SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – 285-pounder James Bankston lost his first match, but bounced back with two wins to punch his ticket to the final day at the NCAA Championships on Friday and clinch his spot as an All-American.

Bankston fell to No. 1 seed Dorian Crosby of Gannon, but picked up a 5-2 overtime win over No. 8 seed Torin Forsyth of Central Missouri and a 2-1 decision win over No. 7 seed Luke Tweeton of UMary to stay alive in the tournament. Bankston is set to wrestle No. 6 seed Isaiah Vance of Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday. Bankston becomes the 69th All-American in UNC Pembroke wrestling history.

133 pounder Logan Robinson went 2-2 on the day, picking up a 12-1 major decision over Pitt-Johnstown's Brady Baker and a 6-5 decision win over Minnesota State's Chase Beckett, before being eliminated by McKendree's Thaddeus Long.

Cooper Davis went 1-2 in the 125-pound bracket, earning a 19-2 technical fall over Newberry's Ricky Springs, before being eliminated by No. 8 seed Logan Sallot of Gannon.

Despite the setbacks, the Black & Gold has now logged team points at 23-straight NCAA Championships events dating back to the 2002-03 campaign. Friday's action marked the 44th year that UNCP has been represented on the sport's biggest stage, and the tenth-straight year that the Braves have qualified multiple wrestlers for the event.

 

125 Pounds
Champ. Round 1: No. 2 Anthony Aniciete (Tiffin) over Cooper Davis (UNC Pembroke)  •  MD 10-2  Cons. Round 1: Cooper Davis (UNC Pembroke) over Ricky Springs (Newberry)  •  TF 19-2 Cons. Round 2: No. 8 Logan Sallot (Gannon) over Cooper Davis (UNC Pembroke)  •  Dec 8-4

133 Pounds
Prelim: Logan Robinson (UNC Pembroke) over Brady Baker (Pitt-Johnstown)  •  MD 12-1 Champ. Round 1: No. 6 Jakob Romero (Adams St.) over Logan Robinson (UNC Pembroke)  •  Dec 5-1 Cons. Round 1: Logan Robinson (UNC Pembroke) over Chase Beckett (Minnesota St.)  •  Dec 6-5 Cons. Round 2: No. 4 Thaddeus Long (McKendree) over Logan Robinson (UNC Pembroke)  •  TF 17-2

285 Pounds
Champ. Round 1: No. 1 Dorian Crosby (Gannon) over James Bankston (UNC Pembroke)  •  Dec 2-1 Cons. Round 1: James Bankston (UNC Pembroke) over No. 8 Torin Forsyth (Central Mo.)  •  SV-1 5-2 Cons. Round 2: James Bankston (UNC Pembroke) over No. 7 Luke Tweeton (UMary)  •  Dec 2-1