Jones Travels to Midlands

Lincoln-Husker wrestler Vince Jones has been invited to compete in the 45th annual Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30 at NorthwesternUniversity. Jones, a junior from Sicklerville, N.J., will compete in the 184-pound division.

 

The tournament is a national invitational/open event for college teams, clubs and individuals. The event annually draws more than 350 of the country’s top wrestlers. Sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 29, with the third session at noon on Dec. 30 and the finals at 7 p.m. The Big Ten Network will air the semifinals on tape delay at 6 p.m. and will provide live coverage of the finals, starting at 7 p.m.

 

Jones, a returning national qualifier for the Huskers, made his debut this season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Jones recorded three straight pins, his fastest in 29 seconds, to kick off the season. He is currently 6-4 on the year, including 1-1 in duals. His lone dual lose of the year came to second-ranked Roger Kish of Minnesota, 6-2.

 

This will be a special year for the Midlands. In anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the tournament will honor all Midland competitors who have represented their countries in past Olympic Games. Those Olympians in attendance will be honored prior to the final session.

 

Several former Husker greats will be honored, including Rulon Gardner, Brad Vering, Jim Scherr and Bill Scherr.