University of Missouri
Great Plains Open
Kopnisky and Spates Win Championship At Great Plains Wrestling Open
1/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 2, 2000
Lincoln, Neb. - Six University of Missouri wrestlers earned place honors at the Great Plains Open, hosted by the University of Nebraska, on Sunday. Sophomore John Kopnisky and freshman Jeremy Spates won the 174 lb. and 141 lb. weight divisions, while senior Jeff Urban finished second at 149 lbs. Sophomore Kevin Herron finished third at 197 lbs., sophomore Jesse Jordan finished fourth at 157 lbs. and freshman Josh Maze earned a fifth-place finish at 184 lbs.
With four wins Sunday, Kopnisky has now won 23 of 24 matches this season, and holds down the No. 18 ranking nationally (Intermat Wrestling Magazine) with a 23-1 record. In the championship match, Kopnisky defeated Minnesota's Delaney Berger who had been ranked one spot ahead of the Tiger sophomore.
As Missouri's top freshman grappler, Spates won four matches at the Great Plains, pushing his season mark to 20-4. He will continue to move up the national rankings after debuting last week at No. 18 at 141 lbs. according to Amateur Wrestling News. Spates also received special mention in the Intermat national rankings last week.
Urban faced Minnesota's Jared Lawrence in the 149 lb. final, dropping a close match to the wrestler ranked No. 10 nationally. Urban, now 17-7, has been ranked nationally all season, currently holding down the No. 19 spot.
The Great Plains competition was the last open compeition of the season for Missouri. The Tigers next travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. for the Central Michigan Duals on Saturday, January 9. MU's next home dual takes place on January 27 when the Tigers host Central Missouri State in the Hearnes Center Arena.
