Rotating Image
Sport Home   |   Roster   |   Schedule   |   News   |   Archives   |   Youtube
 
Make Way For Midlands
 
The Purdue wrestling team returns from its holiday break to compete in the 45th Annual Midlands Wrestling Tournament.

 
Purdue junior Nick Corpe hopes to crack the national top-25 with a solid outing this weekend.
 
Purdue junior Nick Corpe hopes to crack the national top-25 with a solid outing this weekend.
 
Wrestling Home
HEADLINES
Wrestling Adds Two to 2012 Recruiting Class

Wrestling Earns NWCA All-Academic Top-30 Honors

Wrestling Adds Fleeger To Coaching Staff
RELATED LINKS
• Ticket Information

• Holloway Gymnasium

• Follow Purdue Wrestling on Twitter


Dec. 27, 2007

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue wrestling team returns from its holiday break to compete in the Midlands Wrestling Tournament, hosted by Big Ten rival Northwestern University on Saturday and Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. This weekend marks the 45th annual tournament, bringing in approximately 350 wrestlers from around the country.

The Boilermakers placed 12th at last year's Midlands, amassing 48.5 points on the strength of four placers. Three of these individuals return this year and hope to repeat their successes. Leading the way is junior tri-captain Jake Patacsil, who took home second place at 149 pounds. Patacsil carried a 12-match win streak into the tournament and won five straight to advance to the finals, where he fell to Mike Grimes of Northern Illinois. This season, Patacsil is 7-3 with a tournament win at the Eastern Michigan Open. He is among the Boilermakers' leaders in falls (three) and back points (30), and is currently 77 back points shy of the becoming Purdue's all-time leader in the category.

Sophomore Matt Redmond also placed for the Old Gold and Black at 149 pounds last season, taking home sixth place with a 4-3 record on the weekend. He won four straight to march to the tournament semifinals, including wins over then-ranked Jermaine Thompson of Eastern Michigan and Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State. He was finally knocked from the championship bracket by fellow Boilermaker Patacsil in the semifinals and later fell to Troy Tirapelle of Illinois and Matt Coughlin of Indiana. Redmond has dropped to 141 pounds this season, and hopes to make his presence felt at the lower weight class.

Rounding out the trio of 2006 Midlands standouts for Purdue is sophomore Nick Bertucci. Bertucci grabbed eighth place at 141 pounds, notching a 4-3 mark over the weekend. After a narrow second-round loss to then-second-ranked Alex Tsirsis of Iowa, Bertucci rallied to win three straight and earn a placing spot. A steep climb to 157 pounds this year has looked like a solid move so far for Bertucci as he won the Eastern Michigan Open, and had a solid performance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He's ranked second on the team in pins (four), tied for second in reversals (five), holds third in back points (24) and shares third in wins (nine).

 

 

Saturday's action begins at 9:30 a.m., while a second session will follow at 7 p.m. that night. Tournament action resumes Sunday at noon, with the finals starting at 7 p.m. In anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the tournament officials will honor all current and former Midlands competitors who have represented their countries in the Olympic Games. The presentation will precede the tournament's final session Sunday night. The tournament finals will air on the Big Ten Network, with the semifinals to be shown via tape delay. For more information visit Northwestern's web site.

Photo Store
Big Ten Championghips