Nov. 5, 2003

Head coach Mark Johnson heads into this 12th season at the University of Illinois with another Top-10 wrestling squad on his hands. Fans will get their first look at the team in the annual wrestle-offs at Noon on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Huff Hall, The matches help determine the staring lineup this season. Admission is free to the event.

The Illini return eight starters from a year ago and have been rated in the Top-5 by numerous preseason publications. Among the potential highlights will be at 125 pounds as sophomore Kyle Ott will take on true-freshman Gabe Flores. Ott was 18-6 before reinjuring his knee a year ago, while Flores enters his collegiate career as a one of the nation's top high school wrestlers, winning a California title in 2002. Sophomore Cal Ferry was a starter in 2003 at 141 and will look to make the jump to 149. He will take on Eric Novak, who also started for the Illini at 141 during the 2002 season.

Among the 20 wrestlers featured only one is a senior in 197-pounder Jason Potter and eight freshmen will get the call to the mat. Five of the competing wrestlers are former NCAA qualifiers and eight are ranked in the individual preseason Top-20.

MATCHUPS
125: #3 Kyle Ott (So.) vs. Gabe Flores (Fr.)
133: #6 Mark Jayne (Jr.) vs. Cassio Pero (r-Fr.)
141: #13 Michael Martin (r-Fr.) vs. Dan Zeman (Fr.)
149: #11 Cal Ferry (So.) vs. Eric Novak (Jr.)
157: #2 Alex Tirapelle (So.) vs. Mike Boyd (So.)
165: Anthony Castillo (Jr.) vs. Matt Winterhalter (r-Fr.)
174: #8 Pete Friedl (So.) vs. Pat Brownson (Fr.)
184: #3 Brian Glynn (Jr.) vs. Matt Harding (r-Fr.)
197: #10 Jason Potter (Sr.) vs. Matt Weight (r-Fr.)
HWT: Matt Fletcher (So.) vs. Chris Little (So.)