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Five State
Finalists Highlight Wrestling Recruiting Class
A state champion and four state
runner-up finishers highlight the UW-Stevens Point wrestling team�s
recruiting class for the upcoming 2006-07 season.
A total of 10 individuals have informed
Pointers� coach Johnny Johnson of their intentions to attend the school
in the fall and compete in wrestling.
Leading the way is Dennis Reckelberg,
who went 42-6 while winning the 160-pound Division 2 state title for
Luxemburg-Casco this past season. Reckelberg also helped his team to the
WIAA state team championship and was third at state in 2005 with a 44-6
overall record.
Two state runners-up from this past season
that plan to attend UW-Stevens Point are Neenah�s Ben Engelland,
who was 44-1 at 189 pounds in Division 1, and Auburndale�s Chris Karl,
who was 34-7 at 152 pounds in Division 3. Engelland was also third at
state as a junior with a 40-1 record, while Karl was fifth at state with
a 34-10 record as a junior.
Jake Hahn, a 141-pounder from
Pittsville was a state runner-up with a 44-1 record in 2004 and placed
fifth in 2003 with a 42-1 record. Mo Malone, who attended Iowa
State last season, was a two-time state runner-up for Amherst, posting a
45-3 record as a senior at 125 pounds and 43-4 mark as a junior.
Crandon�s Chad Cracraft also plans to
compete for the Pointers after compiling a 48-5 record and third place
finish at 215 pounds in Division 3 last season. Fred Lane from
Stanley-Boyd was a state qualifier with a 35-3 record at 152 pounds
after placing fourth in Division 2 with a 34-7 record at 145 pounds in
2005. Brandon Stearns, a 141-pounder from Baraboo, also plans to attend
UW-Stevens Point.
Two out-of-state wrestlers are also part of
the recruiting class. Chad Gregory, a Lawton, Okla. native,
ranked second in the state last season before suffering a season-ending
knee injury. Robert Prinsen was a state qualifier for Lakeville,
Minn. last year and posted a 30-13 record.
UW-Stevens Point placed 11th in the NCAA
Division III last season for its fourth consecutive top 11 national
finish. The Pointers were also runner-up in the Wisconsin
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the sixth time in the past seven
years. |