CEDAR RAPIDS (IA) – Delaware Valley University junior heavyweight Zach Roseberry has advanced to the semifinals and will be an All-American for the third straight year as the first day of action is in the books at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.
 
Junior 165-pounder Ben Schweiger and sophomore 125-pounder Brenden Velez also competed at the tournament for the first time in their careers and the two combined for three wins before being eliminated.
 
As a team, the Aggies ended day one in 17^th place with 12.5 points. Wartburg College (IA) is well on its way to its sixth consecutive national championship as the Knights have a 34-point lead over second-place Messiah College.  
 
Roseberry became just the sixth wrestler in the storied history of the program to earn All-America honors (top eight finish in weigh class) at least three times in a career. He finished fourth at the NCAAs as a freshman in 2014 and took third last season. It is the 79^th All-America finish by a DelVal wrestler and the Aggies have had at least one All-American for 21 straight years.
 
Roseberry began his national title quest with a dominating, 11-3 major decision over unseeded Jesse Judge (Olivet). It was 2-1 match going into the second when Roseberry recorded an early reversal and a two-point near fall. After an escape by Judge, Roseberry got a takedown for an 8-2 lead and he cruised from there.
 
In the quarterfinals, Roseberry faced No. 7 seed Conner Herman (Luther). The two met in last year's consolation quarterfinals with Roseberry notching an 8-2 decision. Friday night had a similar result, although it was scoreless after the first period and Herman had an early escape in the second. He held that advantage until Roseberry got inside for a takedown with three seconds left in the period. Then in the third, two penalty points for stalling, an escape, and a takedown moved the lead to 8-1. Roseberry eventually finished with a 10-2 major decision and a berth in the semifinals.
 
The championship semifinals are set to begin at 11:00 am EST on Saturday. The heavyweight bracket is only one of two (197 pounds the other) that saw the top four seeds advance through. Roseberry (27-1) will meet No. 3 seed Lance Evans of Wartburg in a match-up of wrestlers who are undefeated against Division III competitors this season. The other contest features defending national champion and No 1 seed Donald Longendyke (Augsburg) against fourth-seeded Trevor Maresh (Alma).
 
Schweiger was one win shy of assuring himself a top eight finish and All-America recognition.
He opened the tournament against No. 7 seed Tom Gerszewski (Wisconsin-Whitewater) in the preliminaries and an early takedown was the difference in a 3-1 win for Gerszewski.
 
Schweiger then met Timothy Garripoli and built a 6-0 lead with takedowns in each period. After a Garripoli escape in the third, Schweiger added another takedown plus had riding time for the 9-1 major decision.
 
In the second round of consolations, Schweiger met fourth-seeded Nick Herring (College of New Jersey) in a rematch of their East Regional semifinal contest that Herring won by a 9-8 score. Herring had the lone points of the first period with a takedown and he chose the bottom position to start the second. Schweiger turned him over quickly and nearly pinned him. He picked up four points with the near fall and held him down the whole period. Schweiger stayed on top in the third and added more riding time before Herring escaped with 1:05 left. However, Schweiger added a takedown shortly after and advanced to the third round with a 7-4 decision.  
 
That put Schweiger up against No. 3 seed Nolan Barger (Lycoming) with the winner moving onto Saturday and picking up All-America honors. Schweiger was banged up on a Barger takedown in the first period. He continued on, but Barger racked up a 14-0 major decision to end Schweiger's season. Schweiger finished with a 16-12 mark and a trip to the NCAAs.
 
Velez's first NCAA tournament match saw him paired up against No. 3 seed Jakob Stageberg (Concordia-Moorhead). A late escape in the first period, pulled Velez to within two, 4-2, but Stageberg got four straight points off a penalty, an escape and a takedown. Stageberg went on for the 13-4 major decision.
 
That put Velez into his must-win match against James Gorman (Augsburg). He gave up a takedown 37 seconds in, but picked up an escape and then a takedown of his own for a 3-2 lead. It stayed that way until the third when Velez escaped for the lone point of the period and a 4-2 win.
 
Velez next met Cole Ferguson (Wisconsin-Platteville) to open up Friday's evening session. Two takedowns, an escape and riding time led to a 6-2 victory for Ferguson and Velez was eliminated from the tournament. The sophomore finished the year with a 23-13 record and his first trip to the NCAAs.
 
 
DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY COMPETITORS
 
285 pounds – Zach Roseberry (Nokesville, VA/Brentsville) – Seeded 2^nd out of 18 wrestlers
Championship First Round: Won by major decision over Jesse Judget (Olivet), 11-3
Championship Quarterfinals: Won by major decision over #7 Connor Herman (Luther), 10-2
Championship Semifinals (Saturday): vs #3 Lance Evans (Wartburg)
- Roseberry improved to 27-1 on the season and will be an All-American for the third straight year - 

165 pounds – Ben Schweiger (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) – Unseeded out of 18 wrestlers
Championship Preliminaries: Lost by decision to #7 Tom Gerszewski (Wisconsin-Whitewater), 3-1
Consolation First Round: Won by major decision over Timothy Garripoli (Williams), 9-1
Consolation Second Round: Won by decision over #4 Nick Herring (College of NJ), 7-4
Consolation Third Round: Lost by major decision to #3 Nolan Barger (Lycoming), 14-0
- Schweiger is eliminated from the tournament. He finishes the year with a 16-12 record and his first trip to the NCAAs -
 
125 pounds – Brenden Velez (Bristow, VA/Brentsville) – Unseeded out of 18 wrestlers
Championship First Round: Lost by maj. decision to #3 Jakob Stageberg (Concordia-Moorhead), 13-4
Consolation First Round: Won by decision over James Goman (Augsburg), 4-2
Consolation Second Round: Lost by decision to Cole Ferguson (Wisconsin-Platteville), 6-2
- Velez is eliminated from the tournament. He finishes the year with a 23-13 record and his first trip to the NCAAs -