Maughan Announces Addition of Four

GREELEY, Colo. - University of Northern Colorado head wrestling coach Jack Maughan announced the addition of four wrestlers to his team for the 2009-10 season. The Bears add Dan Frank, Patrick Gomez Jr, Mike Morgan and Mike Smith.

"We always look locally first when recruiting," said Maughan. "Roosevelt (Frank) and Northridge (Gomez) are excellent programs and we matched our needs with their weight classes."

Daniel Mathew Frank, 5-6, 145 lbs, Johnstown, Colo. (Roosevelt HS)
Frank is a four-time regional champion and a four-time all-conference selection from Roosevelt High School. He won back-to-back state titles in 2007 and 2008 and was the state runner-up in 2009... As a senior he was named the Northern Conference Athlete of the Year... Posted a career record of 138-23 on one of the premier programs in the state... Led the team in pins with 21 as a junior and 20 as a senior... The team finished as state runner-up in his freshman, sophomore and senior seasons and won the title in his junior campaign.

"We are pleased that Dan will be joining the program," said Maughan. "He comes to us from one of the top programs in the state and has had excellent coaching to prepare him for Division I wrestling.  He is a tenacious wrestler that will fit well with the style of wrestling we teach."

Patrick Christopher Gomez Jr., 5-11, 160 lbs, Greeley, Colo. (Northridge HS)
Gomez lettered all four years in both wrestling and body-building for the Grizzlies... He was an all-conference and all-state selection as well as a four-time state qualifier... He won the state title as a senior after finishing as the runner-up in his sophomore and junior seasons... Posted a record of 45-0 in his final campaign, helping lead Northridge to a third-place finish... They were also runner-up in his sophomore year and state champions in his junior season. He joins his teammate Justin Gonzalez, whom the Bears signed in the early signing period.

"Patrick is someone we have been watching since he was in youth metro league wrestling," stated Maughan. "He is extremely physical and will compete in the upper weights for a starting spot right away."

Michael John Morgan, 6-1, 170 lbs, Lakewood, Colo. (attended D'Evelyn HS, wrestled at Lakewood HS)
Morgan earned four letters in wrestling at Lakewood High School and three in soccer at D'Evelyn High School... As a senior in wrestling he was both an all-conference and all-state selection after winning the 5A state title at 171 pounds... In his final year he posted a 36-2 record... As a junior he finished second at 160 pounds and finished sixth in 2006-07 at 140 pounds... His father John Morgan finished seventh in the 1988 Olympics in Greco Roman wrestling and was a college roommate of Maughan's at North Dakota State... In soccer was also an all-conference and second-team all-state pick.

"Mike is a bit of a sleeper of a prospect," Maughan said. "But we know his work ethic and dedication will be perfect for our program.  We feel he has a great future and will be more successful in college than he was in high school."

Michael James Smith, 5-10, 187 lbs, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Pagosa Springs HS)
Smith is a preferred walk-on for the Bears who earned four letters in wrestling, four in football and three in track & field for the Pirates... He won the state 3A title in his senior year after finishing as the runner-up as a junior... He earned all-state honors in both football and wrestling and helped lead Pagosa Springs to the state wrestling title in 2009.

The quartet join Sam Bauer, Gonzales, Hugh Hardman and Colten Husky who signed with the Bears during the early signing period in November.