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Delaware Valley University Athletics

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OFFICIAL ATHLETICS WEBSITE OF DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY
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OFFICIAL ATHLETICS WEBSITE OF
DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY
Emmanuel Ajagbe

Men's Wrestling

AJAGBE WINS TITLE, DELVAL TAKES FOURTH AT FALL BRAWL

COLLEGEVILLE (PA) – Nationally-ranked Emmanuel Ajagbe claimed the 149-pound title while four teammates placed in the top four as Delaware Valley College opened its 2012-13 season by finishing fourth out of 15 teams at the Ursinus College Fall Brawl.

The Aggies, under second-year head coach Steve Cantrell, racked up 85 points on the day. The host Bears took home the team championship with 144 points while 26th-ranked The College of New Jersey was 10 points behind. Division I Franklin & Marshall College was third with 131 points.

Ajagbe, a national qualifier as a freshman in 2010, entered the day ranked sixth in the first National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll. He was the second seed for the tournament and opened with a technical fall and a pin to reach the semifinals. He took on third-seeded Andrew Murano of Franklin & Marshall and earned a 5-1 decision for a spot in the finals. Ajagbe then dominated top-seeded Luke Bilyeu of West Chester University (a Division II club squad) for the tournament crown. 

Sophomore Joseph Richard was the sixth seed in the 197-pound bracket, but went all the way to the finals thanks to a fall, a decision and a medical forfeit. He took on top-seeded Kenny Amponsa of The College of New Jersey in the title match and dropped a 13-6 decision to finish as the runner-up.

Delaware Valley also had a trio of fourth-place finishers in freshmen Connor Kirkegard (125), Trenton Clifford (133) and Noah Gesford (heavyweight). Kirkegard, a two-time Connecticut state champion reached the semifinals before falling to the eventual champion. He notched a 3-2 record in one of the toughest weight classes of the tournament.

Clifford was unseeded in his weight class and opened with a decision over fourth-seeded Josh Scharf of Gettysburg. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to the eventual champion and finished the day with a 3-2 record.

Gesford was one of four Aggies in the heavyweight bracket, and he dropped his opening match to fall into consolations. However, he battled back with five consecutive wins before falling in the consolation finals.

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