March 8, 2014
Photo Gallery | VIDEO: Session I Highlights
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will have seven semifinalists in tonight's second session of the 2014 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, including junior Jon Gingrich (Wingate, Pa.), who took down the tournament's top seed at heavyweight. The semifinals take place tonight at the University of Wisconsin's Kohl Center during session two, which begins at 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Central).
Junior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), the No. 1 at 125, got Penn State off to a fast start by pinning Northwestern's Garrison White at the 3:19 mark in his first match, Penn State's first of the tournament. He then posted a strong 12-5 decision over Ohio State's Nick Roberts to move into the semifinals and secure a trip to Oklahoma City for the NCAA Championships.
True freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), the No. 1 seed at 141, made his Big Ten Championship debut with a dominating 8-0 major over Nebraska's Colton McCrystal, including 2:52 in riding time. He then took down 8th-seed Jesse Thielke of Wisconsin 7-2 to move into the semifinals and punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships.
Senior David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), the No. 1 seed at 165, had a first round bye and then hammered eighth seed Austin Wilson of Nebraska, rolling to a 22-4 technical fall at the 7:00 mark. Taylor's win moved him into the semifinals and secured his trip to the NCAA Championships later this month.
Junior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), the No. 2 seed at 174, took on Northwestern's Kevin Bialka in the first round and received an injury default at the 0:02 mark, pushing Brown into the quarterfinals and keeping Bialka alive in consolation action. He then majored Wisconsin's Scott Liegel 12-3 in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals and the NCAA Championships as well.
Senior Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), the No. 1 seed at 184, put up almost six minutes of riding time (5:55 to be exact) in a 9-1 major over Purdue's Tanner Lynde in the opening round. He followed that up with a 4-1 win over Illinois' Nikko Reyes, moving into the semifinals and earning a trip to nationals as well.
Sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 1 seed at 197, received Penn State's third first round bye at 197 and then posted a workmanlike 7-4 win over Wisconsin's Timmy McCall in the quarterfinals. The win moved McIntosh into the semifinals and earned him a trip to his second NCAA Championship.
Junior Jon Gingrich (Wingate, Pa.), the No. 8 seed at 285, wrapped up a perfect first round for Penn State with a 12-3 major over ninth-seed Collin Jensen of Nebraska. Gingrich's major gave Penn seven first round wins, all for bonus points. In the quarters, Gingrich notched the upset of the early session, using a textbook low single early in sudden victory to take out No. 1 Adam Coon of Michigan, 3-1 (sv). The win moved the Lion junior into the semifinals and earned him his first trip to the NCAA Championships.
Red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, dominated Northwestern's Dominick Malone in his Big Ten Championship debut, rolling to a 15-0 technical fall at the 5:47 mark. Gulibon took on second seed and fifth-ranked Tyler Graff of Wisconsin in the quarterfinals and dropped an 8-1 decision. The loss moved him into the consolation bracket.
Senior James English (York, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 149, had a first round bye, one of three for Penn State. In the quarterfinals, he nearly pulled off an early upset, taking No. 2 Nick Dardanes of Minnesota to the wire before dropping a close 3-2 decision. The loss moved him into consolation action.
Junior Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), the No. 5 seed at 157, took out Michigan State's Roger Wildmo to the tune of a 12-3 major decision in his first round match-up, setting up a quarterfinal bout against defending NCAA Champion Derek St. John of Iowa. Alton led into the third before St. John rallied for a hard-fought 4-1 decision, sending Alton into the consolation bracket.
The top three teams are all within ten points after the opening session, with Minnesota (77.0), Penn State (70.0) and Iowa (68.0) in a tight battle for the team crown. The Nittany Lions went 14-3 overall, including a 7-3 mark in the quarterfinals. Penn State's early season bonus point tally stands at 12.0 off a pin, an injury default, two tech falls and five majors. The event continues with the semifinals and consolation action tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Central). Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown/agate of Penn State's tournament to date (rankings listed are Final NCAA Coaches Rankings):
125: #2 Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), Jr. - #1 seed - 25-2 overall
1st Rd: Garrison White, Northwestern, WBF (3:19)
Qtrs: #20 Nick Roberts, Ohio State (8th-seed) W, 12-5 dec.
Semis: #9 Ryan Taylor, Wisconsin (4th-seed) tonight
Junior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), the No. 1 at 125, got Penn State off to a fast start by pinning Northwestern's Garrison White at the 3:19 mark in his first match, Penn State's first of the tournament. He then posted a strong 12-5 decision over Ohio State's Nick Roberts to move into the semifinals and secure a trip to Oklahoma City for the NCAA Championships.
133: #15 Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), Fr. -- #7 seed - 15-12 overall
1st Rd: Dominic Malone, Northwestern (10th-seed) W, 15-0 (TF; 5:47)
Qtrs: #5 Tyler Graff, Wisconsin (2nd-seed) L, 1-8 dec.
Consos: Shawn Nagel, Nebraska tonight
Red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, dominated Northwestern's Dominick Malone in his Big Ten Championship debut, rolling to a 15-0 technical fall at the 5:47 mark. Gulibon took on second seed and fifth-ranked Tyler Graff of Wisconsin in the quarterfinals and dropped an 8-1 decision. The loss moves him into the consolation bracket tonight.
141: #2 Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), Fr. -- #1 seed - 28-0 overall
1st Rd: Colton McCrystal, Nebraska W, 8-0 major dec.
Qtrs: Jesse Thielke (8th-seed), Wisconsin W, 7-2
Semis: #11 Stephen Dutton, Michigan (4th-seed) tonight
True freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), the No. 1 seed at 141, made his Big Ten Championship debut with a dominating 8-0 major over Nebraska's Colton McCrystal, including 2:52 in riding time. He then took on 8th-seed Nick Roberts of Ohio State 7-2 to move into the semifinals and punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships.
149: #26 James English (York, Pa.), Sr. - #7 seed - 8-4 overall
1st Rd: Bye
Qtrs: #2 Nick Dardanes, Minnesota (2nd-seed) L, 2-3 dec.
Consos: Brandon Nelsen, Purdue, tonight
Senior James English (York, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 149, had a first round bye, one of three for Penn State. In the quarterfinals, he nearly pulled off an early upset, taking No. 2 Nick Dardanes of Minnesota to the wire before dropping a close 3-2 decision. The loss moved him into consolation action.
157: #11 Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), Jr. - #5 seed - 17-3 overall
1st Rd: Roger Wildmo, Michigan State (12th-seed) W, 12-3 major dec.
Qtrs: #4 Derek St. John, Iowa (4th-seed) L, 1-4
Consos: Randall Languis, Ohio State, tonight
Junior Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), the No. 5 seed at 157, took out Michigan State's Roger Wildmo to the tune of a 12-3 major decision in his first round match-up, setting up a quarterfinal bout against defending NCAA Champion Derek St. John of Iowa. Alton led into the third before St. John rallied for a hard-fought 4-1 decision, sending Alton into the consolation bracket.
165: #1 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), Sr. - #1 seed - 27-0 overall
1st Rd: Bye
Qtrs: #20 Austin Wilson, Nebraska (8th-seed) W, 22-4 tech fall (TF; 7:00)
Semis: #13 Jackson Morse (5th-seed) tonight
Senior David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), the No. 1 seed at 165, had a first round bye and then hammered eighth seed Austin Wilson of Nebraska, rolling to a 22-4 technical fall at the 7:00 mark. Taylor's win moved him into the semifinals and secured his trip to the NCAA Championships later this month.
174: #5 Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), Jr. - #2 seed - 26-3 overall
1st Rd: Kevin Bialka, Northwestern W, inj. def. (0:02)
Qtrs: Scott Liegel, Wisconsin (7th-seed) W, 12-3 major dec.
Semis: #6 Mike Evans, Iowa (3rd-seed) tonight
Junior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), the No. 2 seed at 174, took on Northwestern's Kevin Bialka in the first round and received an injury default at the 0:02 mark, pushing Brown into the quarterfinals and keeping Bialka alive in consolation action. He then majored Wisconsin's Scott Liegel 12-3 in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals as well as NCAAs.
184: #2 Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), Sr. - #1 seed - 27-1 overall
1st Rd: Tanner Lynde, Purdue W, 9-1 major dec.
Qtrs: Nikko Reyes, Illinois W, 4-1 dec.
Semis: Dom Abounader, Michigan (5th-seed) tonight
Senior Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), the No. 1 seed at 184, put up almost six minutes of riding time (5:55 to be exact) in a 9-1 major over Purdue's Tanner Lynde in the opening round. He followed that up with a 4-1 win over Illinois' Nikko Reyes, moving into the semifinals and earning a trip to nationals as well.
197: #3 Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), So. - #1 seed - 26-2 overall
1st Rd: Bye
Qtrs: Timmy McCall, Wisconsin (8th-seed) W, 7-4
Semis: #13 Nathan Burak, Iowa (5th-seed) tonight
Sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 1 seed at 197, received Penn State's third first round bye at 197 and then posted a workmanlike 7-4 win over Wisconsin's Timmy McCall in the quarterfinals. The win moved McIntosh into the semifinals and earned him a trip to his second NCAA Championship.
285: #14 Jon Gingrich (Wingate, Pa.), Jr. - #8 seed - 22-5 overall
1st Rd: Collin Jensen, Nebraska (9th-seed) W, 12-3 major dec.
Qtrs: #1 Adam Coon, Michigan (1st-seed) W, 3-1 (sv)
Semis: #6 Tony Nelson, Minnesota (5th-seed) tonight
Junior Jon Gingrich (Wingate, Pa.), the No. 8 seed at 285, wrapped up a perfect first round for Penn State with a 12-3 major over ninth-seed Collin Jensen of Nebraska. Gingrich's major gave Penn seven first round wins, all for bonus points. In the quarters, Gingrich notched the upset of the early session, using a textbook low single early in sudden victory to take out No. 1 Adam Coon of Michigan, 3-1 (sv). The win moved the Lion junior into the semifinals and earned him his first trip to the NCAA Championships.