Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wrestling Ranked No. 18 in Nation
3/4/2010 3:59:32 PM | Wrestling
Grand Canyon University is ranked No. 18 – up two spots from its last ranking -- in the final NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll of the season, released yesterday.
Junior Todd Wilcox (Sacramento, CA/Sierra College) is ranked No. 6 at 133 pounds, and redshirt sophomore Victor Carazo (Modesto, CA/Modesto Junior College) is No. 5 at 165 pounds.
Wilcox and Carazo are among the four Antelopes who qualified for the 48th annual NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, which will be held March 12-13 at Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha, Neb. The others are senior Stephen Towne (Phoenix, AZ/Menlo College) at 157 pounds and junior Ryan Becerra (Gilbert, AZ/Cal State Bakersfield) at 184 pounds.
Nebraska-Omaha is the overwhelming favorite to capture its second straight NCAA Division II national championship. The Mavericks were the unanimous No. 1 pick in the final poll. They have been No. 1 in 15 straight polls the past two years, having topped the rankings in every poll in 2008-09 and again this season.
Nebraska-Omaha, the host school for the national championships, won the Super Region II title and qualified all 10 individuals.
Super Region I champion Newberry (S.C.) remained No. 2 in the poll, while Super Regional III winner Augustana (S.D.) moved from fifth to thitd and Wisconsin-Parkside stayed fourth.
Rounding out the top 10 are St. Cloud State (Minn.), Super Regional IV champion Western State (Colo.), Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Gannon (Pa.), Nebraska-Kearney and Upper Iowa.
GCU, Western State and Nebraska-Kearney competed last Saturday at the NCAA Division II Super Regional Four/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships at Plachy Hall on the campus of Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo.
GCU Head Coach R.C. LaHaye says that his team’s goal is to have four All-Americans. Wrestlers need win only two matches to be named All-American, which doesn’t sound terribly difficult until one looks at the competition.
For instance, if Wilcox wins his first match, his next opponent probably would be No. 1-ranked Shane Valko of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.
If Carazo is victorious in his first bout, he likely would face No. 4 Tad Merritt of St. Cloud State. And if he gets by him, seemingly up next would be No. 1 Josh Shields of Mercyhurst (Pa.).
Towne’s first foe is No. 4-ranked George Ivanov of Nebraska-Omaha. If he beats him, presumptively he would take on No. 5 Marcus Edgington of Augustana.
Becerra doesn’t have it any easier. His initial adversary is No. 3 Lucas Haag of Wisconsin-Parkside, and after him might be No. 7 Bryant Blanton of Newberry.
Here’s a look at the brackets:
http://www.ncaa.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/ncaa/sports/mwrestl/auto_pdf/2010BracketforProgram
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