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Dec. 3, 2000

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

The University of Wyoming wrestling team placed 17th at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this past weekend in State Line, Nev. The Cowboys were led by placewinners Brad Steele and Steven Schenk.

Steele, a sophomore from St. James, Minn., finished fourth in the heavyweight class. After losing his second match, Steele bounced back to win seven matches in a row before losing in the third-place match. In that third-place match Steele fell to Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State 7-2. In his eight victories over the weekend, Steele had three pins.

Schenk placed fifth in the 174 pound weight class going 5-2. In the fifth-place match Schenk defeated Eric Hall of Virginia 6-4. Hall came into the tournament seeded second while Schenk was seeded tenth. Schenk, a senior from Anderson, Calif., won two matches in the championship bracket before losing and then went 3-1 in the consolation bracket.

Craig Rumsey wrestled well for the Pokes in the 197 pound weight class with a record of 3-2. Rumsey won three matches in the championship bracket before he was eliminated. In the championship quarterfinals Rumsey fell to Brad Vering of Nebraska 16-6. Vering is ranked number one in the country at 197 pounds and went on the win the Vegas Invite title. Rumsey, who placed eighth at the 1999 Las Vegas Invitational, finished one match short of placing for the second year in a row.

Mark Hamrick (149) and Kevin Kessner (184) both went 2-2 at the tournament. Hamrick lost his first match but rebounded by defeating wrestlers from Oregon and Portland State. Hamrick was then eliminated by Gabe Webster of Cornell 6-1. Kessner pinned D.C. Hazen of Central Washington at 1:44 in his first match and then took on Rob Rohn of Lehigh, who was seeded second. Rohn defeated Kessner by fall at 4:05. Kessner then went 1-1 in the consolation bracket.

With 44.5 team points, the Cowboys finished just one-half point behind West Virginia. Illinois won the tournament with 156 points. Illinois was followed by Nebraska, Lehigh, Arizona State and Oregon State.

Complete Wyoming individual results:
  John Faczak  (125)   0-2
  Kelly McConville  (133)  0-2
  Paul Turco  (141)   0-2
  Mark Hamrick  (149)   2-2
  Levi Prevost  (157)   0-2
  Justin Christenson  (165)  1-2
  Steven Schenk  (174)   5-2  5th
  Kevin Kessner  (184)   2-2
  Craig Rumsey  (197)   3-2
  Brad Steele  (HWT)   8-2  4th

The Cowboys will return to action on Dec. 9 when they host the Boise State Broncos at 2:00 p.m. in the MultiPurpose Gymnasium in Laramie. Boise State was ranked tenth in the country in the latest polls.