2009 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament

March 16, 2004
Bald Eagle Wrestling Trio To Challenge at NCAA Championships

NCAA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
Oklahoma State claimed the 2003 team trophy with 143 points, followed by runner-up University of Minnesota. The Cowboys are currently ranked first in the nation by InterMat with Nebraska and Iowa State right on their heels. With the top teams all trading wins and losses during the dual meet season, the early predictions on the team race also have to include teams such as Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma, Lehigh and Penn State.

BALD EAGLES AT 2003 NCAA TOURNAMENT
Lock Haven had four wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships last season, with Mike Maney earning his second-straight All-America title by placing eighth at 141 pounds. Senior Justin Owens wrestled in the 133-pound bracket, winning his pigtail bout but dropping his next two matches. Jason Gilligan, then a junior, made his second appearance, going 0-2 in nationals action. Finally, freshman Morgan Horner closed out his season just one win away from All-America honors after going 2-2 on the mat. As a team, the Bald Eagles placed 35th overall with 10.50 points.

Mike Maney 149 lbs.	Charlie Brenneman 157 lbs.	Jason Gilligan 165 lbs.

**InterMat rankings.

GOING FOR NUMBER THREE: Standout senior Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) will look to add a third piece of All-America hardware to his collection in his fourth trip to the national tournament. One of just nine wrestlers in Lock Haven history to have earned two or more top-eight finishes at nationals, Maney will be competing to join the elite group of five Bald Eagles who earned All-America honors at least three times. 
         This is the Haven senior’s first venture at 149 pounds, collecting All-America honors at 141 pounds the past two seasons. With a current ledger of 32-6, Maney has earned the 12th seed and will face Central Michigan’s Adam Cunningham in the opening round. Cunningham, a freshman, won the MAC title and is currently 19-9 on the season. Should Maney win that match, he could potentially match up against either a familiar Mike Torriero of West Virginia or Trent Paulson, the fifth seed, of Iowa State.

NCAA TOURNAMENT NEWCOMER BRENNEMAN: The Haven’s wins leader with a season ledger of 32-9 along with a team high of eight major decisions, senior Charlie Brenneman’s (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) break-out season has one more chapter to fill. Making his first trip to the NCAA championships, the 157 pounder won his spot on the national bracket by way of a wild card after placing fifth overall at the EWL Championships just over a week ago. Brenneman will face Iowa State’s Travis Paulson in the first round. Paulson, a freshman, is seeded 10th and enters the tournament with a 20-6 overall record. The Cyclone wrestler earned a wild card ticket to nationals after placing fourth at the Big 12 championships.

SENIOR GILLIGAN MAKES RETURN TO NATIONAL TOURNEY: It is the third trip to the NCAA meet for senior 165-pounder Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville). Gilligan was fourth at the 2004 EWL championships, picking up a wild card bid into nationals. The Bald Eagle owns an 18-12 ledger on the season, and along with Maney, shares the team lead with seven wins by fall. He will be in search of his first win in the NCAA tournament after going 0-2 in both previous appearances. Gilligan’s first round opponent will be Iowa State’s Nick Passolano. A junior, Passolano placed third at the Big 12 championships and enters the tournament seeded eighth with a 21-4 overall ledger.
 

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