March 12, 2008

COVERAGE
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ABOUT THE NCAA DIVISION II WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
First-year Mercyhurst coach Mike Wehler and five Laker wrestlers make the flight to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this weekend for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, which begin Friday, March 14 at 11 a.m.

Each weight class features 16 wrestlers--the top four finishers from each of the four regions. The wrestlers will represent 37 different Division II schools. Central Oklahoma is the defending champion and has captured seven team titles since 1992. Nebraksa-Omaha won the three previous championships, giving each program three titles since 2002. Mercyhurst finished 15th out of 34 teams last year and placed 14th out of 32 in 2005-06.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the U.S. Cellular Center box office at 319-398-5211. Tournament passes are $45 for reserved seating, general admission tournament passes are $40. Tickets for sessions 1-3 are $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens. Championship session tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students. Children two-years-old and younger are admitted free of charge.

ABOUT THE LAKERS
While the Mercyhurst wrestling program is only in its seventh year, it has produced at least one All-American each year since its inception in 2001-02. Last season, three Lakers earned All-American status as J.J. Zanetta (141) and Zack Schafer (165) placed seventh and Andy Lamancusa (157) earned sixth.

Of the three, only Lamancusa is back on the squad, and Lamancusa, after capturing his second-straight East Region championship this season will be looking to improve on last year's finish. The best finishes in Mercyhurst history belong to Schafer and Ben McAvinew, who both finished as the runner-up in 2006 and 2005 respectively.

Lamancusa reached the fifth-place bout last season before falling to Wisconsin-Parkside's Bradley Becker. This season, he has posted a 20-14 record and is currently ranked fifth in Division II. Lamancusa has already faced five of the wrestlers in the bracket and has a 4-1 mark against them. His lone loss was a 2-1 decision to fourth-ranked Antonio Guerra of Findlay.

In the opening round, Lamancusa will face Eric Pretto of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, who is 20-15 and finished fifth at the Midwest Regional, but earned a bid in place of fourth-place finisher Mike Horton of Indianapolis.

Joining Lamancusa is first-time qualifiers Brian Pogel, Josh Shields and Trevor Gallo and four-time qualifier Hudson Harrison.

Pogel, a junior at 149 pounds, captured the East Region Championship in his first appearance at the event by posting a 4-0 record and defeating Latra Collick of Newberry 5-2 in the title tilt.

His win in the championship bout was his 33rd of the season, which set a new school record for wins in a season. Pogel's 33-7 record has him ranked third in the nation and it also includes a 23-1 record with 22-straight wins against Division II competition.

One of those victories was an 11-3 major decision over defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Todd Meneely of Nebraska-Omaha on Jan. 12. Pogel was one of only two wrestlers to defeat Meneely this season.

Harrison, a senior at 165 pounds, is making his fourth appearance at the championships but qualified at 174 pounds last year and at 157 as a freshman. He appears poised to make a run at his first All-American honor after posting a 30-8 record and placing third at the East Region Championships.

He drew Nebraska-Omaha's Aaron Denson in the prelims. Denson is ranked fourth in the nation and has a 30-5 record.

At 174 pounds, Shields, a red-shirt freshman, is making his first appearance at the championships after finishing runner-up in the East Region to sixth-ranked Albert Miles of Pitt-Johnstown. Miles and Shields have now split two meetings this season.

Shields is 20-8 despite missing nearly two months with an injury. He will face Blake Malloy of Fort Hays State in the prelims.

Gallo, a junior at 197, is also making his first appearance at nationals and boasts a 24-14 record. He earned the berth by placing third at the regional, defeating Mitch Knapp of West Liberty 3-2 in the third-place match.

He enters the championships with top-shelf experience, having wrestled 10 matches against national qualifiers and four against nationally ranked wrestlers. Gallo's opening round opponent is Indianapolis' Matt Norton, who owns a 14-13 mark.

THE COACH
With five national qualifiers this season, Wehler has totaled 17 in four seasons as a head coach. In three years at West Liberty State, four of his wrestlers earned All-American honors.