to battle.\n"It's typically a six to eight week recovery time, but he's only got four weeks," the coach said. "Hopefully, we get him back by then. Losing DeGain, though, is a tough one to overcome."\nThe Wolverines, 14-3 on the year, are coming off their first Big Ten loss of the season at the hands of Penn State last weekend, 21-19. This was in large part due to the fact that Michigan was without two of their top wrestlers. They have top-5 wrestlers in the 125, 157, 165 and the heavyweight divisions. \nDrawing fifth-ranked Wolverine Greg Wagner is newly-ranked Josh Buuck. The freshman entered the rankings this week at No.15 strongly because of his impressive 12-1 mark since moving up to heavyweight.\nThe meet will also be the last time IU students and fans will get to see the two seniors on the team, Andrew Wolf and Coyte Cooper. Wolf will be competing at 197 pounds, replacing the injured DeGain, while Cooper, who is 31-1 on the year, is capping off a fabulous home career. Goldman appreciates the efforts the two have contributed.\n"They have both been great for our team," Goldman said. "Coyte has obviously brought a lot of recognition to the team and a lot of success to the program. And Andrew has been a steady contributor to the team his whole career."\nSunday, the team travels to face Purdue. The Boilers are coming off a 19-13 win over a lowly 1-10 Michigan State team to improve their record to 3-3 in the Big Ten. Purdue coach Jessie Reyes' squad boasts three top 10 wrestlers, including No.3 Ryan Lange at 174 pounds. IU junior Brady Richardson, 22-8 on the year, faces the challenge at this weight. \nHoosier grappler Joe Dubuque knows the intensity of the rivalry and hopes to take it out on his opponent Sunday afternoon.\n"When you're going up against someone in-state, it's so much more important, especially when trying to get recruits," he said. "Plus, we don't like them. They're Purdue. It's not a team game like basketball. It's me versus him, that guy is your rival. It's also hand-to-hand."\nThe IU team hopes to erase their two-straight defeats by winning this weekend. In both losses, there were matches that were close but ended up in their opponents winning column. IU assistant coach Mike Mena, who was recently picked by the U.S. National team to compete in the 2004 Takhti Cup in Tehran next weekend, hopes the team can reverse this trend.\n"In order for us to win those close matches, we have to eliminate our mistakes," he said. "They need to focus on the perfect match for them, executing that, and preparing yourself in training for execution."\n-- Contact staff writer Colin Burns at coaburns@indiana.edu.