September 21, 2007
Bears will go to Vegas for big tourney
Matt Schuman
What happens in Vegas is one of the biggest collegiate wrestling tournaments in the U.S. and the University of Northern Colorado wrestling team will be there as part of their 2007-08 schedule.
It is the highlight of a schedule that features dual matches against two other teams that finished in the top 20 at the Division I Wrestling Championships last season, including defending national champion Minnesota.
UNC coach Jack Maughan's squad will travel to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational on Nov. 30- Dec. 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Nearly 50 teams are expected to participate, including 12 of the top 20 teams from last year's NCAA Championship like No. 3 Missouri.
The Bears will once again open the season on Nov. 10 at the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo., and follow that on Nov. 18 by hosting the Old Chicago/Northern Colorado Open on Nov. 18 at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion.
UNC will face the defending national champion Golden Gophers as well as North Dakota State and Northern Illinois in the Rochester Duals in Rochester, Minn. on Nov. 24.
Nebraska will visit Greeley on Jan. 2 in one of the premier home matches at Butler-Hancock. The Cornhuskers finished 16th at nationals last season and beat UNC 34-9 during the regular season last year in Lincoln.
The Bears will travel to Eugene, Ore. on Jan. 11 to take on the Pac 10's Oregon Beavers before heading off to Redmond, Ore., for the Oregon Classic Wrestling tournament on Jan. 12.
UNC will start the first of its six Western Wrestling Conference duals on Jan. 5 when it takes on South Dakota State at Butler-Hancock. It won't pick up the conference schedule again until Jan. 19 when the Bears begin the first of four straight WWC dual matches in Cedar Falls against Northern Iowa, which had the highest finish in the conference at nationals last year (tied for 34th).
Maughan will get a chance to beat his father Bucky once again when the North Dakota State coach brings his team to Greeley for a conference dual on Jan. 6.
The Bears final home match will be against Cal State-Fullerton, which ended up finishing 31st at nationals last year.
UNC will head to the West Regional on March 8 in Fargo, N.D. with hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships March 20-22 in St. Louis.
Northern Colorado 2007-08 Wrestling Schedule
Nov. 10 Cowboy Open Laramie, Wyo. all day
Nov. 18 Old Chicago/Northern Colorado Open Greeley all day
Nov. 24 Minnesota/North Dakota State/Northern Illinois Rochester, Minn. all day
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Las Vegas all day
Dec. 8 Kearney Open Kearney, Neb. all day
Jan. 2 Nebraska Greeley 7 p.m.
Jan. 5 South Dakota State Greeley 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 Portland State Portland, Ore. 6 p.m.
Jan. 11 Oregon Eugene, Ore. 6 p.m.
Jan. 12 Oregon Classic Redmond, Ore. 8 a.m.
Jan. 19 Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 7 p.m.
Jan. 26 North Dakota State Greeley 7 p.m.
Feb. 8 Utah Valley State Greeley 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 Air Force Greeley 2 p.m.
Feb. 17 Cal State Fullerton Greeley 2 p.m.
Feb. 26 Wyoming Laramie, Wyo. 7 p.m.
March 8 West Regional Fargo, N.D. all day
March 20-22 NCAA Championships St. Louis all day