Duck wrestlers ready to rumble in 2OOO-’01
■ The loss of one senior and
the return of Chael Sonnen
has the Oregon wrestling
team thinking big
By Robbie McCallum
dregon Daily Emerald
Three returning NCAA qualifiers,
seven returning Pacific-10 Confer
ence placers, three blue-chip re
cruits, a transfer and an Olympian.
All of this could add up to a break
through season for the Oregon
wrestling team.
Third-year head coach Chuck
Kearney has assembled one of the
most talented group of Duck
wrestlers in years. The Oregon line
up is basically the same as last year,
plus a few key additions. That is
why the Ducks are in good position
to improve upon last year’s fifth
place finish in the Pac-10 and 5-5
conference record.
“This team has the potential to be
the best we’ve ever had,” Kearney
said. “We have a great front line —
the starters in each weight class can
be in the top-three of the conference
and can make an impact at the na
tional tournament.”
The Oregon leader on and off of
the mat is senior Doug Lee. The two
time NCAA qualifier and defending
Pac-10 champion is geared-up for a
stellar season and a possible nation
al championship.
At 184 pounds, Lee is ranked sec
ond in the nation after placing
fourth at last year’s NCAA meet.
The All-American was 29-3 last sea
son and is 67-22 in his career.
“His goal is to win a national ti
tie,” Kearney said. “Last year’s na
tional champion [Cael Sanderson,
Iowa State] returns this season and
Doug wants to wrestle that guy for
the championship.”
Giving the Ducks a major boost
this season and further stacking the
deck is the return of senior Chael
Sonnen. The All-American took the
1999-’00 season off to compete with
the U.S. Olympic team. Sonnen
placed sixth overall in the 85 kg di
vision, missing a trip to the Olympic
games in Sydney by just two match
es.
i 4 777/s team has the
potential to be the best
we’ve ever had.
Chuck Kearney
Oregon head coach
“Chael is in a weight class where
he’s as good as anyone,” Kearney
said. “He’s very technically sound
and a great athlete who moves well.
He’s big enough, strong enough and
better now than ever. ”
Sonnen is ranked fourth in the
nation at 187 pounds and was an
All-American in 1999.
Junior Eugene Harris, who excit
ed Duck fans last year after transfer
ring from Lassen Junior College, re
turns at the 157-pound slot. Harris
was an NCAA qualifier last season
and finished the season with 24-11
overall record.
“Eugene is capable of beating any
one and if he continues to improve he
can be a national contender.” Kear
ney said. “He’s technically sound and
a phenomenal athlete.”
The other returning NCAA quali
fier is sophomore Brian Watson, who
posted a 16-9 record last season de
spite a broken hand. Watson will re
main in the 133-pound slot for the
Ducks, where he placed second at the
Pac-10 championships last year.
A handful of returning Pac-10
placers and other wrestlers with sig
nificant experience are back with
high expectations. Heavyweight
Eric Webb and 149-pound Tony
Overstake were Pac-10 semifinalists
last year and want to make the next
step toward an NCAA berth this sea
son. Webb, a sophomore, was 22-13
last year and is the only Duck in the
heavyweight position.
“Wrestling in the semifinals
against a nationally ranked wrestler
made Eric realize that he can be a na
tional-level wrestler,” Kearney said.
“Tony is constantly making improve
ments and has a great work ethic. ”
Overstake, who was high school
teammates with Doug and Matt Lee,
is the top wrestler in Oregon’s deep
est position. Five wrestlers in all will
compete for starting positions at 141
and 149 pounds. Juniors David Wat
son and Kenny Cox bring in even
more experience, backed up by red
shirt freshman Branson Phillips.
“Right now it looks even in terms
of who the starter will be,” Kearney
said. “It’s going to come down to
who’s healthy and who separates
themselves in competition, but who
ever it is, the starter will be tough to
beat and will finish atop the Pac-10.”
Two exciting newcomers who ex
pect to make an immediate impact
on the starting lineup are freshman
Luke Larwin and junior Shaun
Emerald
All-American Doug Lee is back to lead the Ducks into the 2000-’01 wrestling season.
Williams. Both were victorious in
their debuts in an Oregon singlet
against UC-Davis on Friday.
Williams, who transferred from
North Idaho College, is a two-time
junior college champion. The Bre
toria, South Africa native competed
on his country’s national team in
1996 and placed at the 1995 ES
POIR World Championships.
Williams will compete with sopho
more Jason Harless for the 125
pound starting position. Harless
was 15-18 last season and 8-9 in
dual matches.
Larwin is another Duck who can
help the Ducks in his first year as a
Duck. The Bend, Ore. native placed
second in the state 4A champi
onships last year for Mt. View High
school before winning the state
freestyle championships.
Larwin will compete with veter
an junior Leif Williams at 165 or 174
pounds. Williams was 12-18 last
year with a 5-11 dual match record.
Redshirt freshman Matt Lee,
younger brother of Doug Lee, may
also contend for the starting 174
pound slot.
Oregon’s 2000-’01 schedule is full
of challenges and exciting possibili
ties. The Ducks face a major test to
start 2001, facing three of the top
four teams in the nation during a
four-day span.
On Jan. 2 and 4, the Ducks travel to
Oklahoma to face traditional power
houses Oklahoma and Oklahoma
State. Two days later, the Ducks re
turn home to wrestle six-time de
fending national champion Iowa.
On the other side of the spectrum,
Oregon will get a break in late Feb
ruary, when it hosts the Pac-10
championships.
Other key dates include the horns
opener on Nov. 26 against Pac-10
foe Stanford, Dec. 13 against Oregon
State and March 15-17, the NCAA
tournament.
The Ducks are in action this
weekend at the Southern Oregon
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