Ivy title on Wrestling's radar screen

Keep on keeping on. Given its success so far this season Penn's eighth ranked wrestling team sees no reason to change anything when it heads to New England to take on Harvard and Brown. "We just need to keep going one match at a a time and continue to dominate," Penn senior co-captain Yoshi Nakamura said. "We don't feel any pressure at all." The Quakers (5-4, 2-0 Ivy League) can clinch at least a share of their seventh consecutive Ivy League title by sweeping the weekend matches over their conference rivals. However, the Quakers with what could be their most talented squad ever, assuredly have higher goals than just winning a share of the Ivy League as they did a year ago. "We know what we're capable of doing. We feel no pressure for the Ivy League title," Penn senior co-captain Rick Springman said. "It's one of the smaller things we're looking to accomplish on our schedule." Harvard (3-4) would appear to be the better of the two competitors, as the Crimson are one of the teams Penn shared its league title with and captured the EIWA title a year ago. This season Harvard presents another formidable test to the Quakers. Though the Crimson have not beaten a ranked team all season - including losses toNo. 5 Oklahoma and No. 7 Oklahoma State - Harvard has also not dropped a meet outside of the top-25. While Penn and Harvard have only one top-25 opponent in common - the Quakers lost to then-No. 2 Cowboys on Jan. 20 - the Red and Blue have nonetheless thrived against the nation's top programs. Penn has posted two top 25 wins this season, knocking off both Michigan State and Fresno State. "We've wrestled a really tough schedule[including facing the top two teams in the country three times]," Nakamura said. "They have some big guns, and they can pin some people. That's their technique. But we should dominate." With the Quakers confident heading into the Harvard meet, it looks as if Penn has the advantage in nearly every head-to-head matchup. The Crimson are only favored in one bout in the match - No. 8 Jesse Jansen's matchup with Penn's No. 10 Joe Henson at 149 pounds. Last year, the Quakers dealt Harvard its only Ivy League loss by a 25-11. The last time the Crimson defeated the Red and Bluewas 1990. "We're definitely gunning for Harvard," Nakamura said. "We want to show everyone that we're number one [in the Ivy Leagues]." Following their Friday night match with Harvard, the Quakers travel to Providence, R.I. to face Brown (9-4). The Bears finished last season,1-4, in the Ivies, including a 47-3 pounding at the Palestra. "They're a little better this time," Nakamura said. "They had some rough times last year, and they're showing some more life this season. But I don't expect them to give us too much of a challenge." This weekend's meets also hold personal significance for Springman who looks to join the century club with his 100th career victory at Penn. He would join an elite group including Olympic gold-medalist Brandon Slay and Nakamura. "He's a friend of mine, and it means a lot that we could do this in the same year," Nakamura said. "We've earned a lot of respect, and its a great landmark. We're both going down in history, and there's no doubt that he's going to do it." Springman, however, was not aware of the milestone he was about to reach. "I didn't realize it until you just mentioned it," Springman said. "I guess it doesn't mean that much."

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