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Monday, July 21, 2008

Michigan Wrestlers net 7th best recruiting class

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/wrestling/article.aspx?id=141478

U-M Incoming Class Nets No. 7 National Ranking

July 18, 2008

MANHEIM, Pa. -- For the second time in as many as years, the University of Michigan wrestling program has landed a top-10 recruiting class, earning the seventh spot among InterMat's NCAA Division I recruiting class rankings, the website announced Thursday (July 17). Head Coach Joe McFarland's six-man incoming class combined for nine state titles, three Senior High School Nationals All-America citations and six Fargo Nationals All-America honors over their high school careers. The Wolverines' previous recruiting class -- the 2007-08 freshman class -- also received a No. 7 ranking from InterMat.

Bolstering the top and bottom weights of the U-M lineup, McFarland rounded out his 2008-09 rookie class with the addition of Ben Apland (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS), Bret Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and Zac Stevens (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS).

Apland posted a perfect 44-0 senior season en route to the 215-pound title at the Illinois state tournament. Claiming a 118-10 career prep record, Apland was a two-time Illinois state placewinner, adding a fourth-place finish during his junior season. He is a two-time Fargo Nationals freestyle All-American and will be competing in the junior division at the 2008 event. Apland is a projected heavyweight for Michigan.

Brother of four-year U-M letterwinner Jeff Marsh (2005-08), Bret captured the Michigan state title at 112 pounds during his junior season and was a three-time state placewinner, claiming second place as a sophomore and fourth as a senior. Boasting a career record of 196-11, he was named the 2007 Ann Arbor News Wrestler of the Year and was a three-time South Eastern Conference, district and regional champion (2006, '07, '08). Marsh will likely wrestle at 125 pounds for Michigan.

A four-time Michigan state placewinner, Stevens wrapped up his high school career with the 125-pound state title, adding to previous second- (2007), third- (2006) and seventh-place (2005) showings. Stevens registered a 189-23 record over his four seasons and battled back from a second-round loss at the 2008 Senior High School Nationals to claim fourth place. He is projected to compete at 125 or 133 pound for U-M.

The trio joins Coby Boyd (West Liberty, Ohio/St. Paris Graham HS), Hunter Collins (Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy HS) and Mark Weber (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS), all of whom signed National Letters of Intent during the early signing period in November.

Boyd, named the 2007 Greater Miami Valley Wrestler of the Year, captured the 145-pound title at the Ohio state championships as a junior and was a four-time placewinner, taking second place as a senior, third as a sophomore and sixth as a freshman. He boasted a 165-18 career record and established St. Paris Graham's career pin record with 118 during his four seasons. In freestyle competition, he captured the 2005 Cadet National title at 58 kg/127.75 pounds. Boyd is projected to compete at 149/157 pounds at Michigan.

Collins capped his high school career by capturing the 2008 California state 171-pound title, pinning his way through the bracket with six falls in just 14:03. He was a four-time California state placewinner, claiming third as a junior (2007), second as a sophomore (2006) and eighth as a freshman (2005). Boasting a 181-16 career prep record, Collins earned runner-up honors at the prestigious 2008 Senior High School Nationals, captured the 2007 NHSCA Junior National title at 171 pounds and twice won the Reno Tournament of Champions. He is a two-time national freestyle All-American, claiming fifth place in the junior division (2007) and second in the Cadet division (2006). Collins will likely wrestle at 184 or 197 pounds for the Wolverines.

Just a week after leading Goodrich High School to its first Michigan state championship, Weber became just the 13th four-time Michigan state champion when he captured the 135-pound crown at the 2008 individual state finals. A 2008 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic selection, Weber completed his high school career with a 224-7 record and claimed second place at the Senior High School Nationals in March. In freestyle competition, he was a 130-pound finalist at the 2007 Junior National Championships and a 105-pound finalist at the 2005 Cadet National Championships. He also placed fourth in the 119-pound division at the 2006 FILA Cadet Nationals. Weber is projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds at Michigan.

InterMat uses four categories to compile its recruiting classes rankings -- rankings score, impact score, percentage of the incoming class nationally ranked and percentage of wrestlers listed in the InterMat Top 200.

For the complete top-30 recruiting class ranking, please visit http://www.intermatwrestle.com/.

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