Eighteen student-athletes will represent the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference at the 2008 NCAA I National Championships on March 20-22.  The tournament will be held at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.  Five of the six PSAC Division I teams will have at least one representative.  Edinboro leads the with a school record 10 wrestlers, followed by Lock Haven and Bloomsburg who each have three representatives. Clarion and Millersville also have a grappler entered into the national tournament.

Defending national champion Gregor Gillespie, who won at 149 pounds a year ago, makes his first appearance in the championship tournament at 157 pounds and will highlight the Fighting Scot contingent as they look to contend for a team title.  Eastern Wrestling League champions Darryl Cocozzo (149) and Jarrod King (165) will also highlight the Edinboro squad. Chris Honeycutt (184) and Torsten Gillespie (141) placed second while Rickey Deubel (133), Phil Moricone (175), Pat Bradshaw (197), and Joey Fendone (HWT) finished in third.  Their third place finishes were enough to earn them one of the 12 EWL wild card entries.

Lock Haven is led by EWL runner-up Ben Hepburn (197). Hepburn dropped a tough 1-0 decision to West Virginia’s Jared Villers.  Hepburn reached the finals with a 4-4 tie break decision over Edinboro’s Pat Bradshaw.  Hepburn will be accompanied at Nationals by another EWL runner-up in Billy Ashnault (133).  The Lock Haven freshman dropped a 3-1 decision to Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Conroy.  A wild card selection for the Bald Eagles is Matt Fittery.  Fittery placed fourth at 149.

Bloomsburg will have EWL Champion Mike Sees (125) leading the way to St. Louis.  Sees won an 8-7 decision over Edinboro’s Eric Morrill.  The Bloomsburg grappler enters the tournament ranked seventh in the nation.  EWL runner-up and returning All-American, Mike Spaid (HWT) lost a 4-2 finals bout to Pittsburgh’s Zach Sheaffer.  Spaid enters NCAA Championships ranked 12^th.  Matt Moley (157) rounds out the Bloomsburg representatives as he placed second to Gregor Gillespie.

Millersville’s lone representative is Jarrett Hostetter (157).  Hostetter captured the Eastern Region title.  Clarion also will be represented by one wrestler.  Hadley Harrison captured one of the 12 EWL wild card births into the NCAA tournament.

Fittery Places Second at NCAA II National Championships

Shippensburg sophomore Steve Fittery captured his second silver medal as he placed second at 141 pounds last weekend.  Fittery fell to Central Oklahoma’s Kyle Evans 3-2.  The bout was a rematch of last years’ National Championship. Fittery also took home his second All-American crown.