#11 Roughnecks Complete Day 1 of National Championship
The University of Findlay wrestling team, ranked 11th in the nation, completed the first day of the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship on Friday, March 9 in Pueblo, Colo. The Roughnecks finished the first day of competition in seventh place with a total of 30 points as three grapplers advanced to the semifinals of their respective weight classes.
Junior Mason True, who is ranked fifth in the nation, advanced to the semifinals of the 165-pound weight class by going 2-0 on Friday. He won 8-4 over Adams State's Justin Samora in the first round and then took a 7-3 decision over seventh-ranked Blake Sorensen of Upper Iowa in the second round to reach the round of four.
True will face Mary's Taylor Nagel tomorrow for the right to compete for a national championship.
Senior Michael Lybarger, the second-ranked wrestler in the 174-pound weight class and a defending national champion, went 2-0 to advance to the semifinals. He came away with a 9-0 win over sixth-ranked Wade Gobin of Upper Iowa in the first round and then won 5-2 against Nebraska-Kearney's Mark Fiala to reach the second round.
Lybarger will face Wisconsin-Parkside's Luke Rynish, the top-ranked wrestler in the bracket, tomorrow as he looks to reach the finals of the tournament.
Sophomore Adam Walters, the seventh-ranked grappler in the 184-pound weight class, claimed a 6-3 win over Kutztown's Giovanni Ortiz and then defeated second-ranked Matt Gille of Wisconsin-Parkside by a score of 3-1 to reach the semifinals.
Walters will now prepare to face sixth-ranked Tanner Keck of Central Oklahoma tomorrow for a trip to the finals.
Sophomore Ben Sergent, the fifth-ranked wrestler in the 125-pound weight class is still alive in the consolation bracket after going 2-1 on the first day of competition. He will face Ouachita Baptist's Garrett Evans, who is ranked sixth, tomorrow as he looks to battle for All-American status.
Senior Jeremy Espinoza and junior Andrew Tumlin also competed for the Roughnecks at the event as Espinoza went 0-2 and Tumlin finished 1-2.