At the Hokie Open Sunday, eight of the 10 wrestlers representing Duke captured winning records, while freshman Conner Hartmann and senior Diego Bencomo finished first and second in the 197- and 184-pound weight classes, respectively. This Sunday at the Michigan State Open, the Blue Devils hope to build on their opening-weekend success and win matches against top-flight competition.
“The Hokie Open was our coming out party,” Hartmann said. “It was great to show everyone what we could do.”
Head coach Glen Lanham saw the first tournament of the year as preparation for the tough competition at the Michigan State Open.
“The Hokie was a warmup,” he said. “There were some good guys at the Hokie. We’ve been trying to get our guys used to the pace of the Michigan State Open by simulating it in practice and putting more coaches out there wrestling guys so they get a different look and tougher look.”
This “tougher look” will be necessary at a tournament known for the caliber of its participants.
“We have a large field and a lot of great teams—some of the best teams in the country,” Michigan State head coach Tom Minkel said.
Lanham, who has taken a goal-oriented approach to Duke’s early-season tournaments, set three primary goals for the Blue Devils entering the Hokie Open: getting off on their offensive firsts, riding time and competing their hardest in every match. He added a fourth goal for the tournament—scoring on the top position as opposed to solely getting riding time.
“We want to improve at these tournaments,” he said. “We’ve got our goals going into them. We want to make sure that our guys go out there against tough competition and use their offense.”
Improvement results from the valuable experience that competing against talented wrestlers affords individual athletes, said Central Michigan senior Ben Bennett, the fifth three-time All-American in Division I history. He added that preseason tournaments help wrestlers keep their weight under control right from the get-go. Competing in the 184-pound division, Bennett will potentially face Bencomo in this weekend’s action.
Although preseason tournaments have no bearing on a team’s record, they can have implications for individual wrestlers. Signature wins against ranked wrestlers can yield results as significant as postseason berths.
“[These tournaments] give individuals opportunities to earn quality wins that could set them up for a wild card or a qualifying spot in the NCAA tournament,” Central Michigan head coach Tom Borrelli said.
Under their new head coach, the Blue Devils have been practicing twice a day to reach peak condition and perfect their technique. Duke hopes that its increased commitment to improving as a team will bear fruit this weekend.
“I know the new coach personally,” Borrelli said. “I recruited him when he was in college. He brings a freshness and a new attitude to Duke’s program.”
Minkel, who enters his 21st season as Michigan State’s head coach, believes that the Blue Devils’ dedication to changing the image of their program has garnered national attention.
“Everybody in college wrestling knows that Duke is on the right path and that it really made a commitment to being a better program,” he said. “The fact that they’re looking to up their level of competition says a lot about where the program is headed, so we’re very excited to have them here.”
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