After falling short as a favorite in the NCAA Championships just a year ago, junior wrestler Franklin Gomez vowed to learn from his mistakes this season. Gomez did just that, taking charge in the finals and winning the national championship in the 133-pound weight class with a 5-4 win over Ohio State’s Reece Humphrey on Saturday at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
All season, MSU wrestling head coach Tom Minkel has drawn attention to the youth in his team’s lineup. This weekend, the best wrestlers in the country will take notice.
MSU junior Franklin Gomez defended his Big Ten title in the 133-pound weight class on Monday, earning the title against Ohio State’s Reece Humphrey in State College, Penn.
All year long, the MSU wrestling team trains for one particular moment of its season — the Big Ten Championships. So forget about MSU’s 6-10 overall record, its 1-7 conference record and the youthful inexperience of a team that could have five freshmen in its starting line this weekend. Anything can happen at the Big Ten Championships, and now it’s here.
With what MSU wrestling coach Tom Minkel calls “the youngest team in the history of college wrestling,” there are likely to be a number of shortfalls — especially wrestling against ranked opponents in nearly every competition.
After a back-and-forth first few matches, the MSU wrestling team surrendered its last six in a dual meet against Michigan on Sunday at Jenison Field House, falling 28-7.
The MSU wrestling team notched its first win in the Big Ten this season in an exciting fashion Friday, upsetting No. 17 Wisconsin 25-17 at Jenison Field House.
Fortunately for the MSU wrestling team, as coach Tom Minkel puts it, “usually the best guy wins.”
Before each of Rex Kendle’s 17 matches this season, the senior wrestler has had the same thought: I have one final year to produce results from the past four years of work.
Former MSU wrestler Rashad Evans will face the biggest test of his mixed martial arts career Saturday when he faces former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in the main event of UFC 88: Breakthrough at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.
It was the No. 1 seed against the No. 2 seed, but instead of MSU sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez and Illinois’ Jimmy Kennedy battling for the 133-pound national championship, they squared off in the third-place match at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.
Sophomore Franklin Gomez’s bid for a national championship fell short, as he fell to Iowa’s Joey Slaton by a 3-1 decision in overtime in a national semifinal at the NCAA National Wrestling Championships in St. Louis.
In a marathon match that lasted three overtimes, sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez overcame a tough unseeded opponent and a hurt ankle to advance to today’s quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships.
While the thought of wrestling for a national championship in front of 22,000 people may put added pressure on some individuals, it hasn’t affected sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez.
Sophomore Franklin Gomez won the Big Ten Championship at 133 pounds, defeating No. 1-seeded Jimmy Kennedy 3-1 in the championship match to advance to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. on March 20-22.
A recap of the sport events of the weekend, including the opening weekend for baseball, a winning wrestling tournament, and a loss for the softball team at Palm Springs.
The MSU wrestling team is still searching for its first conference win after dropping yet another close dual meet on Friday.
In Sunday’s dual meet against Northwestern, the MSU wrestling team won four of the 10 matches, but came up short in a 25-15 loss to the No. 11 Wildcats.
The MSU wrestling team fell to No. 11 Northwestern by the score of 25-15 Sunday at Jenison Field House.
Sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez couldn’t have always been this good, could he? “I think I was,” Gomez said with a smile.