Saturday, March 22
Oklahoma City, Okla.
11:00 AM
Lehigh University
at
NCAA Championships
Lehigh's three All-Americans finish competition in Oklahoma City
3/22/2014 2:57:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
Brackets and Team Scores (FINAL) | Photo Gallery
OKLAHOMA CITY – A strong NCAA Championship for the Lehigh wrestling team came to an end Saturday as the Mountain Hawks' three All-Americans finished up competition at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Freshman Darian Cruz posted a win to finish seventh at 125 while sophomore Mason Beckman and freshman Mitch Minotti each dropped two touch matches to finish sixth at 133 and 149 respectively.
Â
The Mountain Hawks crowned at least three All-Americans for the third time in four years and finished in 18th place with 29.5 team points. Lehigh wrestlers have now won 139 All-American medals good for eighth among Division I programs.
Â
"I'm really pleased with everything these guys have done," said Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro. "They've always fought hard and they fought hard today. We get two freshmen and a sophomore on the podium and we know they're coming back. These guys want to win championships down the road, so this is an important step."
Â
Cruz produced the only win for Lehigh in five tries to finish his true freshman All-America season in seventh place. He won a 2-1 decision over Earl Hall of Iowa State in the second round of tiebreakers in the seventh place match. Cruz and Hall were knotted at one through regulation and the first sudden victory period. In the first set of tiebreakers both men rode out the other sending the match to a second sudden victory period. After a scoreless second sudden victory period, Cruz escaped in the first half of the second tiebreaker and then rode out Hall to earn the victory. Cruz finishes his freshman season at 28-10 and is Lehigh's first true freshman All-American since 1980.
Â
Beckman ran into the No. 1 seed at 133, Joe Colon of Northern Iowa, in the consolation semifinals and Colon used a first period takedown to win 4-0. In the fifth place match, Beckman faced No. 8 seed David Thorn of Minnesota. Thorn scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and successfully defended Beckman's shots at the outside right leg to win 5-3. Beckman's sophomore season ends at 28-6.
Â
After reaching the semifinals at 149 on Friday, Minotti had to settle for sixth place after two close losses on Saturday. Minotti opened up against ninth-seeded Eric Grajales of Michigan. Grajales scored the opening takedown before Minotti reversed and proceeded to ride Grajales for a minute in a half. After a Grajales escape, Minotti scored a takedown late in the second to lead 4-3 after two. Minotti chose down for the third period but Grajales was able to lock up a cradle and turn Minotti for a three-point near fall while riding out the period and erasing the riding time to win 6-4. In the fifth place match, Minotti ran into top seed Drake Houdashelt of Missouri who won a scramble on the edge of the mat late in the second period for the only takedown in a 3-0 victory. Minotti joins Cruz in becoming a freshman All-American as he finishes his first season at 25-11.
Â
"If the effort's there, you can't be disappointed," Santoro said. "You're disappointed for them, but you're not disappointed in them."
Â
Santoro also credited a wrestler like senior Joey Napoli, who went 0-2 in his final NCAA tournament for leading this young Lehigh team throughout the year.
Â
"One thing people forget about was that Joey Napoli was a great leader this year," he said. "People have no idea about the injuries he overcame this year to come back. He demonstrated the toughness you have to have in this sport and the guys fed off of that."
Penn State captured its fourth straight team title, clinching it when Oklahoma State's Alex Dieringer defeated Minnesota's Dylan Ness in the next to last finals bout at 157 pounds. The Nittany Lions finished with 109.5 points, edging the Golden Gophers, who finished with 104. Oklahoma State finished third with 96.5.
Â
Lehigh returns seven of its eight 2014 NCAA qualifiers and all three of its All-Americans for the 2014-15 season.
Â
"We made a huge jump from where we were in November," Santoro said. "From there to today these guys have progressed unbelievably. This has been a fun group. It's a great group to be around. They want to learn and they're hungry."
Â
Like Lehigh Wrestling on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Â
Consolation semifinals
133 – No. 1 Joe Colon (UNI) dec. No. 6 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 4-0
149 – No. 9 Eric Grajales (Michigan) dec. No. 15 Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 6-4
Â
Seventh Place Match
125 – Darian Cruz (Lehigh) dec. Earl Hall (Iowa St.) 2-1, tb2
Â
Fifth Place Match
133 – No. 8 David Thorn (Minnesota) dec. No. 6 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 5-3
149 – No. 1 Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) dec. No. 15 Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 3-0
OKLAHOMA CITY – A strong NCAA Championship for the Lehigh wrestling team came to an end Saturday as the Mountain Hawks' three All-Americans finished up competition at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Freshman Darian Cruz posted a win to finish seventh at 125 while sophomore Mason Beckman and freshman Mitch Minotti each dropped two touch matches to finish sixth at 133 and 149 respectively.
Â
The Mountain Hawks crowned at least three All-Americans for the third time in four years and finished in 18th place with 29.5 team points. Lehigh wrestlers have now won 139 All-American medals good for eighth among Division I programs.
Â
"I'm really pleased with everything these guys have done," said Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro. "They've always fought hard and they fought hard today. We get two freshmen and a sophomore on the podium and we know they're coming back. These guys want to win championships down the road, so this is an important step."
Â
Cruz produced the only win for Lehigh in five tries to finish his true freshman All-America season in seventh place. He won a 2-1 decision over Earl Hall of Iowa State in the second round of tiebreakers in the seventh place match. Cruz and Hall were knotted at one through regulation and the first sudden victory period. In the first set of tiebreakers both men rode out the other sending the match to a second sudden victory period. After a scoreless second sudden victory period, Cruz escaped in the first half of the second tiebreaker and then rode out Hall to earn the victory. Cruz finishes his freshman season at 28-10 and is Lehigh's first true freshman All-American since 1980.
Â
Beckman ran into the No. 1 seed at 133, Joe Colon of Northern Iowa, in the consolation semifinals and Colon used a first period takedown to win 4-0. In the fifth place match, Beckman faced No. 8 seed David Thorn of Minnesota. Thorn scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and successfully defended Beckman's shots at the outside right leg to win 5-3. Beckman's sophomore season ends at 28-6.
After reaching the semifinals at 149 on Friday, Minotti had to settle for sixth place after two close losses on Saturday. Minotti opened up against ninth-seeded Eric Grajales of Michigan. Grajales scored the opening takedown before Minotti reversed and proceeded to ride Grajales for a minute in a half. After a Grajales escape, Minotti scored a takedown late in the second to lead 4-3 after two. Minotti chose down for the third period but Grajales was able to lock up a cradle and turn Minotti for a three-point near fall while riding out the period and erasing the riding time to win 6-4. In the fifth place match, Minotti ran into top seed Drake Houdashelt of Missouri who won a scramble on the edge of the mat late in the second period for the only takedown in a 3-0 victory. Minotti joins Cruz in becoming a freshman All-American as he finishes his first season at 25-11.
Â
"If the effort's there, you can't be disappointed," Santoro said. "You're disappointed for them, but you're not disappointed in them."
Â
Santoro also credited a wrestler like senior Joey Napoli, who went 0-2 in his final NCAA tournament for leading this young Lehigh team throughout the year.
Â
"One thing people forget about was that Joey Napoli was a great leader this year," he said. "People have no idea about the injuries he overcame this year to come back. He demonstrated the toughness you have to have in this sport and the guys fed off of that."
Penn State captured its fourth straight team title, clinching it when Oklahoma State's Alex Dieringer defeated Minnesota's Dylan Ness in the next to last finals bout at 157 pounds. The Nittany Lions finished with 109.5 points, edging the Golden Gophers, who finished with 104. Oklahoma State finished third with 96.5.
Â
Lehigh returns seven of its eight 2014 NCAA qualifiers and all three of its All-Americans for the 2014-15 season.
Â
"We made a huge jump from where we were in November," Santoro said. "From there to today these guys have progressed unbelievably. This has been a fun group. It's a great group to be around. They want to learn and they're hungry."
Â
Like Lehigh Wrestling on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Â
Consolation semifinals
133 – No. 1 Joe Colon (UNI) dec. No. 6 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 4-0
149 – No. 9 Eric Grajales (Michigan) dec. No. 15 Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 6-4
Â
Seventh Place Match
125 – Darian Cruz (Lehigh) dec. Earl Hall (Iowa St.) 2-1, tb2
Â
Fifth Place Match
133 – No. 8 David Thorn (Minnesota) dec. No. 6 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 5-3
149 – No. 1 Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) dec. No. 15 Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 3-0
Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Wednesday, March 12
Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Thursday, February 20
Lehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
Wednesday, December 04
Season Preview: Wrestling
Wednesday, October 30
