THIEL'S MURPHY AND BROWN PREPARE FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

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 23, 2007

THIEL'S MURPHY AND BROWN PREPARE FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Head Coach Craig Thurber, Kyle Brown, Corey Murphy, Assistant Coach Jeff Linn GREENVILLE, Pa. (Feb. 23) -- As self-proclaimed "average" high school wrestlers, Thiel College seniors Corey Murphy (Corry/Corry) and Kyle Brown (Meadville/Meadville) will both be participating March 2-3 at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Wrestling Championships, hosted by Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Murphy will be making his third appearance while Brown will compete at the national championships for the second time.

"The one person I would want to go through this with is Kyle. He's one of my closest friends on the team. Since coming in as freshmen we haven't always seen eye to eye but we have a lot of respect for each other", said Murphy.

"I can't see our careers going any other way than doing this together, watching each get on to the podium at nationals. Plus, it's good to have a good wing man like Corey", said Brown.

Thiel is currently ranked 29th in the latest Brute - Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Team rankings, which was released on Feb. 20. Murphy goes into the national championships as the seventh-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds while Brown is currently ranked eighth among Division III counterparts at 285 pounds.

"These two mean an awful lot a lot to our program. The biggest thing that sticks out is their leadership. They've been with us for four years and have set the standard for what we, as coaches, have always expected our student-athletes to strive for", said Tomcat head coach Craig Thurber.

"For me, seeing how far they have both come over the last four years is the best part. I told them both when they were being recruited that we want them to leave with two pieces of paper at the end of their careers - a Thiel diploma and an all-American certificate. I feel that they will both achieve becoming all-Americans this upcoming weekend, said assistant coach Jeff Linn.

Both Murphy and Brown had good careers in high school, but they weren't great. As they close out their collegiate careers, you could argue that these two are the best to pass through Thiel's Rissell-Beeghly Gymnasia.

"Coming out of high school I was pretty much an average wrestler. I guess the success Kyle and I have had really shows everyone, especially our younger teammates, that you don't have to be a state champ. or top recruit out of high school to be successful in college", said Murphy. "Hard work and determination can really go a long way".

"I was mediocre at best in high school. I think I've done pretty well wrestling in college", said Brown. "If there was one thing I could tell the younger guys on our team it would be to go out and lead, lead by example. Actions speak louder than words".

Murphy will be among 18 wrestlers competing for the individual championship at the 165-pound weight class. He enters the national championships with a career record of 115-44 and has won three-straight NCAA Division III Midwest Regional qualifiers, advancing to the national championships with each win. He earned all-American honors after finishing eighth at the 2005 national championships.

Murphy, who entered the regional qualifier as the third seed, picked up a 9-5 decision over sixth-seeded Ryan Pope of Delaware Valley College 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. With his three wins at the regional qualifier he improved his season record to 34-7 and has won each of the last 18 times he has stepped onto the mat.

After going 0-2 at last season's national championships, Murphy believes the third time could be a charm.

"I feel really healthy right now. Last year I had some bumps and bruises going into nationals. I feel really confident heading into the national championships healthy. I know that I am definitely one of the top wrestlers in the country and that I am capable of beating anyone in the tournament", said Murphy.

When asked what will be going through your mind when you step on to the mat in Iowa, Murphy said, "The first thing I will be thinking of is that I have something that is unfinished. I let myself down last year. I just need to take it one match at a time. Nationals for me started at regionals a week ago. I have won 18 matches in a row and just have to keep it going".

Brown will enter the national championships as one of 15 at the 285-pound weight class. He has recorded a school-best 126-31 mark over his four years in Greenville. A three-time NWCA Scholar all-American, Brown advanced to the national championships after winning the Midwest Regional qualifier in 2005. He has posted a 39-7 overall record this season.

Brown entered last week's regional 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 pin fall win (1:32) 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 the regional qualifier number three among heavyweights in Division III.

"The championship win at regionals was probably the biggest of my career. Yes, I've won a regional championship before, but the way I won this last one was special. I was behind most of the match and came back to win against the top-ranked wrestler in my class", said Brown. "He was the highest-ranked kid I've ever beaten and I definitely think it was a step in the right direction".

When posed with the question of what he will be thinking about with his initial match, Brown said, "Well, probably before the match I will have a million worries, a million thoughts going through my head. I just hope that when I get onto the mat I just wrestle and do what I have been doing".

When asked if he thought Murphy and Brown were prepared to come home next week as national champions, Thurber said, "We've been preparing for the last four years. Jeff and I knew when we saw how well they adapted to college wrestling that they would have this chance, this opportunity to do something really special. We know everyone in their brackets. There are a couple of kids in each that are tough, but these two are prepared to win. They believe in their abilities".

Thurber and Linn are no strangers to competing at the highest levels of collegiate wrestling. Thurber was a three-time NCAA Division II all-American at the Unversity of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, finishing as a runner-up in 1995. Linn was an all-American in 2002 as a member of the Tomcat program. So what are some things that two former all-Americans have been talking to their all-Americans-to-be about.

"The mental game is what we're trying to incorporate. The things we learned, the mistakes we made at nationals is exactly we have been preaching to them each day. We sincerely believe that these two guys could very easily be in the national finals,” said Linn.

"Definitely the mental side of wrestling. These two don't get freaked out about different matches. They're pretty calm and confident. They've learned that if they just do the things we have been talking about they will be okay. I saw it on both of their faces last week at regionals. They are ready", said Thurber.

"The first time we went to nationals as a group Jeff and I were doing more counseling than coaching. They were young then and we feel they are both ready for this now", said Thurber.

"This is an exciting time for Corey and Kyle, as well as Jeff and I and the entire Thiel College community. Having the opportunity to go with these two to nationals really makes us feel good because it reinforces what we have been doing", said Thurber.

Murphy is the son of Chris Murphy and is a 2003 graduate of Corry High School. He will graduate in May with a double major in juvenile and family justice and sociology. He hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice and expects coaching to be in his future.

Brown is the son of Robin and Jonathan Whaley and Erick and Judy Brown and is a 2002 graduate of Meadville High School. He will graduate in May with a double major in physics and mathematics and is looking to teach and coach wrestling in high school.

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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 23, 2007 THIEL'S MURPHY AND BROWN PREPARE FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GREENVILLE, Pa. (Feb. 23) -- As self-proclaimed "average" high school wrestlers, Thiel College seniors Corey Murphy (Corry/Corry) and Kyle Brown (Meadville/Meadville) will both be participating March 2-3 at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Wrestling Championships, hosted by Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Murphy will be making his third appearance while Brown will compete at the national championships for the second time. "The one person I would want to go through this with is Kyle. He's one of my closest friends on the team. Since coming in as freshmen we haven't always seen eye to eye but we have a lot of respect for each other", said Murphy. "I can't see our careers going any other way than doing this together, watching each get on to the podium at nationals. Plus, it's good to have a good wing man like Corey", said Brown. Thiel is currently ranked 29th in the latest Brute - Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Team rankings, which was released on Feb. 20. Murphy goes into the national championships as the seventh-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds while Brown is currently ranked eighth among Division III counterparts at 285 pounds. "These two mean an awful lot a lot to our program. The biggest thing that sticks out is their leadership. They've been with us for four years and have set the standard for what we, as coaches, have always expected our student-athletes to strive for", said Tomcat head coach Craig Thurber. "For me, seeing how far they have both come over the last four years is the best part. I told them both when they were being recruited that we want them to leave with two pieces of paper at the end of their careers - a Thiel diploma and an all-American certificate. I feel that they will both achieve becoming all-Americans this upcoming weekend, said assistant coach Jeff Linn. Both Murphy and Brown had good careers in high school, but they weren't great. As they close out their collegiate careers, you could argue that these two are the best to pass through Thiel's Rissell-Beeghly Gymnasia. "Coming out of high school I was pretty much an average wrestler. I guess the success Kyle and I have had really shows everyone, especially our younger teammates, that you don't have to be a state champ. or top recruit out of high school to be successful in college", said Murphy. "Hard work and determination can really go a long way". "I was mediocre at best in high school. I think I've done pretty well wrestling in college", said Brown. "If there was one thing I could tell the younger guys on our team it would be to go out and lead, lead by example. Actions speak louder than words". Murphy will be among 18 wrestlers competing for the individual championship at the 165-pound weight class. He enters the national championships with a career record of 115-44 and has won three-straight NCAA Division III Midwest Regional qualifiers, advancing to the national championships with each win. He earned all-American honors after finishing eighth at the 2005 national championships. Murphy, who entered the regional qualifier as the third seed, picked up a 9-5 decision over sixth-seeded Ryan Pope of Delaware Valley College 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. With his three wins at the regional qualifier he improved his season record to 34-7 and has won each of the last 18 times he has stepped onto the mat. After going 0-2 at last season's national championships, Murphy believes the third time could be a charm. "I feel really healthy right now. Last year I had some bumps and bruises going into nationals. I feel really confident heading into the national championships healthy. I know that I am definitely one of the top wrestlers in the country and that I am capable of beating anyone in the tournament", said Murphy. When asked what will be going through your mind when you step on to the mat in Iowa, Murphy said, "The first thing I will be thinking of is that I have something that is unfinished. I let myself down last year. I just need to take it one match at a time. Nationals for me started at regionals a week ago. I have won 18 matches in a row and just have to keep it going". Brown will enter the national championships as one of 15 at the 285-pound weight class. He has recorded a school-best 126-31 mark over his four years in Greenville. A three-time NWCA Scholar all-American, Brown advanced to the national championships after winning the Midwest Regional qualifier in 2005. He has posted a 39-7 overall record this season. Brown entered last week's regional 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 pin fall win (1:32) 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 the regional qualifier number three among heavyweights in Division III. "The championship win at regionals was probably the biggest of my career. Yes, I've won a regional championship before, but the way I won this last one was special. I was behind most of the match and came back to win against the top-ranked wrestler in my class", said Brown. "He was the highest-ranked kid I've ever beaten and I definitely think it was a step in the right direction". When posed with the question of what he will be thinking about with his initial match, Brown said, "Well, probably before the match I will have a million worries, a million thoughts going through my head. I just hope that when I get onto the mat I just wrestle and do what I have been doing". When asked if he thought Murphy and Brown were prepared to come home next week as national champions, Thurber said, "We've been preparing for the last four years. Jeff and I knew when we saw how well they adapted to college wrestling that they would have this chance, this opportunity to do something really special. We know everyone in their brackets. There are a couple of kids in each that are tough, but these two are prepared to win. They believe in their abilities". Thurber and Linn are no strangers to competing at the highest levels of collegiate wrestling. Thurber was a three-time NCAA Division II all-American at the Unversity of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, finishing as a runner-up in 1995. Linn was an all-American in 2002 as a member of the Tomcat program. So what are some things that two former all-Americans have been talking to their all-Americans-to-be about. "The mental game is what we're trying to incorporate. The things we learned, the mistakes we made at nationals is exactly we have been preaching to them each day. We sincerely believe that these two guys could very easily be in the national finals,” said Linn. "Definitely the mental side of wrestling. These two don't get freaked out about different matches. They're pretty calm and confident. They've learned that if they just do the things we have been talking about they will be okay. I saw it on both of their faces last week at regionals. They are ready", said Thurber. "The first time we went to nationals as a group Jeff and I were doing more counseling than coaching. They were young then and we feel they are both ready for this now", said Thurber. "This is an exciting time for Corey and Kyle, as well as Jeff and I and the entire Thiel College community. Having the opportunity to go with these two to nationals really makes us feel good because it reinforces what we have been doing", said Thurber. Murphy is the son of Chris Murphy and is a 2003 graduate of Corry High School. He will graduate in May with a double major in juvenile and family justice and sociology. He hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice and expects coaching to be in his future. Brown is the son of Robin and Jonathan Whaley and Erick and Judy Brown and is a 2002 graduate of Meadville High School. He will graduate in May with a double major in physics and mathematics and is looking to teach and coach wrestling in high school.






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