Troy Sunderland, Tom Ryan, Tom Brands and J Robinson met the media today to preview this weekend's Big Ten Championship at Williams Arena.

Minnesota Head Coach Jay Robinson

Opening Statement
“We’ve had a pretty up and down year, considering we came in as the defending national champions and most of our team is back. We’ve had a lot adversity to say the least. This will be the first time our team has been on the mat together this entire season, whether it’s a dual meet or a tournament so we feel good about that. We’re excited to be competing and excited that it’s here. The tournament only comes here once every eleven years and it’s exciting to be here. It’s exciting to give our guys a chance to wrestle in front of their home crowd. With six seniors on the team, you couldn’t ask for a better place to be.”

On being inconsistent this season
“It’s been a frustrating year. You hear coaches talk about injuries but I’ve never had a year like this. If someone at the beginning of the year would have bet me that we would lose seven dual meets, I would have bet everything they own that I had on it that it would be impossible. But one guy would get hurt, then another guy would get hurt. As a result of that, some of our dual meets were lost because they came down to one match without our senior in the lineup. It’s interesting to watch the speculation of what’s going on and actually knowing what’s going on. There’s nothing we could do. We did some training a couple weeks ago just to do something different and the guys responded to it pretty well. Here we are and we’re excited about being here.”

On Jayson Ness’ consistency
“I think that’s a constant, having Ness there but I think it’s gone the opposite way in that guys have been inconsistent. You have one guy that’s up but two or three guys that are out. Then you have guys filling in for them. Mostly it has been a roller coaster for our guys to always try to get up and try to do more. I think it’s a good deal going into the tournament and knowing the other ten guys are there. They know going in what’s expected of them. Obviously Jayson will help them with his attitude and the way he gets things going. If you look at those first five or six weight classes, they’re pretty tough. If we pick up wins there, it will be a big deal.”

Penn State Head Coach Troy Sunderland

Opening statement
“We’re 14-5, we finished our dual season ranked sixth in the country. We’re led by our senior, three time All-American Phil Davis who is ranked number three in the country. Also, Dan Vallimont is 24-1 and ranked number two in the country. We have a couple young guys at 141, Garrett Scott who is a true freshman. We’re anxious to see him compete in his first Big Ten tournament. Another exciting wrestler for us is Bubba Jenkins, who is also ranked highly in the country.”

On being ranked number one early but picking up some losses
“We started out on a high, but we were up and down throughout. We had a big win against Oklahoma State early in the year. Heading into the National Duals we were ranked number one in the country. But with how the dual matchups go, it can be misleading on how you matchup with different teams. I think we saw that a lot with a lkot of the number one teams losing this year. We kind of went through a little bit of a lull, losing to Nebraska and then Ohio State and on the road to Iowa. Since then, we’ve continued to hang in there and battle through sickness and injuries. I think the team’s done a great job of hanging in there and we’re beginning to peak.”

On depth at 149
“I think any of those guys can jump out there and surprise some people. Even our experience with Metcalf (Iowa) early in the dual meet season showed that. Jenkins had him on his back, and it was back and forth. You can say the same about Lang from Northwestern. It could have beena different outcome in both of those matches if someone’s shoulder was down for just another second. It’s exciting for the fans and I’m anxious to see that weight class compete this week.”

Ohio State Head Coach Tom Ryan

Opening Statement
“I think our team showed resilience this year. Four returning All-Americans on the team and a bunch of good freshman have led us to a 19-4 record this year. I’m very proud of the way the team has competed throughout the year.”

On difference in this year’s team from last season’s
“I think we’re more solid. I think last year at the tournament we didn’t have the four returning All Americans. I think the leadership they have provided is priceless. We also managed to sign a top recruiting class in the country and that’s helping us this year. Nobody in the Big Ten wants to have to start a bunch of freshmen. When you do and you have the freshmen we do then you’re in a good situation.”

Iowa Head Coach Tom Brands

Opening Statement
“Our guys love to compete and are ready. When those guys are ready, good things happen. We’re certainly looking forward to good things happening and if we can go out and do what we’ve been doing this year, we’re in good hands.”

On Metcalf’s impact at 149
“He’s a great leader. His standards are high in not only how he competes, which are evident by his results. But it’s also his approach to the sport as a lifestyle in the training room and all facets of the sports. He’s disciplined all the way around and it’s rubbed off on a lot of our guys and made the entire team better because of it.”

On coming in with and inexperienced team
“You don’t do anything different by my way of thinking. They’ve been in big matches their entire lives, they’ve been winning championships their entire lives. The group that you’re talking about has three different four-time state champions and there are other national and state champions in there. They’ve been getting ready for the biggest event of their life their entire career.

On how Charlie Falck can match up with Minnesota’s Jayson Ness
“I know that we can take him down now in college, There were four matches until now and we’ve taken him down in that fourth match. I don’t believe we had a takedown in any of the previous three and that’s huge. We have to eliminate wrestling anywhere where we can get in trouble. If we’re on top and controlling and throw a leg in, you just don’t throw a leg in. You don’t go there ever. Never on Ness. Some guys you can do that sometimes but not on Ness. You’ve got to wrestle very tough. You have to wrestle very solid and wrestle where you’re controlling everything. We feel pretty good about that if that happens.”