Wrestling earns three automatic berths to NCAA Championships

The University of Northern Iowa wrestling team landed three automatic qualifiers to the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships.Trent Washington (149 pounds), Jarion Beets (174 pounds) and Christian Brantley (heavyweight) all won their respective weight classes at the 2010 NCAA West Regional Championships to earn a spot at the national championships.

This will be Washington and Brantley's second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships and the first for Beets.

"We came out and wrestled hard. I'm very proud of the way our guys competed today," said head coach Brad Penrith.

UNI's streak of 24 consecutive West Regional team titles ended. Wyoming took the team title over the Panthers by just one-half a point, 75-74 1/2. In the heavyweight match for third place Wyoming got a pin of a South Dakota wrestler to give Wyoming the extra bonus points and the win.  UNI also lost a team point when Tyson Reiner tossed his headgear in frustration after being upset in the championship match.

"We competed hard in a majority of our matches today and had a lot of upsets, but in the end just fell short by a half a point," said Penrith.

Penrith was awarded Western Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year by a vote of the league coaches.  Penrith was also voted as the inaugural WWC coach of the year in 2007.

UNI and Wyoming each had three champions apiece, while the Panthers had three runner-up finishes compared to the Cowboys' one.

Washington (149 pounds) secured his spot in the NCAA Championships with an exciting 3-2 victory over Audrey Patselov of North Dakota State.  Washington scored a takedown in the first period and an escape in the second to edge Patselov in the finals.

Beets made easy work out of Air Force's Tyler French recording a 17-6 major decision at 174 pounds to advance to the NCAA Championships. At heavyweight Brantley scored a 2-1 first round decision over Kevin Kelly of South Dakota State before a second round 6-2 win to advance to the finals.  In the finals Brantley recorded a 10-6 victory over Stephen Larson of the Air Force.

Top-seeded Reiner (157 pounds) cruised his way through his first two matches before being upset by Vincent Salminen in the title match, 8-4.  David Bonin fell to the top seed in Sane Onufer 6-2 in the finals at 165.  Andy O'Loughlin fell to the No. 1 seed and returning All-American Joe LeBlanc 9-2 at 184 pounds.  LeBlanc was named WWC Outstanding Wrestler after the meet.

The NCAA Championships will be held in Omaha, Neb. this year March 18-20.