ROCKY MOUNT (VA) – Four Delaware Valley University wrestlers have advanced to the semifinals while three others are still alive in the consolation bracket following the first day of action at the NCAA Division III East Regional Championships.
As a team, the Aggies are sixth out of 19 squads with 38.5 points. Host Ferrum College leads the way with 69 points while New York University (55.5 pts), Ursinus College (53.5 points), Stevens Institute of Technology (52.5 pts) and Centenary College (45 pts) round out the top five.
Senior heavyweight and defending national champion
Zach Roseberry heads the group of DelVal semifinalists. The quartet also includes 2016 NCAA qualifiers
Brenden Velez (125) and
Ben Schweiger (174) as well as nationally-ranked
Tim Ambacher (141).
Kordell Rush (133),
Sekou Harris (157) and
Eliias Vega (184) are still alive in wrestlebacks and can finish as high as third. The top three placewinners in each weight class earn automatic berths to the NCAA Division III Championships in Wisconsin in two weeks.
Roseberry, a three-time East Regional champion and All-American in addition to last year's NCAA crown, upped his season record to 35-0 his consecutive winning streak to 55 with a pair of wins on Friday. He opened the competition with a 19-1 technical fall triumph over Alex Brunner (Southern Virginia) and was then handily ahead in the quarterfinals Santino Peliusi (NYU) had to default with an injury.
The two triumphs moved Roseberry to within one victory of tying the Aggie all-time record of 129 set by 2010 graduate and three-time All-American heavyweight Kyle Bilquist. Roseberry, who owns a 128-12 career mark, can tie the record with a win over Tate Dulany (Ferrum) in Saturday's semifinals and break it with a fourth straight regional title.
Velez and Schweiger each placed third at the East Regional last year to earn NCAA berths and they are each a semifinal win away from assuring a return trip. Velez, a junior, had a bye in the opening round before he notched a 10-3 decision over Dakota Quick (King's). He is now 22-11 on the season and will face Matthew Insogna (Greensboro) in the semifinals.
Schweiger, a senior who is ranked fifth in the coaches' poll, improved his record to 30-7 as the top seed had a forfeit win in the opening round and a pin in 2:32 over Corey Markovitch (Ursinus) in the quarterfinals. It was his team-best 13
th pin of the year. Schweiger will begin his Saturday action against Blake Rosenbaum of Ferum.
Ambacher, ranked fifth nationally, advanced to the semifinals thanks to a 12-0 major decision over Christopher Haskin (Greensboro) and an 8-4 decision over Austin Smith (Ferrum). The junior will put his 26-6 record on the line against Dylan Van Sickell (Stevens Tech) when action resumes on Saturday.
Rush, Harris and Vega each need to win three straight matches on Saturday to place third and earn an NCAA bid.
Rush, a freshman, opened his first regional with a 17-1 technical fall triumph over Charles Wallace (McDaniel) before falling by a 7-2 score to two-time All-American Nathan Pike (NYU). He bounced back with an 8-2 decision over Austin Sherman (Muhlenberg).
Harris, a senior, reached the quarterfinals with a 7-4 decision over Alex Donovan (Centenary) before dropping a 4-1 score to Raymond Jazikoff (NYU). In the consolations, he stayed alive with a 10-4 triumph over Michael Dougan (Centenary).
Vega, a freshman, nearly reached the semifinals as an unseeded wrestler in his weight class. He first upended Rexx Hallyburton (Washington & Lee), 9-5, and then took third-seeded Cody Richmond (Ursinus) to overtime before falling, 3-1. Vega bounced back in the consolations with another 9-5 decision, this time over Jeremy Nurnberger of Centenary.
Nick Ottum (149),
Brandon Rudy (165) and
David Furmato (197) also competed for DelVal, but were eliminated on Friday.
Action will resume at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
