Pitt’s Cole Matthews Earns NCAA All-America Status
3/18/2022 11:00:00 PM | Wrestling
DETROIT—The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team surged on Friday afternoon at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, winning seven of eight bouts in Session III at Little Caesars Arena.
Pitt's success was highlighted by Cole Matthews advancing to the semifinals at 141 pounds and clinching his first All-America honor in the process by upsetting No. 3 seed Sebastian Rivera of Rutgers by 7-5 decision in an entertaining quarterfinal match. Matthews became Pitt's 83rd All-American in program history and the seventh under head coach Keith Gavin.
Unfortunately, Matthews fell to North Carolina's Kizhan Clarke in his semifinal bout by 3-2 decision after riding time tiebreaker was applied in overtime.
Pitt also had three wrestlers – Micky Phillippi at 133 pounds, Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds and Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 pounds – go on excellent runs through their consolation brackets before ultimately coming up one match short of All-America status by dropping contests in the Round of 12.
Elijah Cleary was also eliminated on Friday but finished his collegiate career by winning one match in his first appearance at the national tournament.
Matthews will wrestle for placement points tomorrow in Detroit. He is set to face Grant Willits of Oregon State in a consolation semifinal at 141 pounds.
Pitt finished the second day of nationals in 23rd place as a team with 19.5 points.
Here are Pitt's full results from the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Caesars Arena:
Micky Phillippi, No. 12 Seed, 133 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 21 Codi Russell (Appalachian State), 4-0
No. 5 Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt), 5-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Joe Olivieri (Rutgers), 4-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 30 Richie Koehler (Rider), 9-8
No. 10 Chris Cannon (Northwestern) pins No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt), 2:21
Cole Matthews, No. 6 Seed, 141 Pounds, All-American, Record: 3-1
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 27 Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin), 12-8
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 11 Matt Kazimir (Columbia), 3-2 TB1
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 3 Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers), 7-5
No. 15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina) dec. No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 3-2 TB1
Elijah Cleary, No. 20 Seed, 157 Pounds, Record: 1-2
No. 13 Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) dec. No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 6-5
No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt) dec. No. 29 Michael Petite (Buffalo), 3-2
No. 14 Jake Keating (Virginia) dec. No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 3-2
Jake Wentzel, No. 10 Seed, 165 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) pins No. 23 Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven), 2:56
No. 7 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) dec. No. 10 Jake Wenzel (Pitt), 7-1
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. No. 25 Brian Cassella (Binghamton), 2-0
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 18 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State), 13-2
No. 4 Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) maj. dec. No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt), 8-0
Gregg Harvey, No. 28 Seed, 184 Pounds, Record: 0-2
No. 5 Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) dec. No. 28 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 1-0
No. 12 Britt Wilson (Northern Illinois) maj. dec. No. 28 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 17-3
Nino Bonaccorsi, No. 5 Seed, 197 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 28 Andrew Davison (Northwestern), 9-0
No. 21 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt), 6-4 SV
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Owen Pentz (North Dakota State), 3-2
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Patrick Brucki (Michigan), 3-1
No. 7 Rocky Elam (Missouri) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt), 6-1
The 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships conclude on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena. The placement matches for All-Americans will be held at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. Finals will air on ESPN at 7 p.m.
Follow @Pitt_WRES on social media for updates and coverage from Detroit.
#pinzburgh | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Pitt's success was highlighted by Cole Matthews advancing to the semifinals at 141 pounds and clinching his first All-America honor in the process by upsetting No. 3 seed Sebastian Rivera of Rutgers by 7-5 decision in an entertaining quarterfinal match. Matthews became Pitt's 83rd All-American in program history and the seventh under head coach Keith Gavin.
Unfortunately, Matthews fell to North Carolina's Kizhan Clarke in his semifinal bout by 3-2 decision after riding time tiebreaker was applied in overtime.
Pitt also had three wrestlers – Micky Phillippi at 133 pounds, Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds and Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 pounds – go on excellent runs through their consolation brackets before ultimately coming up one match short of All-America status by dropping contests in the Round of 12.
Elijah Cleary was also eliminated on Friday but finished his collegiate career by winning one match in his first appearance at the national tournament.
Matthews will wrestle for placement points tomorrow in Detroit. He is set to face Grant Willits of Oregon State in a consolation semifinal at 141 pounds.
Pitt finished the second day of nationals in 23rd place as a team with 19.5 points.
Here are Pitt's full results from the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Caesars Arena:
Micky Phillippi, No. 12 Seed, 133 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 21 Codi Russell (Appalachian State), 4-0
No. 5 Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt), 5-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Joe Olivieri (Rutgers), 4-2
No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 30 Richie Koehler (Rider), 9-8
No. 10 Chris Cannon (Northwestern) pins No. 12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt), 2:21
Cole Matthews, No. 6 Seed, 141 Pounds, All-American, Record: 3-1
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 27 Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin), 12-8
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 11 Matt Kazimir (Columbia), 3-2 TB1
No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 3 Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers), 7-5
No. 15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina) dec. No. 6 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 3-2 TB1
Elijah Cleary, No. 20 Seed, 157 Pounds, Record: 1-2
No. 13 Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) dec. No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 6-5
No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt) dec. No. 29 Michael Petite (Buffalo), 3-2
No. 14 Jake Keating (Virginia) dec. No. 20 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 3-2
Jake Wentzel, No. 10 Seed, 165 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) pins No. 23 Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven), 2:56
No. 7 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) dec. No. 10 Jake Wenzel (Pitt), 7-1
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. No. 25 Brian Cassella (Binghamton), 2-0
No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 18 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State), 13-2
No. 4 Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) maj. dec. No. 10 Jake Wentzel (Pitt), 8-0
Gregg Harvey, No. 28 Seed, 184 Pounds, Record: 0-2
No. 5 Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) dec. No. 28 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 1-0
No. 12 Britt Wilson (Northern Illinois) maj. dec. No. 28 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 17-3
Nino Bonaccorsi, No. 5 Seed, 197 Pounds, Record: 3-2
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 28 Andrew Davison (Northwestern), 9-0
No. 21 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt), 6-4 SV
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Owen Pentz (North Dakota State), 3-2
No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Patrick Brucki (Michigan), 3-1
No. 7 Rocky Elam (Missouri) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt), 6-1
The 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships conclude on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena. The placement matches for All-Americans will be held at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. Finals will air on ESPN at 7 p.m.
Follow @Pitt_WRES on social media for updates and coverage from Detroit.
#pinzburgh | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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