Updated Brackets (.pdf)
OMAHA, Neb. - Donovan McMahill's quest for a national title continued with a victory against St. Cloud State's Lucas Munklewitz to reach the semifinals of the 197-pound bracket in the 2010 NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships from Sapp Fieldhouse. The Mountaineers sit No. 14 in the team standings after the opening day with three wrestlers still alive for All-America honors.
Charlie Pipher is working his way through the consolation bracket at 184 pounds, as is Charlie Alexander at 285 pounds. Both are still able to finish third in the national championships and are assured a finish no lower than eighth.
The other four Mountaineer wrestlers - Kyle O'Brien (125), Jesse Cruz (141), Kyle Francis (157) and Kyle Frazier (174) - were eliminated earlier today with two losses.
McMahill won his opening match of the day in a 9-4 decision against Kutztown's Scott Snyder and shutout St. Cloud State's Lucas Munkelmitz 6-0 to reach tomorrow's semifinal match. McMahill will go against defending national champion Kenno Griffin of Newberry, who took out last season's 184 national champion in a 3-2 win and won a 5-3 decision against Northern State's Matthew Meuleners.
McMahill is assured his second All-America title, barring a disqualification from the tournament, and his first such title since a runner-up finish during his freshman season of 2008.
Pipher pinned his first opponent, Central Oklahoma's Tanner Keck, in four minutes and four seconds, to reach the quarterfinal round. He finished on the short end of a 8-6 decision against Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Patrick Walsh, but kept his All-America hopes alive in a 9-7 victory against St. Cloud State's Derek Skala.
Pipher is competing in his first national tournament since 2007, when he finished eighth for All-America honors.
Alexander found himself on the same side of the bracket as three other returning All-Americans, and all of those four advanced to the quarterfinal round. Alexander advanced off a 5-2 decision against Southwest Minnesota State's Brian Rodas and setup a rematch with Central Oklahoma's Dustin Finn from when the two met during the NWCA National Duals.
Alexander fell in an overtime 3-1 loss to Finn and rebounded with a 5-1 win against Findlay's Matthew Clum to stay in All-America contention.
Session III, which involves all the remaining Mountaineer wrestlers, begins Saturday morning at 9 a.m. MST in Sapp Fieldhouse on the Nebraska-Omaha campus. All consolation matches will be played through completion before the championship finals take place at 7 p.m. MST.