Davis, a two-time All-American and defending national runner-up at 197, is the No. 1 seed and is the defending Big Ten Champion. He is currently ranked No. 1 nationally and sports a 22-1 record. Davis posted a perfect 8-0 mark in Big Ten duals this past season. Since suffering an upset loss on Dec. 10, Davis has reeled off 13 straight wins, including his eight Big Ten victories. Five of his conference wins were pins.
Yonushonis, a returning All-American as well, is the No. 1 seed at 174. He is currently ranked No. 5 nationally and sports a team best 27 wins against only three defeats. Yonushonis was a perfect 8-0 in Big Ten duals as well. Yonushonis went 18-1 overall in duals and is also riding a 13 match win streak. He also competed in the NWCA All-Star Classic, downing Penn's Matt Herrington 4-3 in the event.
Joining the duo with a top preseed is senior heavyweight Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.). Anspach is the No. 2 seed at heavyweight after going 16-2 this year. His Big Ten mark is a superb 7-1, with the only loss being a 5-1 decision to No. 1 seed Cole Konrad of Minnesota. Anspach is ranked No. 3 nationally and is making his Big Ten Tournament debut. Sophomore Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) is the No. 5 seed at 133. Strayer advanced to the 'round of 12' at nationals last year, finishing just one win shy of All-America status. He sports a 20-4 record this season, including a 6-2 mark in Big Ten action. He is ranked No. 11 nationally. Junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) checks in as the No. 7 seed at 125. McKnight, ranked No. 13 in the country, went 18-6 this season, 3-5 in Big Ten duals. He is a two-time national qualifier, going to NCAAs in 2004 and 2005 as a wrestler at Buffalo.
Three freshmen round out Penn State's seeded wrestlers. Red-shirt freshman Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) is the No. 6 seed at 149. Ranked No. 15 nationally, Vallimont went 16-8 overall, including a solid 5-3 mark in his first run through the Big Ten. True freshman Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) is the No. 7 seed at 157. Jenkins, who assumed the starting spot at 157 for Penn State in January, went 19-7 this year, including a solid 4-4 mark in Big Ten duals. Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), another true freshman, is the No. 7 seed at 165. Rella, who also emerged as a starter in January, went 20-10 as a rookie, including a 3-5 mark in Big Ten action.
Minnesota, the nation's top ranked team, leads the conference with four No. 1 seeds. Penn State is the only other squad with more than one. The preliminary seeds for the 2007 Big Ten Wrestling Championships are determined by a vote amongst the conference's head wrestling coaches after consideration of regular-season results. The 2007 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will take place on Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4, at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. The official Big Ten Championships bracket will be set on Friday, March 2.
Less than one week remains until all 11 conference schools will take to the mats for the 2007 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. Ten conference squads are currently ranked in the nation's top 25, including unanimous No. 1 Minnesota. Illinois is ranked seventh, followed by No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 10 Iowa, No. 11 Penn State, No. 15 Northwestern, No. 18 Indiana, No. 21 Ohio State, No. 22 Michigan State and No. 23 Michigan.
Last year at Indiana, Minnesota claimed the 2005-06 conference championship with a score of 138 points. Illinois (125) placed second and Michigan (115), Penn State (91) and Northwestern (87.5) rounded out the top five. Iowa (86) and Wisconsin (76.5) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, while Michigan State (68), Purdue (45.5), Indiana (43.5) and Ohio State (40) rounded out the field. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the Michigan State University Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or online at www.msuspartans.com.
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