Hoosiers set for this weekend at Big Ten Tournament

With the regular season in the rear view mirror and future goals in sight, members of the IU wrestling team look to book their flights to St. Louis in two weeks for the NCAA Championships. \nFirst, a little business will have to be tended to, as the team will compete this weekend at the annual Big Ten Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The tournament begins at 11 a.m. Saturday and concludes Sunday when the final in each weight class will be determined. Only the top seven finishers in each weight division will move on to nationals, meaning some quality grapplers will be left watching at home. \nIU coach Duane Goldman has stressed all year for the team to peak at the time of the Big Ten Tournament. In his eyes, the squad is ready to meet the challenge at hand.\n"The work the coaching staff and the guys have put in has put us right on target," Goldman said. "I think we're prepared to do the best we can. I'm pleased with how they've worked. Everybody is feeling good and upbeat. They're prepared to give their best. That's all I can ask for."\nThe wrestlers, sensing the importance of the meet, have increased their intensity at practices and are mentally and physically ready to do battle.\n"I think the coaching staff has been real smart this year with how they are preparing us," sophomore Joe Dubuque said. "We picked it up when we needed to pick it up. We're right in there with the best in the country. We're peaking at the right time."\nIU will have one member in each weight division vying for a top seven finish. The highest seeded Hoosier is senior Coyte Cooper, who is ranked No. 3 at 141 pounds. Cooper is looking to clinch a fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance in his last go-around for the team, as he boasts a 34-2 mark on the year, which includes a 6-1 mark in the Big Ten. \nAlso ranked high for IU is Dubuque at 125 pounds and junior Pat DeGain at 197 pounds, both as four seeds. Dubuque sports a 27-4 record and has won 26 times in 28 matches. DeGain, who was injured a few weeks back against Minnesota, is 23-5 on the year, and Goldman believes there no are no lingering effects.\n"Knock on wood, he's doing good right now," he said. "I think health-wise, as a team, they're ready to go."\nAlso ranked for the Hoosiers are redshirt freshman heavyweight Josh Buuck and Brady Richardson at 174 pounds. Both these grapplers are seeded sixth and look to continue the impressive seasons they are enjoying. Buuck is 16-7 on the year, while Richardson has a 24-9 mark. \nWith so many teams competing and the proceedings lasting two days, there is a lot of down time between matches. This could be a dangerous time to lose focus and intensity, but freshman Mike Sabatello said that's what the upperclassmen provide for him. \n"I don't really know what to expect because as a freshman this is my first Big Ten Tournament," he said. "I'll just look at one of the older guys, and they'll show me a good example of what to do."\n-- Contact staff writer Colin Burns at coaburns@indiana.edu.