2004-05 Season Looks Bright For Youthful And Talented Blue Devils

12/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

By: Duke Sports Information

Nov. 6, 2004

The 2003-04 Duke wrestling season was undoubtedly the most successful in the program's history. Four Blue Devils earned ACC individual titles, the most ever in a single season, and Head Coach Clar Anderson earned ACC Coach of the Year accolades. As a team, Duke finished with a 9-7 dual meet record and tied for first in the ACC with a 3-1 mark in the conference.

With the achievements of a season ago behind them, though, the Blue Devils will look to build on past successes and work towards the goal of bringing home the program's first-ever ACC team championship. Duke returns three ACC champions and seven wrestlers with solid experience in starting roles. Anderson has every right to be optimistic about his team's chances in 2004-05.

"We're pretty excited," said the coach. "We had three seniors contribute significantly for us last year, but we think we've replaced them with at least similar talent. And we had four ACC champions who were all underclassmen. The other six ACC champions graduated, so that bodes well for us."

A look at each weight class:

125
Christian Smith, last year's ACC champion at this weight as a freshman, returns to defend his title during his sophomore campaign. The product of Chesapeake, Va. was 30-12 as a freshman and led the nation in pins at 125 with 10. Smith's 30 wins were also the fifth-most in a single season by a Duke wrestler. Anderson believes that the sophomore year can be a tough transition year, especially at the lighter weights, but he is confident that Smith will continue to improve. Still, Anderson went out and got a very solid prospect in Chapel Hill native Kellan McKeon, a two-time state champion. McKeon will likely redshirt, but could be called upon to provide depth at 125.

133
Brian Gibson returns at 133 this year, after splitting the starting role last season. The native of Jenks, Okla. was 17-12 last season, earning the title at the Keydet Invitational and finishing fourth at the Southern Scuffle. Freshman Wes Kuser, a high school standout from Reading, Pa., will push Gibson for time at the spot.

141
Sophomore Dan Shvartsman is Duke's most solid fixture at 141 pounds, with Zach Weisberg and Antwone Floyd both bouncing between weight classes. "Shvarstman had a good year for us last year. He placed third in the ACC and did well in some tournaments," said Anderson. "But that weight is going to be wide open." Shvartsman looks like the best option to wrestle at 141 all season, though. The Burlington, Mass. native was 31-24 last season and had five top-eight finishes.

149
The Blue Devils have great depth at this weight class, with Antwone Floyd as the likely starter. The native of Kittrell, N.C. defeated ACC champions at two different weight classes last year (141, 149) and wrestled at 157 in the ACC Tournament. He also took home a title at the UNC Pembroke Open. Philip Wightman, Zach Weisberg, Michael Creagan and Michael Kecman will all compete for time. Wightman and Kecman both struggled with injuries last season, but appear strong for 2004-05. Weisberg was 4-4 as a freshman, wrestling at 141 pounds.

157
Junior Brandon Foose, out of Boyertown, Pa., spent most of last season as the starter at 157, posting a record of 8-15. Foose will be challenged by Kevin Ward, a freshman from Avon Lake, Ohio, who was a high school state finalist and a product of St. Edward's, a prominent wrestling squad. Redshirt freshman Adam Lesser will also vie for a role at the weight.

165
With the departure of last year's senior leader Michael Mitchell, Anderson will look to senior transfer Steve Smith. "He has had a lot of injury in his career," said the coach. "But he's a very tough competitor. If he stays injury-free, he should have a bead on the 165-pound weight class." Smith will be tested by freshman Aaron Glover, who won a high school state championship out of Gainesville, Ga. Fellow freshman Turner Rooney is also expected to add depth to the position.

174
Duke returns an ACC champion at 174 in junior Levi Craig, not only one of the team's best performers, but also a locker room leader and Academic All-American. The native of Enid, Okla. was 21-18 in his title run of a season ago and looks to defend his crown this year. Craig will be backed up by junior Scott Doerr and freshman Dan Fox.

184
The Blue Devils boast yet another returning ACC champion in 184-pounder Frank Cornely. The native of Pennsauken, N.J. took his conference title to the NCAA Championships, where he won two matches, going farther than any Duke wrestler before him. "Frank has spent some time out at the Olympic Training Center, trying to get stronger for his last year," said Anderson. "He's pretty motivated to become Duke's first All-American."

Cornely will be backed up by freshman Dan Tulley, a high school state champion in Missouri.

197
Redshirt junior Mark Thompson returns to the Duke squad after two years away from wrestling. After a solid freshman campaign in which he went 9-7, Thompson was injured in his sophomore season and did not wrestle last year, choosing to focus on football, in which he also competes for Duke. Freshman Konrad Dudziak, who placed eighth in the Junior National Tournament over the summer, will make a case for time at 197 with sophomore Patrick Keenum also in the mix.

285
At heavyweight is Andrew Herbert, who transferred to Duke from Bucknell two years ago. He has a career record of 15-18 and will look to compete in a tough division. "Andrew hasn't been wrestling a long time," said Anderson. "But physically, he's probably one of the strongest heavyweights in the ACC. Hopefully he can use that strength and his technique to overcome his relative inexperience."