Brackets

Team Standings

Brandon Jones and Patrick Sheehan of the 17th-ranked New York University wrestling team began competition at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships on Friday, March 15, at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, IA.
 
Seeded fifth at 133 pounds, Jones won both of his bouts to advance to the championship semifinals. He will face #1 seed Kenny Anderson of Wartburg College on Saturday morning with a berth in the National Championship Match on the line.
 
Unseeded at 184 pounds, Sheehan went 2-2 for the day, advancing as far as the consolation third round before ultimately bowing out. He fell just one win shy of achieving All-America status.
 
In the team standings, NYU sits tied for 18th place out of 64 squads with 11 points.
 
Highlights
 
- Jones began the day with a 9-4 decision over Chad Lammer of Elizabethtown College. He recorded a takedown just eight seconds into the bout and controlled it from there, scoring three takedowns, a reversal and 2:26 of riding time.
 
- In the 133 championship quarterfinals, Jones earned a 15-8 decision over fourth-seeded Dalton Bullard of Elmhurst College. The bout was tied at 5-5 after the first period before Jones took over. By the end of the second period, he led 11-6 after scoring a reversal, a near fall and a takedown. Jones added two more takedowns in the third period to seal the victory.
 
- With the two wins, Jones ensured himself of a top-six finish and All-America honors. He will take on #1 seed Kenny Anderson of Wartburg College in the 133 semifinals on Saturday morning with a berth to the National Championship Match on the line. Neither wrestler has lost this season: Jones is 16-0, while Anderson is 26-0. Anderson won the 125-pound National Championship last season and has won 44 straight bouts dating back to last year.
 
“Brandon looked tough,” said Senior Assistant Coach Corey Luce. “He might have wrestled a little cautiously in his first match. But in the second, he wrestled as good of a match as we can expect. We feel really good going in to the semis against the #1 seed.”
 
- Sheehan lost a tight 11-9 decision to Jayden DeVilbiss of Luther College in his first bout. However, he bounced back with victories in the first and second rounds of the consolation bracket. Sheehan first pinned Jefferson Ajayi of Wesleyan University (CT), an All-American last season, in 3:34. He then took down seventh-seeded Brian Broll of Buena Vista University 5-1.
 
- Needing a victory in the consolation third round to earn All-America honors and continue to Day Two, however, Sheehan could not pull out another victory. He was pinned 1:30 into his bout with #7 seed Colin Lenhardt of Johnson & Wales University (RI). Sheehan ended an outstanding sophomore season with a record of 26-9.
 
“Pat had a great season, and he showed today that he can go with the best in the country," commented Luce. "I'm confident he will be back at the NCAA Championships next year bringing home some hardware."
 
Saturday's morning session begins at 10:00 am central time. There will be live video here.