Penn State DuBois qualifies 10 wrestlers to NCWA National Tournament
March 11, 2013
The Penn State DuBois wrestling team is peaking at the right time of the season, coming off a strong performance at the PSUAC/USCAA Wrestling Invitational in February; now qualifying 10 wrestlers at the NCWA Mid-East Regional on March 2nd for the NCWA National Tournament in Allen, TX later this week.
Coach Matt Park preaches solid fundamental technique, hard work, and a positive attitude each day at practice, seems to be paying off as his wrestlers are healthy and doing their best wrestling in February and March.
At the NCWA Mid-East Regional tournament hosted at Penn College last week PSU DuBois finished 2nd ( 195 pts.) as a team behind UMBC – University of Maryland Baltimore County 217 points. The top 6 individuals in each weight class qualify for the national tournament on March 14-16 at the Allen Events Center in Allen, TX.
Leading the way placing 2nd for DuBois were Jake Himes (165), Landon Clayton (125), Austin Sheibley (133), Cliff Hill (197). Other wrestlers who placed in the top 6 in their weight class qualifying for Nationals were; 141lbs. Garrett Hildebrand 5th, 149lbs. Kasey Haines 4th, 157lbs. Shane Alterio 4th, 174lbs Ryan Terwilliger 4th, 184lbs. Stephen Terwilliger 4th, and 285lbs. Chris Minarchick 6th. NCWA All-American status can be earned by placing in the top 8 places in each weight class.
Coach Park is very proud of the way the team has represented the DuBois campus and wants to pay special thanks to assistant coaches Joshua Knapp and Clinton Stout. Both assistant coaches are a critical part of daily practice and have prepared the athletes for the tournament run in late February and March.
Top teams vying for the National Team Championships are: Univ. Central Florida, Marion Military Institute, California Baptist Univ., Liberty University, US Naval Academy Prep. The wrestling tournament can be followed on the NCWA website www.ncwa.net and daily updates will be posted at www.psuduboisathletics.com.