11/8/2001 - Wrestling
Navy Wrestling Travels to California for Dual Meets

Links associated with this release:
0
0
0

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy wrestling team heads west this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders beginning Friday in Palo Alto, Calif., against UC Davis at 8 p.m. (EST) and Stanford at 10 p.m. On Saturday, the Mids travel to Fresno, Calif., to take on Menlo College at 8 p.m. (EST) and Fresno State at 10 p.m.

"I am excited for the opportunity to take the Mids out on the west coast and let the people see the style of wrestling we have here at the Naval Academy," head coach Bruce Burnett said. "I am excited to see these guys compete after the competition we had last weekend, so we can see how they respond to the adjustment we made in practice. UC Davis sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Championship last year and Stanford is always tough. Fresno State is ranked in the top 20 and is very competitive. We will get a good test this weekend, and I think our team is ready to wrestle right now."

The four dual matches are Navy's first of the season after opening the 2001-02 campaign last weekend at the Central New Jersey Open. Team captain Mark Conley (Sr./Exton, Pa.) and Steve Kovach (Jr./Parkerburg, Pa.) each captured the 141-pound and heavyweight open weight classes respectively. Conley is currently ranked fourth-nationally in the 141-pound weight class and teammate Mike Bigrigg (Sr./Santa Ana, Calif.) is ranked 20th in the 197-pound weight class.

Fresno State has three wrestlers ranked among the top-20 nationally, led by Stephen Abas. Abas is ranked first-nationally in the 125-pound class and teammate Billy Blunt is fifth in the heavyweight division. FSU's Ralph Lopez is ranked 17th in the 141-pound weight class.