No. 10 Missouri to Dual with Old Dominion
1/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 7, 2002
The Missouri Tiger wrestlers will take part in their first action of 2002 on Tuesday as they dual with Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va.
The Tigers, ranked No. 10 in the nation by Intermat, head into Tuesday's dual with a perfect 5-0 record. Mizzou's last action was on Dec. 20 when it took championship honors at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
The Tigers have moved up in the rankings this season after starting the year ranked No. 21. The No. 10 ranking they now hold is the highest the Tigers have been ranked since they finished the 1983-84 season at No. 10.
Six Tigers are ranked nationally by Intermat led by sophomore Scott Barker who is No. 5 at 197 pounds. Barker is 9-0 on the season, 5-0 in duals. Of his nine wins, six have come by way of pins. He won the 197-pound title at Reno as he went 4-0 with four pins and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Other Tigers in the rankings include redshirt freshman Tyron Woodley who is ranked No. 8 in the 165-pound class. Senior John Kopnisky (174 pounds) and sophomore Jeremy Spates (149 pounds) are ranked No. 9 in their respective weight classes.
Sophomore J.P Reese is ranked No. 14 in the 141-pound weight class and junior Kevin Herron is the 14th ranked heavyweight.
The top bout on Tuesday night will be the 174-pound match. Ninth ranked John Kopnisky of MU will take on ODU's Jeff Rusek who is ranked No. 5. Kopnisky is 11-2 on the year and 3-1 in duals. Rusek is 12-1 overall and 3-0 in duals. Each wrestler is coming off impressive showing in his last action. Kopnisky took second place at the Reno Tournament of Champions and Rusek finished third at the Midlands Championships.
After Tuesday, Missouri will stay in Norfolk to take part in the Virginia Duals, which start on Friday. The Tigers then travel to Wyoming on Jan. 18 before returning home for a big dual with No. 2 Oklahoma State on Jan. 25 in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse.
