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Boilermakers Made Big Strides in 2012-13 Here's a quick look at some of the accomplishments for the Boilermaker wrestling team in 201213: • Team compiled 17-6 overall record, 5-3 in Big Ten dual meets. It was the Boilermakers' first winning record in conference competition since 1998. It was the highest-season dual meet victory total under Coach Scott Hinkel. • The Boilermakers closed the regular season with four dual meet victories in a row, including a win over Indiana. • Purdue finished 31st overall in NCAAs with 11 points and ninth in the Big Ten. • Senior Ivan Lopouchanski's finished seventh-place overall at 149 pounds, Purdue's first All-American since 2010 and the school's 49th overall. He also had the team's high total for wins with 32 and finished third in the conference meet. • Brandon Nelson (141), Tommy Churchard (157), Chad Welch (174) and Braden Atwood (197) all qualified for nationals. to beat every single guy I go up against. My goals haven't changed." Hinkel echoed those sentiments about what Atwood could achieve in his third year of competition. "He can beat anyone," Hinkel said. "He's done it in his time here — he's beaten some of the best wrestlers in the country. This season, his weight class has really opened up; it's wide open. "He'll have to take things one match at a time, but he's been to the national tournament. The next step is being an All-American, but there's no reason he can't go ahead and win the whole thing. The sky is the limit for Braden." But even as expectations ride high for Atwood's individual prospects this season, he will be called upon to play a big role for this year's team. Atwood will be a veteran presence on a team chock-full of underclassman. Purdue's roster includes 20 freshmen and sophomores, plenty of whom will look to Atwood's experience as a leader. "He's someone we are going to rely upon for leadership," Hinkel said. "Our guys look up to him. That's a 116 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 Ivan Lopouchanski became Purdue's first All-American since 2010, finishing seventh at the NCAAs at 149. Purdue real important thing for us, to have guys who do most of the things we are looking for. We want to instill a level of toughness in our program, and Braden is a real catalyst for that." It's a role that Atwood embraces as one of Purdue's captains this season. "It's a lot of responsibility," Atwood said. "But I've always been someone who likes to lead. It's an individual-based team and seeing me have success puts a drive into other guys on the team." As the season quickly approaches, Atwood and his teammates will once again prepare to compete in arguably the nation's top wrestling conference in the Big Ten. The strength of the league is one of the reasons Atwood chose Purdue in the first place. "I love it, competing in the Big Ten," Atwood said. "Every time you step up to the line, you have to make it count. These are some of the best wrestlers in the country and upsets happen all the time. "Every match is an opportunity to make something great happen." j f