Wrestling

Cougars Start the Season Against Missouri Baptist
         The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville wrestling team is ready to kick the season off at home against Missouri Baptist.
         The Cougars will wrestle Missouri Baptist Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Vadalabene Center.
         "They are a tough NAIA school, said SIUE wrestling Coach Khris Whelan.
         Missouri Baptist defeated the Cougars last year and have a 2-3 overall record against them.
         "If we wrestle to our ability, we can beat them," said Whelan.
         After the Missouri Baptist match, the Cougars will travel to Columbia, Mo., for the Mizzou Open Saturday.
         There will be an open and a freshmen/sophomore division. Many of the SIUE wrestlers will compete in the freshmen/sophomore division, said Whelan.
         There will be many top Division I programs competing in the Mizzou Open including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Indiana, and Illinois.
         SIUE wrestlers for the Missouri Baptist match will include 125 Scott Audo (Glenarm) or Steve Chico (Chicago), 133 Rashad Riley (Hoffman Estates), 141 James Aschenbrenner (Mt. Zion), 149 Jed Lewis (Norfolk), 157 Joe Rujawitz (Belleville), 165 John Ficht (Burbank), 174 Corey Scott (Sterling), 197 Sean Tyus (Springfield) and heavyweight Ian Darr (Cottage Hills).
                  -siue cougars-