CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (Feb. 23) – Freshman 141-pounder
Nick Garber highlighted the Waynesburg University wrestling team's performance at the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, hosted by Wabash College on Saturday. Garber completed the day with a 3-1 record and a third-place finish to lead the Yellow Jackets to 21 points and an 11th-place finish.
Garber, who entered the bracket as the fifth seed, earned an opening-round bye before posting a victory via a 7-0 decision against junior Bryan Wight of Tri-State University (Ind.). The Waynesburg native then was forced to the wrestleback after losing a 12-4 major decision to top-seeded and eventual champion Dan Hall, a senior from Delaware Valley College who is ranked No. 2 the country. In his first match of the wrestleback, Garber earned a 15-10 decision over third-seeded junior Matthew Palladino from Manchester College (Ind.). Garber concluded the day with a 5-3 victory by decision over Wright in the third-place bout.
The third-place finish at the annual regional event by Garber is the highest for a Waynesburg wrestler since Chris Vicente accomplished the feat as a senior in the 141-lbs. bracket. Despite competing in limited action, Garber finished the season with a 10-2 overall record with a 6-0 mark in matches decided by pinfall.
Senior heavyweight
LR Neubauer also posted a victory for the Yellow Jackets on Saturday. After a loss in his first match, Neubauer registered a pinfall in 58 seconds against junior Spencer Fulk of Manchester in the wrestleback. The senior led the team and set a career high in victories with 13, including 11 wins by pinfall.
Freshman
Kevin Walsh (157-pounds) and junior
Mike Capuzzi (197-pounds) also competed for Waynesburg at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Delaware Valley won the regional title for a second-straight year with 191 points behind six first-place finishers, while Olivet College (Mich.) finished in second place with 140 points after placing 10 wrestlers with three individual champions. Case Western Reserve University (98.5), Tri-State (87.5) and the College of Mount St. Joseph (86.0) rounded out the top five in the team standings.
