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April 4, 2008

Iowa won its 21st National Title as the Big Ten dominated the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships.  Ohio State was runner-up and Penn State took home third place to round out the top three spots for a conference sweep.  It is the first time since 1968 that three teams from the same conference have garnered the top three spots in the event.  Michigan finished tied for seventh and Minnesota placed 10th to round out the top 10. 

Individually, the Big Ten took home seven of 10  national crowns.  2008 national champions include Indiana's Angel Escobedo (125 lbs.), Iowa's Brent Metcalf (149 lbs.) and Mark Perry (165 lbs.), Ohio State's J Jaggers (141 lbs.) and Mike Pucillo (184 lbs.), Northwestern's Dustin Fox (285 lbs.) and Penn State's Phil Davis (197 lbs.).  Along with these seven, Illinois' Mike Poeta, Iowa's Joey Slaton, Michigan's Steve Luke and Eric Tannenbaum, Minnesota's Jayson Ness, Ohio State's J.D. Bergman and Penn State's Bubba Jenkins all placed second in their respective weight classes.  With that, the Big Ten had at least one representative in the finals of each weight class totaling 14 finalists.

Of the 72 Big Ten competitors in the Championships, 32 earned All-America honors, accounting for 44 percent of Big Ten participants and totaling one more than a year ago.