165 pounds

This is the one weight class that Minnesota does not have a top wrestler in.

The Golden Gophers platooned Nate Baker and John Hardy for much of the season, but due to injuries to Hardy, Baker will compete at Big Tens.

The clear-cut favorite in this weight, is Illinois' No. 2 Matt Lackey (30-1). He has dominated the Big Ten this year, going undefeated in the conference.

Ohio State's John Clark will be back at full strength after suffering from illness, and should be contender. The Nittany Lions will counter with Doc Vecchio, who just a week ago fell to Clark in a close match, 6-5.

174 pounds

Michigan and Minnesota have the top two in this weight class. Michigan has the top wrestler in the land in No. 1 Otto Olsen. He has posted a record of 32-0 and is the defending Big Ten Champion. Minnesota's No. 8 Jacob Volkmann has won 23 while dropping six. Volkmann lost a 3-2 decision in the semifinals last year to Olsen.

"He's (Olsen) one that others can score on like Todd (Brennan) did," Penn State coach Troy Sunderland said. "However, he is relentless, he just wants it more than others do."

Iowa's No. 7 Tyler Nixt, Michigan State's No. 10 Rashaad Evans and No. 9 Purdue's Ryan Lange all have the opportunity to capture the Big Ten title.

Todd Brennan will represent the Lions.

184 pounds

The much-anticipated return of Mark Becks, will occur at Big Tens. He has returned and he has seen his first live wrestling action this week.

"Becks continues to be little rusty, and is stilling working on his condition," Sunderland said. "We'll wait until after his first couple of matches and see where he is at that point."

The top seed will mostly likely be Viktor Sveda, the last person who Becks wrestled. The Wolverines' No. 1 Andy Hrovat could possibly garner the top spot as well. He has compiled a mark of 32-3.

Sunderland said, if he was any other coach in the Big Ten, he wouldn't want to draw Becks in the first or second round.

197 pounds

The Golden Gophers' Owen Elzen, who wrestled to All-American status last year with a torn ACL, is the favorite at 197 pounds. The Buckeyes' Nick Preston knocked off Elzen this past weekend, 6-4. Ohio State coach Russ Hellickson realizes that he has a very good chance to win the Big Ten title. The third top wrestler in this weight class is Michigan's Kyle Smith, who has posted a 25-9 record.

The Lions are still unsure who will compete at a 197 pounds. Pete Mielnik will represent Penn State as long as he is healthy enough to wrestle. The coaching staff will make the decision on Monday.

Heavyweight

Five of the top six wrestlers in the country hail from the Big Ten conference. No. 1 Steve Mocco, has lost only one match this year his freshman campaign. Mocco is has gone undefeated through the Big Ten, including a pair of sudden victories against Ohio State's Tommy Rowlands.

"Mocco's has to be the favorite," Hellickson said.

"I never like to tell anyone to not go hard in the first couple periods but I might tell Tommy that, and wait to go all out until the coin flip."

Illinois' defending national champion John Lockhart cannot be counted out. The Lions' Pat Cummins has battled the top heavyweights all year just coming up a little short in many of the bouts, as he has given up a late takedown at the end of the period or near the edge of the mat, Sunderland said.