Spangler dealing with concussion

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Iowa State Coach Kevin Jackson was expecting top-seeded 174-pounder Chris Spangler to be in the finals of the Ken Kraft Midlands Wrestling Championships on Friday at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena. The red-shirt freshman injury defaulted during overtime in a quarterfinal match with UW-Parkside's Luke Rynish.

Spangler was tested for concussion symptoms afterward and defaulted out of the tournament. Jackson said he suffered it in his second match of the tournament and then was choked out in the quarterfinal when it was determined he could not continue.

“He didn't tell us and tried to shake it off,” Jackson said. “You can tell he wasn't himself.”

Spangler will not travel with the team to its Jan. 3 dual at Arizona State. He will be evaluated after it. Spangler suffered a concussion here last year, wrestling Nebraska NCAA champ Jordan Burroughs.

“It's a concern,” said Jackson, who said Spangler's history may lead to extra precautions like a special head gear. “We will follow the medical procedures we have had for him.”

Midlands field

The two-day Ken Kraft Midlands Wrestling Championships at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena is one of the biggest grinds in the regular season. This year, the tournament consisted of 349 wrestlers, including 20 former All-Americans and 40 wrestlers currently ranked nationally in the top-eight of their weight classes.

The tournament also has 10 of the top 25 NCAA Division I teams.