Wrestling News

DELAWARE VALLEY SET FOR 2008 NWCA/CLIFF KEEN NATIONAL DUALS
No. 4 Aggies To Battle St. Olaf In First Round

DOYLESTOWN (PA) -- The Delaware Valley College wrestling team, ranked fourth in the latest coaches' poll, will join some of the top Division III programs at the 2008 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/Cliff Keen National Duals hosted by the University of Northern Iowa on Saturday and Sunday, January 12 and 13.

The prestigious event will more than 80 wrestling teams from around the country with separate tournaments to determine the national dual meet champions for Division I, II and III as well as the NAIA, junior college and women's divisions.

Of the 16 teams in the Division III bracket, 10 are ranked in the latest Brute-Adidas NWCA Top 30 poll including the Aggies, who are 4-2 in dual meets. Their lone setbacks are a 41-6 loss to top-ranked Wartburg College (IA) and a 34-15 loss to No. 3 University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.

Delaware Valley is seeded fourth for the tournament and will open its competition Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. (CST) against unranked and unseeded St. Olaf College (MN). A victory would advance the Aggies into the quarterfinals (Saturday, 1:00 p.m.) against the winner of the Luther College (IA)/Ohio Northern University match. Luther is currently ranked fifth in Division III and seeded fifth for the duals.

The semifinals and a possible rematch with Wartburg College are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. The placement matches start two hours earlier with the battle for the seventh spot. Both the third and fifth place matches will begin at 1:00 p.m. with the National Duals championship match slated for 3:00 p.m.

Delaware Valley's lineup features five wrestlers who are ranked nationally in their respective weight classes. Senior Dan Hall (Waretown, NJ/Southern Regional) and juniors Mike Wilcox (Buena, NJ/Buena) and Kyle Bilquist (Toms River, NJ/Tom River South) are ranked second at 141 pounds, 184 pounds and heavyweight respectively. Freshman Jesse Harrington (New Providence, NJ/Bound Brook) is ranked seventh at 149 pounds while sophomore Joe West (Washington, PA/Trinity) is ninth at 197 pounds.

Hall, a three-time national qualifier who missed all of last season with an injury, is 14-4 with four pins this year. Among his wins is a 5-2 decision over then third-ranked Zach McKray of Wartburg. Hall also has a second-place finish at the York Invitational to his credit.

Bilquist, a 2007 national qualifier, has won 14 of 15 matches (four pins) and took first at both the York Invitational and the Sunshine Open. At last week's North/South Duals, he earned decision over the fifth and eighth-ranked wrestlers in his weight class.

Wilcox, a transfer from Gloucester Community College is 11-1 with three pins in his first year with the Aggies. He has also taken top honors at both the York Invitational and the Sunshine Open.

Harrington is 15-2 (one pin) with a pair of first-place finishes (Central Jersey Open and York Invitational) and a second-place effort (Sunshine Open) to his credit.

West has also taken first at Central Jersey and York and second at the Sunshine Open in his weight class. He has won 14 of 18 matches with five pins on the year.

Delaware Valley was seeded sixth at last year's National Duals, but came home with the third place trophy. The Aggies reached the semifinals with a 26-18 victory over 11th-seeded North Central College (IL) and a 25-12 triumph over third-seeded Luther. They dropped a 36-6 decision to second-seeded Wartburg, but bounced with a 21-17 victory over fifth-seeded Johnson & Wales University (RI) in the third place match.