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Marion Military Institute Wrestling Team 2007-2008

HAZEWINKEL BROTHERS LEAD MMI WRESTLING PROGRAM IN NCWA

After building a nationally ranked wrestling program at Pensacola Christian College, two-Time Olympic Wrestlers Jim and David Hazewinkel will head up the MMI Wrestling Program.  Their record of 11 winning seasons, 5 conference titles, 6 national championships, 9 individual NCWA National Champions, and an impressive 45 NCWA All-Americans will certainly boost the MMI program to the next level.

 _______

Some of JIM HAZEWINKEL accomplishments include:

Some of DAVE HAZEWINKEL accomplishments include:

• Member of 1968 and 1972 U.S. Olympic Teams
• Member of 4 U.S. World Teams: 1967,69,70,71
• Member of 6 Consecutive World and Olympic Teams
• Won Bronze Medal in 1969
• Won Silver Medal in 1970
• First American to win a Silver Medal in Greco Roman World Wrestling
• First American to win 2 World Medals in Greco Roman Wrestling
• First American to win 2 Consecutive World Medals in Greco Roman Wrestling
• First American to ever place higher than a Russian in G.R. World Wrestling - 1970
• 8-time Sr. National Champion - Greco Roman
• 2-time Sr. National Champion - Sombo
• 8-time Masters National Champion - Freestyle, Greco, and Sombo
• Voted "Outstanding Wrestler" in the Nation - 1971 National Tournament 
• All Army and Inter-Service Wrestling Champion
• Asst. Coach at USMA
• High School State Champion - 1962
• Carried Olympic Torch in 1996 - Atlanta Olympics
• Inducted into NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame - 1977
• Inducted into St. Cloud State University Athletic Hall of Fame - 1984
• Inducted into Minnesota State Wrestling Hall of Fame - 1997
• Inducted into St. Cloud State University "Wrestling Team" Hall of Fame - 2004
• Inducted into NCWA National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Founders Club) - 2007
• Dave and his brother Jim are the First Brothers and the First Twin Brothers to be on a Greco Roman World Wrestling Team at the same time
• Dave and his brother Jim are the First Brothers and the First Twin Brothers to be on a Greco Roman Olympic Wrestling Team at the same time
• Dave and his brother Jim hold the Longest Streak Record for Brothers, and for Twin Brothers for being on 6 Consecutive World and Olympic Teams at the same time in Greco Roman Wrestling from 1967 to 1972
• Dave and his brother Jim are the First Brothers and the First Twin Brothers to be voted Outstanding Wrestlers in a National Tournament at the same time in Greco Roman Wrestling - 1971

(L to R: Coach Jim Hazewinkel, NCWA Director Jim Guinta, 2-time NCWA National Champion Cee-Jay Hamilton, NCWA All-American (7th Place) Derrick Lucas, NCWA All-American and National Runner-Up Ben Canning, Coach Dave Hazewinkel)

MMI WRESTLERS EARN TOP AWARDS AT NCWA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

MARION (3/17) - The Marion Military Institute wrestling team returned from the NCWA National Tournament this past weekend with extra hardware for the trophy cases.  The tigers finished in 5th place (out of 75 schools) for the second year in a row after qualifying a school record thirteen (13) wrestlers.  The highlight for Marion was sophomore Cee-Jay Hamilton in the 125-lb weight class, going for his second National Championship in two years. The final match saw Hamilton, 34-1 on the year, facing Isaac Wall, a junior from Newman University.  Wall with a 27-3 record, finished 3rd in the 133 lb weight class at the 2007 NCWA National Tournament.   The match was close throughout with Cee-Jay earning the first points of the match and taking a 3-2 lead into the second round.  The score remained 3-2 until a violation was called on Hamilton, giving Wall a point and evening the score 3-3.  A technical violation was called on Wall early in the final round and with an escape late in the final period, Cee-Jay Hamilton was able to hold on to the 5-3 victory and claim his second national championship. Hamilton was named to the NCWA All-American team.

Ben Canning, MMI freshman wrestler from Williamsburg, Virginia, advanced to the finals after defeating Joey Heersche from Kansas State University in the 133-lb weight class.  Canning, with a 31-3 record, faced Aaron Kalil (17-4), a freshman from the United States Naval Academy Prep School for the right to be called NCWA National Champion.  After the first round, Canning and Kalil were tied at 0-0.  Kalil was able to collect the first points of the match and take the 3-0 lead into the third and final round.  The final score of 4-0 gave the Naval Academy freshman the championship and Canning taking the NCWA National Runner-Up position.  Canning was named to the NCWA All-American team.

Derrick Lucas, MMI freshman wrestler from Wetumpka, AL, finished 7th in the 157-lb weight class after defeating Steven Feeley from the University of Georgia.  Lucas was named to the NCWA All-American team.

Other MMI wrestlers that qualified for the NCWA National Tournament: Robert Andrews (Stark, FL), Derrick Miller (Silver Springs, MD), Kyler Kirkwood (Arab, AL), Tyler Barberi (Gaithersburg, MD), Reco Simmons (Bradenton, FL), Shane Raymond (Deland, FL), Ian Wrenn (Truckee, CA), Miguel Garcia (Las Vegas, NV), Jacob Pomeroy (Tallahassee, FL), and Michael Lampkin (Chesterfield, MI).

MMI WRESTLERS TAKE 2^ND AT SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

Marion’s Wrestlers Easily Defeat Darton and Auburn

Marion (2/18) – In their last regular season match, the MMI wrestling team earned two wins against Auburn University and Darton College, both by shutout. In the first match of the day Darton defeated Auburn 39-21. The tigers of MMI faced Darton in the second match and sought revenge against the Cavaliers after losing a close battle with them earlier in the year. Marion seemed to dominate each match and walked away with the lopsided 56-0 win. Cee-Jay Hamilton (125 lb) started the match out with an impressive 11-1 victory and set the stage for what was to come. Earning pins for Marion were Jude Hubbard (133 lb), Derrick Miller (174 lb), and Kyler Kirkwood (184 lb). The closest match of the day was in the 149 lb weight class where MMI’s Michael Lampkin scored late in regulation to tie Darton’s Terry Wilson. Lampkin was able to score quickly in the overtime period and secure the 7-5 victory. Also recording wins for MMI were Ben Canning at 141 lbs (16-0), Derrick Lucas at 157 lbs (11-4), and Ian Wrenn at 165 lbs. (18-6). Jacob Pomeroy, Jay Brenowitz, and Shane Raymond all earned victories from forfeit.

The third and final match pitted Marion against in-state rival Auburn University. The aggressiveness of MMI continued as they defeated the tigers from Auburn 66-0. Auburn lost by forfeit in the 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, and 197 pound weight classes. Derrick Miller and Kyler Kirkwood recorded their second pins of the day while Jay Brenowitz and Shane Raymond followed suit and pinned their opponents.  Even in an exhibition match Marion dominated as Jacob Pomeroy defeated Greg Gilliard from Auburn 19-10.

Marion’s next competition will be at the Southeastern Conference Tournament held at Darton College in Albany, Georgia March 1^st. This event serves as the qualifier for the NCWA National Tournament.

 WRESTLERS COMPETE AT CUMBERLAND TOURNAMENT

MARION (1/23) - Marion's wrestlers travelled to Lebanon, Tennessee last weekend to compete in the Phoenix Open at Cumberland University.  Fresh off their 3rd place finish at the National Duals, the tigers continued toward their goal of competing for a national championship.  Two champions were crowned: Cee-Jay Hamilton in the 125 lb weight class and Derrick Miller in the 174 lb weight class.  Quintilus Snow placed second in the 184 lb weight class while Ben Canning (141 lb weight class) and Ian Wrenn (165 lb weight class) each took 3rd place.  Kyler Kirkwood (174 lb weight class) and Shane Raymond (285 lb weight class) finished fourth for MMI.  Theteam travels to St. Louis, MO for the Meramec Duals this weekend in a tough junior college tournament.

 MMI WRESTLERS TAKE 3^rd AT NATIONAL DUALS

Marion, AL (1/15) -The Marion Military Institute wrestling team traveled to the University of Northern Iowa for the NWCA/Cliff Kleen National Duals Tournament this past weekend for the first time in school history.  With over 80 schools in attendance, brackets were set up for all categories represented: NCAAI, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA, and NCWA (MMI competes in the NCWA).  The first round of the tournament saw the #4 ranked tigers against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  The tigers easily advanced to the second round after a lop-sided 51-9 victory.  The second round wasn’t as easy as Marion faced the #1 ranked Grand Valley State University from Michigan.  With only two individual wrestlers earning victories the tigers fell 42-10 sending them into the consolation bracket against the University of Central Florida.  UCF lost their second round match with Newman University 22-17. 

The match between Marion and UCF saw a see-saw battle throughout with the tigers trailing early.  MMI trailed UCF 13 to 9 before Derrick Miller (174 WT CLASS) won his match in overtime.  The tigers proceeded to lose the next weight class. Tyler Barberi (197 WT CLASS) defeated Danny Fernandez, a wrestler he lost to first semester.   Marion still trailed before Jay Brenowitz (235 WT CLASS) came through and won his match by the score of 18 to 17.  The final match of the meet, the heavyweight class, was going to determine which team took third and which finished in fourth place.  MMI’s Shane Raymond was familiar with his opponent, Jesse Pinson, who defeated him first semester.  Halfway through the match with Raymond behind in points, he gets behind Pinson and does a side roll, lands on top and pins his opponent.  That win, with 4:39 on the clock secured 3^rd place for MMI and a 24-17 victory.

Marion will travel to Lebanon, TN next to compete in the Cumberland University tournament.

 MARION'S CEE-JAY HAMILTON #2 IN NCWA RANKINGS

MARION (12/11) -- Marion's Cee-Jay Hamilton currently holds the #2 spot of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association's (NCWA) latest poll.  Hamilton, a native of Roebuck, SC, was the 2006-2007 NCWA National Champion in the 125 lb. weight class.  Freshman Benjamin Canning (133lb. weight class) from Yorktown, Virginia and returning NCWA All-American Jay Brenowitz (235 lb. weight class) from Marietta, Georgia are also ranked in the NCWA Top 100 poll going into the Christmas break.

“We think we have the right chemistry and talent this year to make another run at the national championship.  With Cee-Jay Hamilton and two wrestlers who earned All-American honors back from last year's team to lead the new freshman, Marion should be able to better last year's mark.”  Those words were spoken earlier this year by Jim Hazewinkle, one of MMI's wrestling coaches regarding the upcoming 2007-2008 season.  Coach Jim and his brother Dave may be right on the mark this year about their chances to improve on last year's 5^th place finish at the NCWA National Tournament. 

This year's team includes a total of thirty-two wrestlers which include twelve returning wrestlers and twenty incoming freshman.  Top freshmen include Ben Canning (Maryland State Champion) and Alabama State Champions Adam Beavers (Oak Grove, AL), Ben Jones (Oak Grove, AL), and Chase Bryan (Ashville, AL).  Other newcomers who should make a significant contribution to this year's team are: Dante Graham (Florida HS State Runner-up), Terry Long (HS State Runner-up from Bessemer, AL), Derrick Lucas (Alabama HS State Runner-up), and Mark Massay (Virginia HS State Runner-up).