#WrestleNYC: Two 2016 All-Americans Continue into the Semifinals
3/18/2016 3:20:00 PM | Wrestling
NEW YORK, N.Y. - For the second straight year, the NC State wrestling team has advanced a pair of wrestlers into the semifinals at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Junior Pete Renda (184 pounds) and two-time defending national champion Nick Gwiazdowski (285) have already clinched All-American status, and will be looking for a spot into the finals later tonight. Session 4 will take place tongiht starting at 8 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3.
The Pack also has two wrestlers one win away from All-American honors in the wrestleback. Sophomore Kevin Jack (141) and redshirt senior Tommy Gantt (157) both won a pair of bouts today, and with a win later tonight, will also earn All-American honors.
NC State already has two All-Americans for the second straight year, and a chance to have four overall. The school record for All-Americans in one season is four in 1993. After Session 3, NC State sat in seventh place with 32.5 points. The Pack is also looking for its best-ever finish at the NCAA Championships - also in 1993, a seventh place showing.
SESSION 3 RESULTS - CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
184: #13 Pete Renda dec. #5 Zach Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) - 4-3
285: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski major dec. #8 Max Wessell (Lehigh) - 9-1
Renda was the first Wolfpack wrestler to advance to the NCAA semifinals, as he defeated #5 Zach Zavatsky of Virginia Tech 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Renda struck first with a takedown in the first, but got hit for a pair of stall calls, and held a 2-1 lead with 2:08 of ride time after the first period. In the second, Zavatsky got a reversal to start, and Renda's escape evened it 3-3 going into the third. Renda started down, and his escape was the match winner for the 4-3 final. Renda avenged two losses to Zavatsky this season. Â
Renda earns All-American honors for the first time in three trips to the NCAA Championships. He was also the first ACC wrestler to clinch All-American honors in this year's tournament.
Gwiazdowski was the second from NC State to earn All-American honors in the morning session, as he claimed a 9-1 won over #8 Max Wessel of Lehigh. Picking up his 87th straight win, Gwiazdowski scored a pair of first period takedowns and a reversal in the second to go up 6-1. Looking for bonus points, he got another takedown in the third and riding time got the final score to 9-1.
Gwiazdowski is now a four-time All-American - the last three at NC State. Gwiazdowski becomes only the fourth wrestler in NC State history to win All-American honors three times. In his three wins in this year's NCAAs, he has three bonus point wins and has outscored his opponents 40-5, only giving up points for escapes.
WRESTLEBACKS - FIRST ROUND
125: #13 Tim Lambert (Nebraska) dec. Sean Fausz - 7-2
133: Jamal Morris dec. #14 Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) - 10-8 (SV-1)
141: #3 Kevin Jack major dec. Jamel Hudson (Hofstra) - 11-2
157: #2 Tommy Gantt major dec. Chris Castillo (Boise State) - 14-2
165: #11 John Michael Staudenmayer (UNC) dec. #5 Max Rohskopf - 6-1
197: Sam Wheeler (Colorado State) dec. #12 Michael Boykin - 6-4
WRESTLEBACKS - SECOND ROUND
133: #11 Dom Forys (Pittsburgh) fall Jamal Morris - 5:38
141: #3 Kevin Jack dec. #11 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) - 3-1
157: #2 Tommy Gantt dec. #10 John Boyle (American) - 3-2
Jamal Morris won his first bout of the day in the wrestlebacks, scoring a 10-8 OT win over #14 Alexander of Maryland. A high scoring match, Morris held an 8-7 lead going into the third. Alexander rode Morris the entire third period and scored the ride time point to send it into OT tied 8-8. Morris went in on an early shot in extra time, and was award the winning takedown 27 seconds into extra time.
Morris later fell in his second bout of the morning session, and was eliminated by #11 Dom Forys of Pittsburgh by pin at 5:38.
Kevin Jack earned an 11-2 major decision over Jamel Hudson of Hofstra in his first bout. Jack scored three takedowns in the first two periods, and closed with another takedown in the third and the ride time point gave him the major decision.
Jack then picked up a second win of the day, and will wrestle for his second straight All-American season tonight. Jack defeated #11 Thorn of Minnesota 3-1 to advance. After a scoreless first, both wrestlers earned an escape to tie it 1-1 entering the third. Jack scored the winning takedown with 40 seconds left, and rode Thorn out to win.
Tommy Gantt made in back-to-back bonus point wins for the Pack in the first round of wrestlebacks, as he defeated Chris Castillo of Boise State 14-2. After a pair of takedowns, Gantt turned Castillo and got a four-point near fall in the second period. A two-point near fall in the third, along with ride time point, gave Gantt the major decision.
Gantt also secured a second win in the early session, and will be looking for his first All-American season tonight. Gantt defeated #10 Boyle of American, 3-2, to advance. After a scoreless first, both wrestlers traded escapes. Gantt scored the lone takedown of the bout with one minute left, and held on for the 3-2 win.
Sean Fausz (125) was eliminated after a 7-2 defeat to #13 Tim Lambert of Nebraska. Max Rohskopf (165) also picked up his second loss of the tournament, 6-1 to #11 John Michael Staudenmayer of North Carolina. Michael Boykin (197) then lost in the first round of wrestle backs today, 6-4 to Sam Wheeler of Colorado State.
The Pack also has two wrestlers one win away from All-American honors in the wrestleback. Sophomore Kevin Jack (141) and redshirt senior Tommy Gantt (157) both won a pair of bouts today, and with a win later tonight, will also earn All-American honors.
NC State already has two All-Americans for the second straight year, and a chance to have four overall. The school record for All-Americans in one season is four in 1993. After Session 3, NC State sat in seventh place with 32.5 points. The Pack is also looking for its best-ever finish at the NCAA Championships - also in 1993, a seventh place showing.
SESSION 3 RESULTS - CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
184: #13 Pete Renda dec. #5 Zach Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) - 4-3
285: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski major dec. #8 Max Wessell (Lehigh) - 9-1
Renda was the first Wolfpack wrestler to advance to the NCAA semifinals, as he defeated #5 Zach Zavatsky of Virginia Tech 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Renda struck first with a takedown in the first, but got hit for a pair of stall calls, and held a 2-1 lead with 2:08 of ride time after the first period. In the second, Zavatsky got a reversal to start, and Renda's escape evened it 3-3 going into the third. Renda started down, and his escape was the match winner for the 4-3 final. Renda avenged two losses to Zavatsky this season. Â
Renda earns All-American honors for the first time in three trips to the NCAA Championships. He was also the first ACC wrestler to clinch All-American honors in this year's tournament.
Gwiazdowski was the second from NC State to earn All-American honors in the morning session, as he claimed a 9-1 won over #8 Max Wessel of Lehigh. Picking up his 87th straight win, Gwiazdowski scored a pair of first period takedowns and a reversal in the second to go up 6-1. Looking for bonus points, he got another takedown in the third and riding time got the final score to 9-1.
Gwiazdowski is now a four-time All-American - the last three at NC State. Gwiazdowski becomes only the fourth wrestler in NC State history to win All-American honors three times. In his three wins in this year's NCAAs, he has three bonus point wins and has outscored his opponents 40-5, only giving up points for escapes.
WRESTLEBACKS - FIRST ROUND
125: #13 Tim Lambert (Nebraska) dec. Sean Fausz - 7-2
133: Jamal Morris dec. #14 Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) - 10-8 (SV-1)
141: #3 Kevin Jack major dec. Jamel Hudson (Hofstra) - 11-2
157: #2 Tommy Gantt major dec. Chris Castillo (Boise State) - 14-2
165: #11 John Michael Staudenmayer (UNC) dec. #5 Max Rohskopf - 6-1
197: Sam Wheeler (Colorado State) dec. #12 Michael Boykin - 6-4
WRESTLEBACKS - SECOND ROUND
133: #11 Dom Forys (Pittsburgh) fall Jamal Morris - 5:38
141: #3 Kevin Jack dec. #11 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) - 3-1
157: #2 Tommy Gantt dec. #10 John Boyle (American) - 3-2
Jamal Morris won his first bout of the day in the wrestlebacks, scoring a 10-8 OT win over #14 Alexander of Maryland. A high scoring match, Morris held an 8-7 lead going into the third. Alexander rode Morris the entire third period and scored the ride time point to send it into OT tied 8-8. Morris went in on an early shot in extra time, and was award the winning takedown 27 seconds into extra time.
Morris later fell in his second bout of the morning session, and was eliminated by #11 Dom Forys of Pittsburgh by pin at 5:38.
Kevin Jack earned an 11-2 major decision over Jamel Hudson of Hofstra in his first bout. Jack scored three takedowns in the first two periods, and closed with another takedown in the third and the ride time point gave him the major decision.
Jack then picked up a second win of the day, and will wrestle for his second straight All-American season tonight. Jack defeated #11 Thorn of Minnesota 3-1 to advance. After a scoreless first, both wrestlers earned an escape to tie it 1-1 entering the third. Jack scored the winning takedown with 40 seconds left, and rode Thorn out to win.
Tommy Gantt made in back-to-back bonus point wins for the Pack in the first round of wrestlebacks, as he defeated Chris Castillo of Boise State 14-2. After a pair of takedowns, Gantt turned Castillo and got a four-point near fall in the second period. A two-point near fall in the third, along with ride time point, gave Gantt the major decision.
Gantt also secured a second win in the early session, and will be looking for his first All-American season tonight. Gantt defeated #10 Boyle of American, 3-2, to advance. After a scoreless first, both wrestlers traded escapes. Gantt scored the lone takedown of the bout with one minute left, and held on for the 3-2 win.
Sean Fausz (125) was eliminated after a 7-2 defeat to #13 Tim Lambert of Nebraska. Max Rohskopf (165) also picked up his second loss of the tournament, 6-1 to #11 John Michael Staudenmayer of North Carolina. Michael Boykin (197) then lost in the first round of wrestle backs today, 6-4 to Sam Wheeler of Colorado State.
4-TIME ALL-AMERICAN with a 9-1 major in the quarterfinals for Nick Gwiazdowski! #PackMentality! pic.twitter.com/ADzZAW2CGo
— NC State Wrestling (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2016
184: In to the SEMIFINALS and All-American honors with 4-3 win, @Peteza_Renda at 184 pounds! #PackMentality pic.twitter.com/yTVGCQLxTm
— NC State Wrestling (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2016
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