They're just going to have to do it the hard way.
After the first day of wrestling at the NCAA wrestling championships at Iowa City, Iowa yesterday, all six of the Penn State wrestling team's qualified wrestlers were eliminated from championship competition. They will still have the opportunity to finish as high as third, and All-American status is still possible for each with the top eight being named to that team, but they'll have to go through the wrestle-back consolations.
Three of Penn State's wrestlers survived the first round, two of them faced a No. 2 seed in the second round, and one a No. 4 seed. None of the three could pull out a shocker, and all are awaiting consolation matchups.
Redshirt freshman 125 pounder Josh Moore won his first match 3-2 in double overtime over George Cintron over North Carolina State, but he was defeated easily by No. 2 seed Jody Strittmatter of Iowa. Moore will face Shaun Williams of Oregon in the second round of consolations.
Redshirt sophomore 174 pounder Mark Becks survived into the second round with a 6-5 victory over John Kopinsky of Missouri, but he was pinned by No. 4 seed Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State 1:16 into their match. Becks will matchup against the winner of the match between Rob Anspach of Hofstra and the winner of the match between Greg Parker of Princeton and Steve Strang of Cal-Poly-SLO in the second round of consolations.
Junior heavyweight Bob Jones dominated UNC Greensboro's David Kimble, defeating him 12-4 to advance to the second round, but his quest for a national championship ended at the hands of No. 2 seed Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State in a 7-2 loss. He will wrestle No. 12 seed Ryan Kehler of West Virginia when he begins his wrestle-back.
Redshirt freshman 133 pounder Marat Tomaev lost his first match 17-4 to No. 2 seed Johnny Thompson of Oklahoma State. Sophomore 149 pounder Nate Wachter, the only Penn State qualifier with any experience at nationals, was also mauled by former Nittany Lion Jamarr Billman, now the seventh seeded wrestler at 149 from Lock Haven, 24-9. Redshirt junior 197 pounder Pete Mielnik was defeated as well, losing 9-4 to No. 8 seed Wayman May from Oklahoma.
Tomaev defeated Brandon York of Central Michigan 16-8 in the first consolation round, and will face Shawn Kegal of Buffalo in their second round of consolations. Wachter defeated Tony Overstake of Oregon 9-4 in his first consolation match, and gets Joe Henson of Pennsylvania in the second round.
Mielnik wrestled David Tyner of Chattanooga in his first consolation match late last night.
The third session begins tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. The fourth will be tomorrow night at 6:30. Finals will be at 1:30 Saturday.
