Nov. 8, 2014
LARAMIE, Wyo. -- The 18th-ranked Badgers started the season off strong after boasting four finalists at the Cowboy Open on Saturday. Senior Timmy McCall and junior Connor Medbery were the key to Wisconsin’s success after both earned first-place finishes in their respective weight classes.
| Fast Facts | | • Timmy McCall and Connor Medbery both finished in first place. | | • Wisconsin sent four wrestlers to the finals in their respective weight classes. | | • UW hosts Maryland in the home opener on Nov. 14. | |
The event featured nearly 300 competitors and 14 teams. No team score was kept but champions were crowned at 10 weight classes in both Elite and Amateur brackets.
Medbery posted a 4-0 dual mark with only two wins decided by decision. Medbery won by technical fall (15-0) over Nebraska’s Nyle Bartling before pinning Tanner Harms after 4:30 in the first-place match for the 285 lbs. weight class.
McCall finished first at 197 lbs., after an 8-2 decision over Nebraska’s Micah Barnes. McCall won all four bouts by decision with the largest margin coming in the win against Barnes.
“Timmy (McCall) and Connor (Medbery) just wrestled. They wrestled the whole seven minutes,” Wisconsin head coach Barry Davis said. “They took advantage of certain situations and if they do that every time it will be great.”
Frank Cousins took second after winning by decision against three opponents before eventually falling to Nebraska’s Robert Kokesh in a 9-3 decision in the finals.
All-American sophomore Isaac Jordan had an impressive showing at 165 lbs., defeating Nic Johnson and Chase Fuson in falls with both pins occurring under the two minute mark. Air Force’s Jesse Stafford won by a 2-0 decision over Jordan in the final, forcing Jordan to take second place.
Sophomore TJ Ruschell quickly claimed his spot in third place after pinning Nick Adams in just fifty-four seconds. Ruschell won by major decision in his first two outings posting scores of 14-0 and 14-2, respectively.
Ricky Robertson took his first victories of the season in dramatic fashion with a win by major decision followed by a fall over Kolbjorn Skalestad.
A total of ten Badgers moved to the quarterfinal rounds of the tournament and eight advanced onto the semifinals.
The Badgers hit the mat again when they host Maryland in their home opener on Nov. 14 in the UW Field House.
