2013 Big Ten Championships Brackets


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The two-time defending Big Ten wrestling champion Nittany Lions will begin their title defense at 10 a.m. (CT) on Saturday inside Assembly Hall at Illinois.

The first session of the 2013 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will feature championship round prelims, championship quarterfinals and consolation prelims.  Seven of the 10 Penn State wrestlers in action garnered a seeding of fourth or better.

The brackets for the tournament were released on Friday afternoon.  Let's take a look at Penn State's session one matchups.  The Lions received five first-round byes.

***Note*** Big Ten Championships Seeds are numbers listed.

125 - #2 Nico Megaludis (21-2)
The second-seeded sophomore Nico Megaludis received a first-round bye.  He will meet the winner of the match between No. 7 David Thorn (10-7) of Minnesota and Indiana's Joe Duca (13-14).  Megaludis did not wrestle Thor during the regular season.  He scored a pin (4:36) against Duca in Penn State's 52-0 win over the Hoosiers on December 9.  Megaludis placed fifth at the 2012 Big Ten Championships.

133 - #4 Jordan Conaway (14-6)
Wrestling at the Big Ten championships for the first time in his career, redshirt freshman Jordan Conaway received a first-round bye after claiming the No. 4 seed.  Conaway is slated to meet the winner of a bout featuring No. 5 Daryl Thomas (14-7) of Illinois and Indiana's Alonzo Shepherd (5-10).  Conaway scored an 8-6 victory over Thomas on Feb. 3.  He did not wrestle Shepherd this season.

141 - #4 Bryan Pearsall (19-7)
Fifth-seeded Bryan Pearsall kicks off his final Big Ten Championships against Wisconsin's Tom Kelliher (11-14).  The winner of that bout will move on to face No. 5-seeded Brandon Nelsen from Purdue.  Pearsall tallied a pin (1:22) against Kelliher on Jan. 18.  Pearsall defeated Nelsen by a score of 4-2 on Jan. 20.  The Lion senior finished seventh at the 2012 Big Ten Championships.

149 - #5 Andrew Alton (22-2)
Fifth-seeded sophomore Andrew Alton is slated to face Iowa's Josh Dwieza (15-2) in the first round at 149 pounds.  The winner of the Alton-Dwieza bout will face No. 4-seeded Jake Sueflohn of Nebraska in the quarterfinals.  Alton did not wrestle Dwieza in 2013.  Sueflohn tallied a pin against Alton in the Jan. 27 meeting.  Alton placed fifth in the 2011 Big Ten Championships at 141 pounds (Redshirted in 2012).

157 - #3 Dylan Alton (22-3)
Sophomore Dylan Alton will face Wisconsin's Kalvin York (5-13) in the first round of the 157-pound draw.  The winner of that match moves on to face No. 6 Josh Demas of Ohio State in the quarterfinals.  Alton did not wrestle York in 2013.  He posted a 4-3 victory over Demas on Feb. 10.  Alton finished third in the 2012 Big Ten Championships.

165 - #1 David Taylor (23-1)
Two-time defending Big Ten champion (157 pounds in 2011, 165 pounds in 2012) earned a bye in the first round of the 165-pound draw.  Taylor will meet the winner of the match between No. 9 Mark Martin (15-13) of Ohio State and No. 8 Austin Wilson (24-10) of Nebraska.  Taylor pinned Martin (2:55) on Feb. 10.  He did not wrestle Wilson in 2013.  Taylor is 7-0 at the Big Ten Championships during his career.

174 - #5 Matt Brown (21-4)
Wrestling at the Big Ten Championships for the first time, fifth-seeded Matt Brown is slated to meet No. 12 Cheney Dale (8-18) of Indiana in the first round.  The winner of the Brown-Dale bout moves on to face No. 4 Nick Heflin in the quarterfinals.  Brown pinned Dale (6:40) on Dec. 9.  Heflin posted a 3-2 win over Brown on Feb. 10.

184 - #1 Ed Ruth (25-0)
Top-seeded Ed Ruth enters the 2013 Big Ten Championships as a two-time champion (both came at 174 pounds).  Ruth received a bye in the first round, and he will meet the winner of a match featuring Ben Cox (0-11) of Wisconsin and No. 8 C.J. Magrum (13-5) of Ohio State.  The Lion junior did not wrestle Cox in 2013.  Ruth tallied a pin against Magrum (1:51) on Feb. 10.  Ruth is 6-0 all-time at the Big Ten Championships.

197 - #1 Quentin Wright (24-0)
Undefeated and 2011 Big Ten champion (184 pounds) Quentin Wright earned a bye in the first round of the 197-pound draw.  Wright will meet the winner of the bout between No. 9 Alex Polizzi (17-12) of Northwestern and No. 8 Max Huntley (14-11) of Michigan.  The Lion senior did not wrestle Polizzi or Huntley in 2013.  Wright, who is 11-2 all-time at the Big Ten Championships, placed third at 184 pounds in 2012.

285 - #7 Jimmy Lawson (20-4)
Sophomore Jimmy Lawson will debut in the Big Ten Championships with a matchup against No. 10 Kosta Karageorge (9-5) of Ohio State in the first round.  The winner of that bout moves on to face No. 2-seed Mike McMullan (16-2) from Northwestern.  Lawson did not wrestle Karagoerge or McMullan in 2013.


Stay tuned for coverage from Day I at the Big Ten Championships right here on GoPSUsports.com


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By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions have been waiting for it all year long, battling for more than four months with some of the best teams and most talented individuals in Division I wrestling.

Now, it's time for the postseason.

This Saturday, at 11 a.m. Penn State and the 11 other teams in its conference begin the 2013 Big Ten Championships.

It will be arguably the toughest tournament that the Nittany Lions wrestle this season as the Big Ten is one of, if not, the best conferences in the sport. But if you ask head coach Cael Sanderson, his team's week leading up to the event is business as usual.

"It's just like any other week and that's the way we want it to be," said Sanderson. "We want to just focus on doing our best and having a good time and naturally competitors will rise to the occasion as long as we stay out of their way."

The Lions return to the tournament looking to make it three consecutive conference crowns as the team won the competition in both 2011 and 2012. But instead of feeling the pressure that comes with a huge target on their backs as reigning champions, Sanderson said that his team's recent success is more of a motivator.

"The last two years are something that we're very proud of," said Sanderson. "Any time that you can win a Big Ten championship, especially in wrestling where the conference is very tough, it's something to celebrate. We have that opportunity ahead of us again and if anything I think it makes you a little more hungry."

Finishing the regular season 13-1 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten, Penn State enters the conference tournament ranked No. 1 nationally by Intermat and has notched three individual top seeds for the weekend. David Taylor holds the top spot at 165, Ed Ruth at 184 and Quentin Wright at 197.

Ruth has won the conference tournament both times that he's competed in it, and is looking to continue that trend with a third championship win. But the 184 pounder echoed his head coach's sentiment, and said that at the end of the day he and his teammates aren't preparing much differently then they would for any other match.

"Every time we go out on the mat it's still the same thing - it's wrestling," said Ruth. "It hasn't changed since we hopped on the flight from Pa. and then got off in Illinois. It's still going to be the same wrestling just a different mat, different crowd."

Competing as one of the most talented and balanced line-ups in the country, all 10 starters from the 2013 dual season will be featured in Champaign, Ill. this weekend. And while most of the Lions, like Ruth, have a history of a strong showing at the tournament, this will be the first Big Ten Championship for three individuals on the Penn State roster.

Jordan Conaway is one of those athletes, competing at 133 as the fourth-seeded wrestler for the first time. Conaway travelled with the team last year and generally knows what to expect, but said that no one in the Big Ten can be taken for granted in a must-win situation.

"You have to be focused for every match and it's just a little bit more intense," said Conaway. "We want to win as a team and do the best we can and place the best we can - it's the same as last year. We want to do as good or better."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Leading up to the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, which begin on Saturday in Champaign, Ill., GoPSUsports.com sat down with Nico Megaludis and Jordan Conaway.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Leading up to the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, which begin on Saturday in Champaign, Ill., GoPSUsports.com sat down with head coach Cael Sanderson for a one-on-one preview interview.

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By Matt Allibone, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Entering his first season as a starter for the Penn State wrestling team, redshirt freshmen Jordan Conaway knew he would have a high standard to live up to in a lineup featuring five returning All-Americans.

Now with the regular season almost complete, it is safe to say that Conaway has more than lived up to the expectations of being a Nittany Lion.

With a 13-6 overall record that includes three victories over ranked opponents, Conaway entered this week as the 13^th ranked wrestler at the 133-weight, a nice reward for someone who has been one of the team's scrappiest competitors all season.

"It's nice to finally be ranked but I try not to worry too much about it," said Conaway. "Rankings aren't something we like to focus on."

While Conaway's emergence in the rankings validates the job he has done this season, it also serves notice to the rest of the country that he will look to be a force to be reckoned with come postseason.

Although the added attention will make it harder for him to sneak up on some of his opponents the way he has done so far this season, the Abbottstown, Pa., native was adamant that his mindset has not changed.

"You have to wrestle the same no matter who you're going against or what your ranking is," said Conaway. "Even though some of the kids might be considered tougher you have to keep the same mentality."

This mindset is a big part of what has enabled Conaway to upset a number of the country's top ranked 133-pounders already, including third ranked Tyler Graff of Wisconsin.

Along with his attitude, Conaway attributes his success to the superior conditioning he has developed.

For a number of his matches this season, the freshman has used the third period to wear down tired opponents in order to score both victories and bonus points.

"I know kids are going to get tired and I'm usually better at being conditioned and lasting through the match," said Conaway. "I know going into the match to be ready for them to start slowing down so that I can start to make my moves."

Conaway's third period heroics have thrilled not just his teammates and coaches this season, but also the Penn State fans.

It has become common at home meets for the Nittany Lion faithful to save their loudest cheers for Conaway's matches, including his win over Graff, which arguably was the loudest Rec Hall has been all year.

The energy and excitement provided by the crowd have, according to Conaway, willed him to victory numerous times.

"The atmosphere here is a lot different than anywhere else and it's an awesome place to compete," said Conaway. "Having so many people right on top of you is different but it makes it really fun."

While Conaway has improved rapidly during his first season as a starter for the Nittany Lions, it has not been hard for him to find motivation to continue to get better.

With eight other ranked wrestlers, including three national champions, surrounding him in the lineup, Conaway has not had to look far to see what it takes to achieve greatness.

"We have so many top ranked guys in the room so it definitely motivates me to keep working harder to get to where they are," said Conaway. "It's a good room to practice in because everyone is working hard so you have to do the same thing."

Although the season may be winding down, Conaway is not ready to stop and reflect on what he has achieved just yet.

With the Big Ten Championships approaching, he's looking to continue to make a name for himself and to earn a berth in the NCAA Championships.

"The season's still not over and the goals I set haven't been accomplished yet," said Conaway. "I'm excited to wrestle in these upcoming tournaments and to see how I do."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head into the media room to hear from head coach Cael Sanderson, seniors Bryan Pearsall and Quentin Wright and sophomore Matt Brown following Sunday's 48-0 win over Rider.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Welcome to live coverage of the two-time defending NCAA champion Penn State wrestling team's final home match of the season against Rider.

Take a look back at Penn State's dominant 48-0 victory over Rider in the final home match of the 2012-13 season.

125: #2 Nico Megaludis Pins Patrick Skinner - 3:48
Sophomore Nico Megaludis kicked off the final home dual of the season with a bang, pinning Rider freshman Patrick Skinner at the 3:48 mark of the bout.  Megaludis took an 8-3 victory into the second period following four first-period takedowns.  He added two more takedowns in the second before turning Skinner for a pin, which put the Lions up 6-0 on the scoreboard.

133: #14 Jordan Conaway Majors Mike Shupin - 19-5
Redshirt freshman Jordan Conaway worked for a first-period takedown and a 2-0 lead against Mike Shupin from Rider.  Shupin escaped out late in the first to make it 2-1.  He added a second escape to begin the second, tying the match at 2-2, but Conaway answered with a pair of takedowns to make it 6-2.  The Lion freshman then added a fourth takedown and two near-fall points as the buzzer sounded in the second to take a 10-4 lead into the final period.  As he has done some many times this season, Conaway got stronger as the bout went on.  He used a takedown and three near-fall points to claim a 19-5 major decision victory, which put Penn State up 10-0 on the scoreboard.

141: Bryan Pearsall Pins Rob Signa - 2:01
Nittany Lion senior Bryan Pearsall put an exclamation point on his final match in Rec Hall.  The Lion veteran scored a takedown early, but it was his cradle at the 2:01 mark that handed Pearsall a win by pin over Rob Signa of Rider.  Pearsall's pin was his sixth of the season, and he improved to 18-7 on the season.  The pin put the Lions up 16-0 in the match.

149: #12 Andrew Alton Majors Curt Delia - 12-4
Sophomore Andrew Alton nearly made it two pins in just a matter of seconds when he almost completed a first-period throw against Rider's Curt Delia.  Nonetheless, Delia fended off Alton's attempts to end the match quickly.  Alton took a 6-2 lead into the second period thanks to a pair of takedowns and two near-fall points.  He notched an escape point to make it 7-2 early in the second.  From there, Alton added two more takedowns in the third frame and a riding time point for a 12-4 major decision.  Alton's major set the score at 20-0, Nittany Lions.

157: #5 Dylan Alton Defeats Zac Cibula - 5-2
Fifth-ranked Dylan Alton took a 4-1 lead against Rider's Zac Cibula after one period.  Alton completed a takedown at the 1:00 mark during a tight start to the match.  Nonetheless, the Lion sophomore took control with a late takedown for a 4-1 lead after one.  A quick escape to open the second made it 5-1, Alton.  The score remained 5-1 until Cibula opened the third period with an escape, which made it 5-2.  Alton held on for a 5-2 decision, sending Penn State into the intermission with a 23-0.

165: #2 David Taylor Pins #20 Ramon Santiago - 3:48
Junior David Taylor found himself in an unfamiliar position just seconds into his bout with 20th-ranked Ramon Santiago after the Rider junior scored a takedown.  However, Taylor came right back with a reversal to make it 2-2.  Santiago was hit with a stalling call, which put Taylor up, 3-2, after one period.  With nearly 2:45 of riding time in his pocket, Taylor turned Santiago for a fall at the 3:48 mark, handing the Nittany Lions their third pin of the afternoon and a 29-0 lead in the match.

174: #7 Matt Brown Pins James Brundage - 4:06
Seventh-ranked Matt Brown scored three takedowns in the first period for a 6-3 lead over Rider junior James Brundage.  Brown added an escape point and a fourth takedown to claim a 9-3 edge 25 seconds into the second frame.  Brown worked for a turn mid-way through the second period and notched a pin at the 4:06 mark, putting Penn State on top by a score of 35-0 in the match.

184: #1 Ed Ruth Pins Ryan Wolfe - 2:38
Defending national champion Ed Ruth wasted no time taking a quick lead in his bout against Ryan Wolfe of Rider.  Ruth built a 6-2 lead on the scoreboard before putting Wolfe on his back in the latter stages of the first period for a pin at the 2:38 mark.  Ruth's pin was his 10th of the season.

197: #2 Quentin Wright Majors Donald McNeil - 12-4
A Central Pennsylvania native and Penn State Wrestling fan since he was a child, Quentin Wright has been a big piece of the Penn State's wrestling history.  The senior wrestled inside the main gym of Rec Hall on final time on Sunday afternoon.  Wright turned in a dominant performance from start to finish against Rider sophomore Donald McNeil.  The Lion senior led 92 after two periods before tallying a 12-4 major decision with nearly 5:00 of riding time.  Wright acknowledged the crowd with a series of waves as he walked out off the mat to a standing ovation.  Wright's win set the score at 45-0 heading into the final match of the day.

285: #12 Jimmy Lawson Defeats Greg Velasco - 3-0
Sophomore Jimmy Lawson and freshman Greg Velasco wrestled to a scoreless first period in the heavyweight bout.  With the top position to open the second period, Lawson rode out Velasco to keep the match at 0-0 after two.  Lawson needed just 15 seconds to get out of the bottom position and score a reversal to take a 2-0 lead in the match.  Lawson rode out Velasco in the third period for a 3-0 victory, which set the final score at 48-0 in favor of Penn State.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
The top-ranked Nittany Lions were sharp from start to finish in a truly dominant performance in the final home match of the 2012-13 season.  Behind pins from Megaludis, Pearsall, Taylor, Brown and Ruth, Penn State looked like a team beginning to find its stride heading into the month of March and the postseason.  Head coach Cael Sanderson said after the match that he is looking for the Nittany Lions to go for pins and to score bonus points at this point in the season because extra points will be crucial in Penn State's quest for another Big Ten and national title in March.  The Nittany Lions head to Rutgers on Sunday for their final home match of the season before shifting focus towards the postseason in March.


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