Williams Seventh, Weakley Eighth At NCAAs

OMAHA, Neb. – Freshman Mike Williams posted a seventh place finish in the 157-pound bracket, while junior Russell Weakley concluded the 125-pound tournament with eighth place laurels, as both athletes secured all-American status at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships Saturday evening at Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha, Neb.

The results helped UNCP collect 15-1/2 team points and gave the Braves a 23rd place finish at the event – their highest team finish since in 2005 (seventh) and the highest under head coach Jamie Gibbs as well. Weakley and Williams became the 59th and 60th all-Americans in the history of the wrestling program, while also giving UNCP 17 such laurels since 2000.

Sixth-ranked Mike Williams fell to Augustana's Marcus Edgington in the 157-pound division, but would grab seventh place honors after Wisconsin-Parkside's Dillon Bera defaulted due to injury. Weakley medically forfeited both of his matches on the day, including an injury default in his seventh place bout with Nebraska-Omaha's Terrell McKinney.

UNO amassed more than 100 team points in easily outdistancing the rest of the field en route to its second consecutive national championship.

2009 NCAA DIVISION II WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS (UNCP RESULTS ONLY)

125 Pound Tournament
Terrell McKinney (Nebraska-Omaha) dec. #7 Russell Weakley (UNCP) D 5-2
#7 Russell Weakley (UNCP) dec. Kyle O'Brien (Western State) D 7-3
#7 Russell Weakley (UNCP) pinned Ryan Link (Pitt-Johnstown) F 6:40
Kenny Trumbetta (Seton Hill) inj. def. #7 Russell Weakley (UNCP) MFor
Terrell McKinney (Nebraska-Omaha) inj. def. #7 Russell Weakley (UNCP) MFor

157 Pound Tournament
#6 Mike Williams (UNCP) dec. Justin Decker (Upper Iowa) D 6-1
Danny Grater (Fort Hays State) dec. #6 Mike Williams (UNCP) SV 5-3
#6 Mike Williams (UNCP) dec. John Sundgren (St. Cloud State) D 6-5
#1 Marcus Edgington (Augustana, S.D.) dec. #6 Mike Williams (UNCP) D 6-4
#6 Mike Williams (UNCP) inj. def. Dillon Bera (Wisconsin-Parkside) MFor

174 Pound Tournament
#3 J.J. Davis (UNCP) dec. Cody Rowell (Central Oklahoma) D 8-6
Shamus O'Grady (St. Cloud State) pinned #3 J.J. Davis (UNCP) F 6:21
Anthony Petrella (Gannon) maj. dec. #3 J.J. Davis (UNCP) M 15-6

197 Pound Tournament
Shane Nolan (UNCP) dec. Justin McKain (Nebraska-Kearney) D 3-2
#1 Jacob Marrs (Nebraska-Omaha) tech. fall Shane Nolan (UNCP) TF 15-0; 5:30
Scott Snyder (Kutztown) pinned Shane Nolan (UNCP) F 2:55