OKLAHOMA CITY – UNI wrestler Dylan Peters became the highest placing freshman at the NCAA national tournament since assistant coach Mark Schwab was fifth in 1986.
Joe Colon, Joey Lazor and Peters earned their first All-America titles. Colon led the team with his third-place finish. Last time UNI had three All-Americans was 2002.
“We have to win tough matches in tough situations, and Colon is the guy who did that for us,” said head coach Doug Schwab.
UNI hasn’t had a freshman earn All-America honors since Cedar Falls standout Tony Wieland took eighth in 1996.
The team was in 13th place heading into the finals. UNI hasn’t cracked the top 10 since 1992.
“We not just taking short cuts,” Colon said. “We are building, and we know what we have to do to win. We have to go out there and fight and we have to scrap and that’s what we are doing in the room. And we have to carry that out on the mat.
125 – DYLAN PETERS 6th
Peters, who has never given up bonus points in a match, held on to fight off a near fall against No. 16 Joey Dance. Peters countered back and was within one point nearing the end, but Dance prevailed with the 10-8 decision. Dance is the first true freshman to pick up All-American honors for Virginia Tech.
Peters had to settle for sixth place as Cory Clark earned a decision, winning 8-1.
133 – JOE COLON 3rd
Colon dominated his first match to beat Mason Beckman of Lehigh 4-0 and won the rematch with A.J. Schopp of Edinboro. Colon’s rise in the rankings came after a win earlier in the season when Colon beat Schopp and Ramos in back-to-back matches at the Midlands en route to a championship.
“It hurts, just like yesterday hurt,” Colon said. “I don’t have another chance to be a national champ, but I can go get bigger things in life: coach someone to a national championship, help some of the guys in the room become a nation champ, help this team – help UNI – become national team champs. I don’t know where that it is going to take me just going to take the same path I’ve been taking and keep my head up.”
141 – JOEY LAZOR 6th
Lazor suffered an injury early in the first period against No. 9 Evan Henderson. He closed the gap but was unable to close out the win, losing 11-8. Lazor was unable to return to the tournament, giving No. 3 Zain Retherford of Penn State the forfeit and fifth place.
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