Pitt
NCAA Championships
Pitt's Nauman Guaranteed All-America Status
3/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 19, 2010
PITTSBURGH - Pitt sophomore Tyler Nauman won three straight matches, including a win over the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship, as he has now been guaranteed All-America status heading into the final day of competition in Omaha, Neb.
Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) entered the championship as the No. 10 seed in his second tournament appearance. His two wins in day one, set him up against No. 2 seeded Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State. Nauman took the 5-3 decision, advancing him to the semifinals.
Nauman met up with No. 6 seed Montell Marion of Iowa in the semis, and fell in a hard-fought match, 7-6. He will meet up with either Zach Bailey of Oklahoma or third-seeded Michael Thom of Minnesota in the wrestlebacks.
Also competing Friday for the Panthers were Anthony Zanetta at 125, Eric Albright at 149, Zac Thomusseit at 184, Matt Wilps at 197 and Ryan Tomei at heavyweight. After a strong two days of action, the five were eliminated from the tournament.
Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) fell into the consolation rounds after Friday night's loss. Zanetta, who gained national respect for his outstanding wrestling during the week, battled against No. 9 Jarrod Patterson of Oklahoma, but fell 5-2.
At 149, Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) saw his collegiate career come to a close Friday night. Albright defeated Trenton Washington of Northern Iowa, 11-1, in the morning session, but fell 6-1 to fourth-seeded Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin in the second session of the day.
Thomusseit (St. Parris, Pa./St. Parris Graham) had an impressive 4-0 win over No. 12 seed David Craig of Lehigh in the morning session, but fell by a 5-3 decision to Josh Ithnen of Nebraska to conclude his stellar sophomore season.
Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) also picked up another win on the day with a 5-4 decision over Matt Casperson of Boise State. In the evening session, Wilps fell 3-2 to No. 9 seed Chad Beatty of Iowa.
Heavyweight Ryan Tomei entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, but fell to the consolation rounds in the opening day of action. Tomei's breakout season was cut short by an 8-3 loss to Cameron Wade of Penn State.
Nauman will continue his All-America performance Saturday morning with the final session taking place Saturday night.
