Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9 Minnesota will host the Big Ten Conference Wrestling Tournament.

We had an opportunity to take A Moment With The Coach looking forward to the Big Ten Championships in Minnesota.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: You finished the season with three big dual meet wins. How do you feel about your team going into the Big Ten Championships?

Coach Davis: As a coaching staff we feel the guys have had good training since the Northwestern dual on Feb 22nd. We’ve been watching a lot of film with the athletes and we feel they are prepared.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: When you say prepared, how do you prepare your team or individuals for the Big Ten Tourney?

Coach Davis: First of all it’s not just me preparing individuals. The entire staff is involved. We sit down as a staff and discuss each workout and the things we need to do to get each individual and the team ready for upcoming competitions. Some of the things we have worked on are situations the athletes will be in. For example, we worked on finishes on the edge of the mat, having guys do takedowns to a turn or right into their ride, beating their opponent off the whistle on top and bottom – these are all areas that you need to be successful at in order to get all ten guys through to NCAA’s.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: You talked about getting all ten guys through to the NCAA’s. If you go by the seeds, it looks like you would qualify 6 out of 10. How do you think you faired in the seeding?

Coach Davis: Well, I think some of the seeds will change when we do the final seedings at the coaches meeting on Friday. Overall, I feel our guys are where they deserve to be, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that is where they will finish in Big Tens. For example, if I was another coach in the Big Ten I wouldn’t want to draw Brandvold or Donar in the first round! These guys didn’t have the best Big Ten dual meet season, but I tell you what – they are wrestling great now. And this is the time of year that you want to be at your best.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: So what do you think about Massey getting a #3 seed after beating the #1 guy in the country at the dual meet vs. Northwestern?

Coach Davis: I think Kyle Massey knows how good he is and how well he has been wrestling. I am sure Kyle will use this as a motivating factor.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: And Tanelli’s seed?

Coach Davis: Zach knew right away after the Minnesota match who he would have in the opening round. I think he has been wrestling well ever since he got back from Oklahoma in January. He is doing all the little things right – little things like weight control, being more precise in his drilling, and getting into positions where he gives himself the best chance to score. When he does that, he’s hard to beat.

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: What does the coaching staff do this time of year to de-stress?

Coach Davis: I can’t speak for the other coaches, but personally I tend to drink an awful lot of Dew!

Wisconsin Wrestling Online: OK Coach – last question. Do you feel as a team you can win the Big Ten Championship?

Coach Davis: Our goal is to get all ten guys through to the NCAA tournament.. If we do that, everything else will take care of itself.

A Moment With Coach Davis!

UW Badgers