Burak and Cruz ranked in preseason poll
GREELEY – With wrestling practices officially beginning on Tuesday, the Northern Colorado Bears have a lot to look forward to for 2011-12 and a pair of grapplers are ranked in the preseason poll according to wrestlingreport.com.
Senior NCAA participant Casey Cruz is ranked No. 19 at 141 pounds after going 1-2 at the NCAA Championship at 133 pounds a year ago. He ended the 2010-11 season with a 24-12 overall record, including a stretch of 14-2 at the end of the regular season with both losses coming at the hands of top-15 ranked wrestlers.
Senior transfer Gabe Burak is ranked 18th in the preseason poll at 165 pounds. Burak transferred from Penn after advancing to the round of 12 at the NCAA Championships in 2010-11 and earning honorable mention All-Ivy League honors with a record of 23-8. He transferred to the Bears to work on his master’s degree and had 79 career wins with the Quakers.
Cruz, Burak and the Bears open their season Nov. 12 at the Michigan State Open. The first chance to see the wrestlers at home will be at the annual Old Chicago Open on Nov. 19. Season tickets are available online or by calling 970.351.4849.
