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March 18, 2002 |
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(Lock
Haven, Pa.) - The Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania wrestling team travels to the Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y., for the 2002 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships lasting from March 21-23. Lock Haven finished the regular season with a 17-4 dual meet mark and finished third at the Eastern Wrestling League tournament. The Bald Eagles are ranked 13th in the latest NWCA Top-25 poll and are unranked for the first time this year in the InterMat rankings. Seven Bald Eagle grapplers will make the trip to Albany for the national tournament after earning automatic or wild card bids for their performance at the EWL tournament. 2002 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Returning champion the University of Minnesota remains one of the favorites in this year’s team race, earning top ratings in the latest NWCA and InterMat polls entering into championship weekend. Other contenders include the University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma, Iowa State University, the University of Pennsylvania, University of Missouri, and West Virginia University. Individually, there will be 330 competitors in action. Four national champions from the 2001 tournament return in Stephen Abas of Fresno State at 125 pounds, Josh Koscheck of Edinboro at 174 pounds, Cael Sanderson of Iowa State at 197 pounds (3x champion at 184), and John Lockhart of Illinois at heavyweight. A grand total of 42 of the 2001 season’s All-Americans also return to dual for the individual and team crowns. LHU in 2001 NCAA Tournament: The Bald Eagles capped off a record breaking season with a 21st-place finish at the 2001 NCAA Division I National Championship. A fifth-place team finish in the 1996-97 season was the highest finish any Lock Haven team has garnered. Lock Haven had seven wrestlers advance to the national championships highlighted by the performance of All-American JaMarr Billman, who finished fifth at 149 pounds. It was Lock Haven’s first All-America certificate since the 1997 season, when a school-record five wrestlers earned the coveted honor. Other wrestlers making the trip last season included Mike Maney (141 lbs.) and Trap McCormack (125 lbs.), both going 2-2, Scott Bair (133 lbs.) who went 1-2, and Jason GIlligan (157 lbs.), Josh Millard (184 lbs.) and Avery Zerkle (197 lbs.) who all went 0-2 in what was each wrestler’s first trip to the NCAA tournament.
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NCAA DIVISION I Thursday, March 21 |
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125: TRAP McCORMACK LHU senior Trap McCormack (Loganton/Bald Eagle Nittany) makes his fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament after finishing second at the EWL Championship (injury default). The senior Bald Eagle is focused on making the most of his final trip, having to wrestle with a knee brace after suffering tears to his ACL and MCL in the final EWL tourney bout. McCormack is currently 24-4 overall and is ranked 17th in the nation in the latest InterMat poll. The field at 125 pounds contains three All-Americans, including two-time national champion Stephen Abas of Fresno State. McCormack’s First Round Opponent: #5 Ben Vombaur (Boise State) 133: CHRIS SPEALLER Chris Spealler (Paoli/Great Valley) earned his first trip to the NCAA tourney after finishing fifth in the EWL championship and receiving a wild card berth into national competition. A relentless worker, Spealler has battled through a mid-season ankle injury to finish 15-8 overall. This year’s 133 pound weight class contains three returning All-Americans. Spealler’s First Round Opponent: Jason Harless (Oregon) 141: MIKE MANEY Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) was one win away from All-America honors last season, going 2-2 in nationals action. Following a somewhat disappointing fifth-place finish in th e EWL tournament, Maney is 23-6 on the season and carries a national ranking of 14th. Six of last year’s top-eight finishers return to the mats at 141 pounds. Maney’s First Round Opponent: Brad Byers (North Carolina) 149: JaMARR BILLMAN Third-seeded Bald Eagle JaMarr Billman (Easton/Easton Area) became a two-time EWL champion by breezing through the competition last weekend, scoring a fall and a technicall fall before securing the first-place finish after a medical forfeit in the championship round. For the season, Billman is 32-2 and is ranked third in the nation. Last season, he went 5-2 at the national tournament, finishing fifth for his second All-America medal after defeating Jared Lawrence of Minnesota, 7-4, in the final round. This year Billman earned a third-seed for the national tournament, and joins a group of five returning All-Americans in the weight class. Billman’s First Round Opponent: Jason Mercado (Brown) 174: ED PAWLAK Another of LHU’s new faces in the national tournament is 174-pounder Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern). Pawlak earned one of LHU’s four automatic bids after finishing third at the EWL championship with a 2-2 rideout victory over Cleveland State’s Gerald Harris. The Bald Eagle sophomore enters national competition with a 13-14 overall mark. Three of 2001’s All-Americans at 174 pounds return to competition this weekend. Pawlak’s First Round Opponent: #10 Ty Wilcox (Oklahoma State) 184: JOSH MILLARD Josh Millard (Mill Hall/Bald Eagle Area) returns for his second go at All-America honors, having made his first-ever trip last season. A third-place finish at the EWL tournament secured his spot on the 184-pound bracket at nationals. The senior Bald Eagle boasts his best season wins-performance, carrying a 21-6 overall ledger, and is ranked 18th in the latest national poll. The 184-pound bracket contains five returning All-Americans while 2001 national champion Cael Sanderson has moved up one weight class and is currently the number one seed at 197 pounds. Millard’s First Round Opponent: #9 Pat Popolizio (Oklahoma State) 197: AVERY ZERKLE Avery Zerkle (Urbana, Ohio/Graham) will represent the Bald Eagles at 197 pounds after finishing fifth at EWLs and earning a wild card bid to nationals. This is Zerkle’s second trip to the NCAA championships after earning his first trip last season. The LHU senior is currently 15-9 overall. Three All-Americans return to action at 197 pounds, including last year’s 184-pound champion Cael Sanderson of Iowa State. Zerkle’s First Round Opponent: Pigtail Match vs. Jason Gore (N.C. State) / A win in the pigtail match would pit Zerkle against Chris Jones of Drexel in the first round. |
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