SIUE will send six grapplers to regional tourney Sunday

Aaron Clouse
Sports Reporter

The Cougars will send their six wrestlers to Kenosha, Wis., for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Midwest Regional Tournament Sunday.

"I believe we will get at least three wrestlers to nationals," head coach Booker Benford said. "We will only have Titus Taylor seeded, but I think we will have some upsets."

Marc Justice, 133 pounds, has a record of 7-17 going into the tournament. He is a freshman this year, but he has eight years of experience on the mat.

Justice went to Collinsville High School where he advanced to the Illinois State Tournament in the 125- and 135-pound weight classes. Justice started the season as a redshirt but was bumped to varsity when the initial starter quit the team.

Sophomore Nathan Graumenz, 149 pounds, has posted a record of 12-19. He started wrestling in seventh grade. He won the state tournament in his senior year when he attended Vandalia High School.

The only wrestler that will be seeded is the only senior on the team, Taylor, at the 165-pound weight class. Taylor is currently ranked second in the nation with a record of 25-4. He started wrestling his freshman year at Cahokia High School.

Taylor went to the state tournament three times and placed second his senior year. He is also a two-time qualifier for the National Tournament; he placed fourth in the tournament his sophomore year and was named an All-American.

Zach Stephens, 174 pounds, is a sophomore with a record of 14-13. He has been wrestling for 13 years. He went to Francis Howell High School and won the Missouri State Tournament in the 145- and 152-pound weight classes.

"I lost close matches in the early part of the season," Stephens said. "I am hopeful that I will win if I work harder."

Freshman Ross Renken will fill the 184-pound weight class with a 12-17 record. Renken started wrestling in eighth grade and went to Minooka High School. Renken missed the first half of his freshman and sophomore seasons and placed fifth in the state tournament his senior year.

The heavyweight for the Cougars is sophomore Aaron Wiens. He started wrestling in sixth grade. Wiens attended Morton West High School where he placed fourth in the state tournament his senior year.

The Cougars will have their work cut out for them this weekend at the Midwest Regional Tournament Sunday. The times of the matches will be announced later.