No. 1 Mavericks place seven in semifinals, move closer to another NCAA Division II title
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
OMAHA, Neb. - Cody Garcia's career record in the NCAA Division II Championships is a sparkling 15-1.
But it's that one blemish in the loss column that still sticks in the Nebraska-Omaha senior's mind.
Garcia moved halfway to winning his third national title, collecting two quick pins at 133 pounds on Friday at his final NCAA meet at Nebraska-Omaha's Sapp Fieldhouse.
"I've done all the physical preparation I can do and now I just have to go out there and wrestle my match," said Garcia, who placed third at nationals in 2009. "I'm pretty motivated after what happened last year. I just have to push the pace and wrestle hard for seven minutes. It would mean the world to me to go out with a national title here at home."
Garcia was one of seven UNO wrestlers to advance to Saturday's semifinal round. The top-ranked Mavericks have a commanding lead with 57 points. St. Cloud State is second with 32.5 points and two in the semifinals. Augustana is third with 29.5 points and four in the semis.
The Mavericks are looking to repeat as national team champions. UNO is seeking its fifth title in seven years, and sixth overall in Division II, under Hall of Fame coach Mike Denney.
The Mavs have one other wrestler alive in the wrestlebacks to give them eight All-Americans. UNO finished 18-5 in its matches on Friday.
"We lost a couple tough ones at the end of the day, but overall we performed well today," Denney said. "We're disappointed we didn't have 10 All-Americans, but it's the national tournament and it's tough out there. The eight guys we have left are all wrestling well. We're looking forward to tomorrow."
The two-day event continues with the semifinals at 10 a.m. and finals at 8 p.m. on Saturday in Omaha.
Garcia (47-0) now faces Gannon's Corey Bowers in the semifinals. He is ranked second behind Pitt-Johnstown's Shane Valko, who survived with a 9-8 double-overtime win over Grand Canyon's sixth-ranked Todd Wilcox in the quarters.
"logo.jpgt to our program," Denney said. "He's a class act all the way. I can't say enough good things about him. He's meant a lot to our team."
Augustana's Jay Sherer knocked off No. 1 Andre Harrison of Fort Hays State 2-1 in double overtime in the 141 quarterfinals. Sherer is wrestling close to home. He's from Columbus, Neb.
One of the best quarterfinal bouts came at 174 where Nebraska-Kearney's Kamarudeen Usman held off Nebraska-Omaha's Aaron Denson in a battle of past NCAA runner-up finishers.
Usman scored a first-period takedown to take a 2-0 lead. Denson rode Usman out in the second period before Usman returned the favor by riding Denson out in the final period.
Denson dropped his next match and fell short of All-American honors.
UNO did suffer a tough end to the day when NCAA runner-up Austin Boehm had to default his wrestleback match at 184 because of an injury.
Returning national champions Arsenia Barksdale of Adams State and Keeno Griffin of Newberry reached the semifinals. Barksdale competes at 125 and Griffin at 197.
Interviews
Nebraska-Omaha Coach Mike Denney
Augustana 197-pounder Ty Copsey
Nebraska-Omaha 133-pounder Cody Garcia
SATURDAY MORNING'S SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
125 Pounds
Thomas Edgmon (Fort Hays State) vs. Seth Wright (New Mexico Highlands)
Tyler Mumbulo (Upper Iowa) vs. Arsenia Barksdale (Adams State)
133 Pounds
Shane Valko (Pitt-Johnstown) vs. Laramie Shaffer (Augustana)
Corey Bowers (Gannon) vs. Cody Garcia (Nebraska-Omaha)
141 Pounds
Jeremy Parker (Limestone) vs. Jay Sherer (Augustana)
Mario Morgan (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Cory Bloodgood (Central Missouri State)
149 Pounds
Derek Bomstad (Minnesota State-Moorhead) vs. Craig Becker (Wisconsin-Parkside)
Nate Herda (Augustana) vs. Esai Dominguez (Nebraska-Omaha)
157 Pounds
Danny Grater (Fort Hays State) vs. George Ivanov (Nebraska-Omaha)
Joseph Deaguero (Adams State) vs. Jonathan Jackson (Anderson College)
165 Pounds
Josh Shields (Mercyhurst) vs. Victor Carazo (Grand Canyon)
Ryan Pankoke (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Travis Eggers (Upper Iowa)
174 Pounds
Shamus O'Grady (St. Cloud State) vs. Luke Rynish (Wisconsin-Parkside)
Christopher Barrick (Shippensburg) vs. Kamarudeen Usman (Nebraska-Kearney)
184 Pounds
Tim Darling (Kutztown) vs. Shane Mallory (East Stroudsburg)
Patrick Walsh (Pitt-Johnstown) vs. Bryant Blanton (Newberry)
197 Pounds
Keeno Griffin (Newberry) vs. Donovan McMahill (Western State)
Jacob Marrs (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Ty Copsey (Augustana)
285 Pounds
Jake Kahnke (St. Cloud State) vs. Elijah Madison (Nebraska-Omaha)
Brady Wilson (Minnesota State-Mankato) vs. Dustin Finn (Central Oklahoma)
But it's that one blemish in the loss column that still sticks in the Nebraska-Omaha senior's mind.
Garcia moved halfway to winning his third national title, collecting two quick pins at 133 pounds on Friday at his final NCAA meet at Nebraska-Omaha's Sapp Fieldhouse.
"I've done all the physical preparation I can do and now I just have to go out there and wrestle my match," said Garcia, who placed third at nationals in 2009. "I'm pretty motivated after what happened last year. I just have to push the pace and wrestle hard for seven minutes. It would mean the world to me to go out with a national title here at home."
Garcia was one of seven UNO wrestlers to advance to Saturday's semifinal round. The top-ranked Mavericks have a commanding lead with 57 points. St. Cloud State is second with 32.5 points and two in the semifinals. Augustana is third with 29.5 points and four in the semis.
The Mavericks are looking to repeat as national team champions. UNO is seeking its fifth title in seven years, and sixth overall in Division II, under Hall of Fame coach Mike Denney.
The Mavs have one other wrestler alive in the wrestlebacks to give them eight All-Americans. UNO finished 18-5 in its matches on Friday.
"We lost a couple tough ones at the end of the day, but overall we performed well today," Denney said. "We're disappointed we didn't have 10 All-Americans, but it's the national tournament and it's tough out there. The eight guys we have left are all wrestling well. We're looking forward to tomorrow."
The two-day event continues with the semifinals at 10 a.m. and finals at 8 p.m. on Saturday in Omaha.
Garcia (47-0) now faces Gannon's Corey Bowers in the semifinals. He is ranked second behind Pitt-Johnstown's Shane Valko, who survived with a 9-8 double-overtime win over Grand Canyon's sixth-ranked Todd Wilcox in the quarters.
"logo.jpgt to our program," Denney said. "He's a class act all the way. I can't say enough good things about him. He's meant a lot to our team."
Augustana's Jay Sherer knocked off No. 1 Andre Harrison of Fort Hays State 2-1 in double overtime in the 141 quarterfinals. Sherer is wrestling close to home. He's from Columbus, Neb.
One of the best quarterfinal bouts came at 174 where Nebraska-Kearney's Kamarudeen Usman held off Nebraska-Omaha's Aaron Denson in a battle of past NCAA runner-up finishers.
Usman scored a first-period takedown to take a 2-0 lead. Denson rode Usman out in the second period before Usman returned the favor by riding Denson out in the final period.
Denson dropped his next match and fell short of All-American honors.
UNO did suffer a tough end to the day when NCAA runner-up Austin Boehm had to default his wrestleback match at 184 because of an injury.
Returning national champions Arsenia Barksdale of Adams State and Keeno Griffin of Newberry reached the semifinals. Barksdale competes at 125 and Griffin at 197.
Interviews
Nebraska-Omaha Coach Mike Denney
Augustana 197-pounder Ty Copsey
Nebraska-Omaha 133-pounder Cody Garcia
SATURDAY MORNING'S SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
125 Pounds
Thomas Edgmon (Fort Hays State) vs. Seth Wright (New Mexico Highlands)
Tyler Mumbulo (Upper Iowa) vs. Arsenia Barksdale (Adams State)
133 Pounds
Shane Valko (Pitt-Johnstown) vs. Laramie Shaffer (Augustana)
Corey Bowers (Gannon) vs. Cody Garcia (Nebraska-Omaha)
141 Pounds
Jeremy Parker (Limestone) vs. Jay Sherer (Augustana)
Mario Morgan (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Cory Bloodgood (Central Missouri State)
149 Pounds
Derek Bomstad (Minnesota State-Moorhead) vs. Craig Becker (Wisconsin-Parkside)
Nate Herda (Augustana) vs. Esai Dominguez (Nebraska-Omaha)
157 Pounds
Danny Grater (Fort Hays State) vs. George Ivanov (Nebraska-Omaha)
Joseph Deaguero (Adams State) vs. Jonathan Jackson (Anderson College)
165 Pounds
Josh Shields (Mercyhurst) vs. Victor Carazo (Grand Canyon)
Ryan Pankoke (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Travis Eggers (Upper Iowa)
174 Pounds
Shamus O'Grady (St. Cloud State) vs. Luke Rynish (Wisconsin-Parkside)
Christopher Barrick (Shippensburg) vs. Kamarudeen Usman (Nebraska-Kearney)
184 Pounds
Tim Darling (Kutztown) vs. Shane Mallory (East Stroudsburg)
Patrick Walsh (Pitt-Johnstown) vs. Bryant Blanton (Newberry)
197 Pounds
Keeno Griffin (Newberry) vs. Donovan McMahill (Western State)
Jacob Marrs (Nebraska-Omaha) vs. Ty Copsey (Augustana)
285 Pounds
Jake Kahnke (St. Cloud State) vs. Elijah Madison (Nebraska-Omaha)
Brady Wilson (Minnesota State-Mankato) vs. Dustin Finn (Central Oklahoma)
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