University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Three Wrestlers Still Alive For All-America Honors
3/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Three Wrestlers Still Alive For All-America Honors
3/18/2005
ST. LOUIS - The NCAA Wrestling Championships field is down to 160 competitors, half of which will walk away with All-America honors. The top eight in each of 10 weight classes earn the right to be called All-Americans and three Panthers are still alive for that prestigious honor.
Sophomore Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg), who upset the No. 4 seed to get to the quarterfinals at 133 pounds, was defeated 7-3 by fifth-seed Tom Clum of Wisconsin on Friday morning, dropping Headlee into the consolation bracket. Headlee (19-9) will face the winner of the elimination bout between The Citadel's Ryan McClester and UC-Davis' Derek Moore on Friday evening and the winner will be among the top eight in the weight class.
At 141 pounds, junior Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) started his road through the consolation brackets as the No. 8 seed with an 8-7 decision over Maryland's Charlie Pinto. Tarquinio (26-7) will now move on to face Ryan Lang of Northwestern in the fourth round of consolations. Should Tarquinio win, he would face No. 7 seed Daniel Frishkorn of Oklahoma State for All-America status.
The final Panther still in contention is junior Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) at 165 pounds. Nestor was able to advance in the consolation bracket with a medical forfeit victory over Oregon's Joey Bracamonte and will now face Nick Baima of Northern Iowa on Friday evening. A win over Baima would pit Nestor (23-11) against fifth-seed Tyron Woodley of Missouri with All-America honors on the line.
Sophomore Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College Area) was the third Panther eliminated from the NCAA Championships on Friday with a 12-3 major decision loss to Brandon Becker of Indiana to finish his season with a 30-12 mark.
