For an intensive recap of the first day of action, click here.
Three Cornell wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals in day one of the NCAA Championships. The Red finished the first session in the top 10 with a 10-3 overall record on the day. All four of Cornell’s seeded wrestlers won matches and added bonus points. The Red totaled 17.5 points to secure eighth place thus far in the team standings. No. 1 Gabe Dean (184) reached the quarterfinals with a 11-3 major decision over No. 16 Jordan Ellingwood of Central Michigan. The two-time defending champion started off his campaign with another high scoring major decision over Navy’s Michael Coleman, 21-12. With that win, Dean ties a program record of 150 career wins. “Just business as usual this year,” Dean told TheOpenMat after his first match. “[I’m] taking one match at a time and focusing on what I can control.” At 174, No. 2 Brian Realbuto also won both his matches on the day. The senior first picked up a technical fall over Indiana’s Devin Skatzka, 19-4, in the first round. A shutout technical fall (17-0) over No. 15 Tace Engelke from Northern Illinois wrapped up a solid first day for Realbuto. The last of Thursday’s undefeateds was senior Dylan Palacio (157). The four-time qualifier put up a clean 9-1 major decision over Taleb Rahmani of Pitt to start his day. Later on, Palacio claimed his spot in the semis with a 9-5 decision over Central Michigan’s No. 10 Colin Heffernan. Other victories in the first session came from sophomore No. 13 Brandon Womack (165) and senior Mark Grey (133). The first-time qualifier Womack moved past the first round with a major decision, but could not break through against No. 4 Isaac Joseph from Wisconsin, losing in a 5-1 decision. Grey won his first match in the pigtail round with a major decision as well. The veteran failed to reach the second round after losing by decision. But a major decision consolation victory over Ivy foe Jeffery Ott from Harvard let Grey advance in the wrestlebacks, which continue on Friday. Ben Honis (197) was not able to advance in his first NCAA appearance after a 9-2 decision loss in round one. But the sophomore bounced back with an 11-2 major decision in first consolation round. At the end of day one, three Cornell wrestlers remain in contention for national titles.Read More
