TOMCAT WRESTLERS FINISH 7TH AT MIDWEST REGIONAL; MURPHY NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER

Kevin Fenstermacher
Assistant Athletic Director
Sports Information Director
75 College Ave.
Greenville, PA 16125
Phone - 724.589.2187
Fax - 724.589.2880
kfenstermacher@thiel.edu
www.thiel.edu/athletics

For Immediate Release: February 17, 2007

TOMCAT WRESTLERS FINISH 7TH AT MIDWEST REGIONAL;
MURPHY NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER

MANCHESTER, Ind. (Feb. 17) -- The Thiel College wrestling squad earned a seventh-place finish at the 15-team NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Qualifier Saturday afternoon at Manchester College. Senior 165-pound Corey Murphy (Corry/Corry) went 3-0 at the event and garnered Most Outstanding Wrester of the Tournament honors for his efforts. His Midwest Regional championship was his third straight.

Delaware Valley College won the team championship with 108 points, followed by Olivet College (89.5), Manchester (84), College of Mount St. Joseph (82.5), Lycoming College (62.5), Case Western Reserve University (61.5) and Thiel (58.5).

Murphy, who entered Saturday as the third seed, picked up a 9-5 decision over sixth-seeded Ryan Pope of Delaware Valley in the championship quarter finals before downing second-seeded Derek Ricker of Messiah College 12-6 in the championship semi-finals. Murphy posted an 11-7 decision in the championship finals against top-seeded Joseph Hoover of Manchester. Murphy, whose season record now stands at 34-7, came into Saturday's regional qualifier as the eighth-seeded wrestler at 165 pounds according to the latest Brute-Adidas Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) individual rankings.

Also winning Saturday was senior 285-pound Kyle Brown (Meadville/Meadville), who finished the day 3-0 and improved his season record to 39-7. The Midwest Regional championship was the second of his career. Brown came into Saturday's qualifier as the second seed and picked up a win by fall (3:35) in the championship quarter-finals against seventh-seeded Joshua Brewer of Washington & Jefferson College. He went on to record a 2-1 win against third-seeded Sean Misko of Olivet in the championship semi-finals before posting a 7-5 victory against top-seeded Kyle Bilquist of Delaware Valley in the championship finals. Bilquest entered Saturday's event as number three among heavyweights in Division III.

Freshman 141-pound Damien Rose (Freedom/Freedom) improved to 22-14 this season with his third-place finish while sophomore 125-pound Ashton Osterberg (Erie/General McLane) wrestled to a fifth-place finish and finished the season 22-11.

Rose, the fifth seed at 141, finished 2-1 Saturday. He fell to top-seeded Ricky LaForge of Delaware Valley 5-3 in the championship semi-finals. He avenged the semi-final loss with a 7-3 decision over seventh-seeded Matt Gorkos of Messiah in the Wrestleback semi-finals before earning an 8-2 win over eighth-seeded Matt Palladino of Manchester.

Osterberg, the seventh seed at 125, went 4-2 Saturday. He picked up a win by fall (4:32) against Stephen Isles of Wabash College in the Championship second round before suffering a 9-0 major decision loss to second-seeded Josh Proctor of Delaware Valley in the Championship quarter-finals. He won by fall (1:03) against Mark Eilertsen of Messiah in the Wrestleback fourth round before falling to fifth-seeded Kyle Labrecque of Olivet 8-2 in the Wrestleback semi-finals. Osterberg went on to post a 14-5 major decision win over eighth-seeded Joseph Palmitessa of Lycoming in the fifth-place match.

Murphy and Brown both advance to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships on March 2-3 at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Murphy, a three-time national qualifier, was a 2005 all-American after his eighth-place finish. Brown will advance to national championships for the second time.

--30--
www.thiel.edu/athletics

		Kevin Fenstermacher Assistant Athletic Director Sports Information Director 75 College Ave. Greenville, PA 16125 Phone - 724.589.2187 Fax - 724.589.2880 kfenstermacher@thiel.edu www.thiel.edu/athletics

For Immediate Release: February 17, 2007 TOMCAT WRESTLERS FINISH 7TH AT MIDWEST REGIONAL; MURPHY NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER MANCHESTER, Ind. (Feb. 17) -- The Thiel College wrestling squad earned a seventh-place finish at the 15-team NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Qualifier Saturday afternoon at Manchester College. Senior 165-pound Corey Murphy (Corry/Corry) went 3-0 at the event and garnered Most Outstanding Wrester of the Tournament honors for his efforts. His Midwest Regional championship was his third straight. Delaware Valley College won the team championship with 108 points, followed by Olivet College (89.5), Manchester (84), College of Mount St. Joseph (82.5), Lycoming College (62.5), Case Western Reserve University (61.5) and Thiel (58.5). Murphy, who entered Saturday as the third seed, picked up a 9-5 decision over sixth-seeded Ryan Pope of Delaware Valley in the championship quarter finals before downing second-seeded Derek Ricker of Messiah College 12-6 in the championship semi-finals. Murphy posted an 11-7 decision in the championship finals against top-seeded Joseph Hoover of Manchester. Murphy, whose season record now stands at 34-7, came into Saturday's regional qualifier as the eighth-seeded wrestler at 165 pounds according to the latest Brute-Adidas Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) individual rankings. Also winning Saturday was senior 285-pound Kyle Brown (Meadville/Meadville), who finished the day 3-0 and improved his season record to 39-7. The Midwest Regional championship was the second of his career. Brown came into Saturday's qualifier as the second seed and picked up a win by fall (3:35) in the championship quarter-finals against seventh-seeded Joshua Brewer of Washington & Jefferson College. He went on to record a 2-1 win against third-seeded Sean Misko of Olivet in the championship semi-finals before posting a 7-5 victory against top-seeded Kyle Bilquist of Delaware Valley in the championship finals. Bilquest entered Saturday's event as number three among heavyweights in Division III. Freshman 141-pound Damien Rose (Freedom/Freedom) improved to 22-14 this season with his third-place finish while sophomore 125-pound Ashton Osterberg (Erie/General McLane) wrestled to a fifth-place finish and finished the season 22-11. Rose, the fifth seed at 141, finished 2-1 Saturday. He fell to top-seeded Ricky LaForge of Delaware Valley 5-3 in the championship semi-finals. He avenged the semi-final loss with a 7-3 decision over seventh-seeded Matt Gorkos of Messiah in the Wrestleback semi-finals before earning an 8-2 win over eighth-seeded Matt Palladino of Manchester. Osterberg, the seventh seed at 125, went 4-2 Saturday. He picked up a win by fall (4:32) against Stephen Isles of Wabash College in the Championship second round before suffering a 9-0 major decision loss to second-seeded Josh Proctor of Delaware Valley in the Championship quarter-finals. He won by fall (1:03) against Mark Eilertsen of Messiah in the Wrestleback fourth round before falling to fifth-seeded Kyle Labrecque of Olivet 8-2 in the Wrestleback semi-finals. Osterberg went on to post a 14-5 major decision win over eighth-seeded Joseph Palmitessa of Lycoming in the fifth-place match. Murphy and Brown both advance to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships on March 2-3 at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Murphy, a three-time national qualifier, was a 2005 all-American after his eighth-place finish. Brown will advance to national championships for the second time.






--30-- www.thiel.edu/athletics