SOURCE: web.archive.org

February 22, 2003

2003 EMPIRE COLLEGIATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
18 spots to NCAA Championships on the line

OSWEGO, N.Y. - A number of national powers will collide at the 12th Annual Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Championships with 18 individuals looking to qualify for the upcoming NCAA Division III Championships.

Each champion and eight "wild cards" will advance to the national tournament. Fourteenth-ranked Ithaca College will look to defend its title with third-ranked SUNY Brockport and 15th-ranked Cortland looking to unseat the Bombers. Oneonta enters the tournament ranked 27th in the final dual-meet poll. Host Oswego State and Rochester Institute of Technology will look to edge their way into contention.

Tournament favorite SUNY Brockport has eight individuals ranked nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading that group is 2001 NCAA Champion Lenny Baker at 149. Baker is a two-time conference champion
looking to claim his third ECWC title. All-American Kris Harrington is ranked second at 141 pounds, while returning champion Dan Roberts is ranked fourth at 133. Artie Weidler is currently ranked second at 165
with teammate Sal Cruz seventh at 125. Also ranked for the Golden Eagles are Rob Power who is eighth at 157, Don Favro, third at 174 and Tevon Fordyce, who is sixth at 184.

Defending ECWC team champion Ithaca College possesses a balanced line-up that features a host of individual wrestlers with 20 or more victories. Bill Parry tops that list with a 34-10 record competing at 165. Returning All-American Marc Israel enters the chanpionships with a 22-4 record, while Jad Duca is 29-10. Both of those wrestlers have competed at 149 this season. At 157, Casey Beach has also put together a strong season compiling a record of 26-11. Brian Petty (27-14), Andrew Locke (20-4) and Jeff Edelstein (20-8) are three more Bombers who reached the 20-win plateau.

The Red Dragons of Cortland under first-year coach Brad Bruhn could challenge for the team title. The team has been led by Jason Peck at 125 as he has racked up 33 wins so far this season. Sophomore Ben Locke has a 27-10 record and is capable of winning the 197-pound bracket. At 133 pounds, freshman Jason Chase has stepped in and contributed 24 victories for the Red Dragons.

The host Lakers are paced by Tenkoran Agygeman at 133 pounds. This season the sophomore has put together a 28-4 record and is ranked fifth nationally in his weight class. At lest year's tournament, he placed third and will look to improve on that finish on his home mat. Senior Ed Miller has picked up 18 wins this season wrestling at 174 pounds. Heavyweight Jeremy Calkins has put together a fine sophomore campaign also earning 18 victories.

RIT will look to shake up the team standings behind senior All-American Pat North at 165 pounds. North placed second at last year's tournament and earned a "wild card" to the NCAA Championships where he finished fourth. This season he has a record of 23-2. Freshman Zach Greenberg is second on the team with 13 wins at 184 pounds.

Oneonta will be led by the brother duo of Dustin and Greg Winn. Sophomore Dustin Winn enters the tournament with a 28-6 record at 149 pounds, while senior Greg Winn is 23-10 in the 125 pound weight class. Kyle Hauptfleisch put together an outstanding freshman campaign at 165 pounds for the Red Dragons collecting 25 victories against only seven defeats.

The 2003 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships are slated for March 7-8 in Ada, Ohio and will be hosted by Ohio Northern University.