Standing next to one another on the street, 125-pound freshman
Mark Moos and 265-pound sophomore Greg Wagner may look a little
like Laurel and Hardy. But when these two walk into a wrestling
arena, any awkwardness flies out the window.
Moos, ranked No. 4 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News, and
Wagner — who recently defeated national No. 1 heavyweight Pat
Cummins of Penn State — have led the Wolverines (4-1 Big Ten,
14-3 overall) to a hot start in Big Ten dual-meet action.
Moos was recently honored by the National Wrestling Coaches
Association (NWCA) with an invitation to the NWCA Classic last week
at Northern Iowa University. The tournament historically invites
the top two wrestlers in the country from each weight class.
While he came up short against No. 2 Luke Eustice of Iowa in the
meet, Moos stresses that he’s not overwhelmed by his
inexperience at the college level.
“I don’t get caught up in the pressure,” Moos
said. “I just try to wrestle to the best of my ability every
time I’m on the mat. I try not to think about prior matches
and whether I won or lost. I always try to focus on the
present.”
After redshirting last season, Moos’s maturation during
his time at Michigan is the main reason for his brilliant wrestling
thus far.
“I’ve been working out harder than I ever have
before in the mornings with Coach McFarland,” Moos said.
Since I wasn’t competing last year, I guess you could say I
had a bad attitude. But now I have my head on right and I’m
going as hard as I can day in and day out.”
Moos’s superstitions may also have something to do with
his success.
“During tournaments, I always wear the same underwear and
socks,” Moos said. “I also always eat brown sugar Pop
Tarts and drink Arizona Green Tea Iced Tea. That’s what makes
me feel good before I step out on the mat.”
While the pressure on Moos to perform as a freshman is intense,
Greg Wagner is often faced with the prospect of his whole
team’s hopes riding on him. In dual meets, the outcome often
comes down to the final match in the heavyweight division.
“You just have to go out and wrestle your match,”
Wagner said. “I work really hard day-in and day-out to
accomplish what I want to do on the mat and get a win.”
In a recent dual meet against Iowa, Wagner’s victory won
the meet for the Wolverines. Wagner entered the match knowing he
needed a victory for his team to win.
“When I went out there (against Iowa), I wasn’t
scared,” Wagner said. “I was aware that I needed to win
the match so we could win the dual meet. But I never go out on the
mat planning to lose. I plan on winning. I get on the mat and I go
as hard as I can for as long as I can, then I keep
going.”
Moos and Wagner step back on the mat tomorrow when Michigan
travels to Bloomington to take on Indiana in Big Ten dual meet
action.