Document text
Whitehead leaves Southern Oregon By Rich Rosenthal For The Tidings One of Southern Oregon University's greatest heavyweights has decided to spend his senior season as a collegiate wrestler competing for the University of Missouri-Columbia. Mike Whitehead heads to the NCAA Div. I Tiger program next month after compiling a 58-12 record and posting back-to-back third-place finishes at the NAIA Championships. "I had a great time here (at SOU), and it was a really tough decision," Whitehead said. "I'm not looking forward to leaving, but I am looking forward to being part of a up-and-coming Division I program." The Central Point native and former Crater High state champion, who attended North Idaho Junior College as a freshman, won all 15 of his 285-pound dual-meet career starts as a Raider, defeated three nationally ranked Div. I foes last season and spent the entire 2002-03 campaign ranked No. 1 in the NAIA before suffering one of only five season setbacks in the national tournament semifinals. "Except for winning a national title, Mike has accomplished nearly everything possible to accomplish at the NAIA level," Raider head coach Mike Ritchey said. "I can't blame him for the decision, and we wish him the best of luck. He knows the door is always open here if he changes his mind." Whitehead said Missouri, which placed 16th at the 2003 NCAA meet, returns ranked competitors in nine of 10 weight classes, and he is hoping to fill a Tiger void at 285. Whitehead went 26-5 as a junior and ended the season two pins away from equaling the school's career pin record (24). LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -