Onnidan News: Two MEAC Wrestlers Receive NCAA Tournament Invites

Two MEAC Wrestlers Receive NCAA Tournament Invites

March 8, 1999

Coppin State wrestler Marty Kusick and Delaware State grappler Francky Francois have received at-large invitations to the NCAA Championships. Both finished second in their weight class at the East Regional Championship, hosted by Howard University in Washington, DC this past weekend.

Kusick won two matches before falling to Eastern Illinois' Tom Combes, 8-3, in the 125-pound weight class final.

Francois was runner up to Don Pool of Eastern Illinois in the 141-pound class.

Kusick, is the fifth Coppin State wrestler in the past five years to qualify for the national tournament.

"Marty has had an outstanding season, and I felt he deserved the selection," said Coppin State head coach Kenneth Taylor, who took over an Eagle program in 1994 which had never sent a wrestler to the NCAA Championships.

"He won some tough matches this season, and I think he ranks among the top 20 in the country at his weight. He has the ability to go into the tournament and win some matches, but it will depend on where he is seeded."

Kusick joins Clevans Robinson (1995), Keno Brown (1996, 1997) Kenny Hunter (1997) and Sidney Billups, who received an at-large selection last year, as the only Coppin wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The championship brackets will be announced on March 17, with competition to begin the following day at Penn State University in University Park, Pa.

NCAA Eastern Regional Wrestling Tournament At Howard University

March 6, 1999

Team Scores:: 1. Northern Iowa 185.5; 2. Eastern Illinois 153; 3. Slippery Rock 92.5; 4. Howard 91.5; 5. Duquesne 85.5; 6. Marquette 85.0; 7. Millersville 62.0; 8. Delaware State 39.0; 9. Coppin State 32.5; 10. Norfolk State 29.5

Individual Results:
125 pounds- 1. Tom Combes, Eastern Illinois 2. Martin Kusick, Coppin State 3. Matt Puskar, Duquesne 4. Omar Porratta, Millersville 5. Ramone Gardenhire, Slippery Rock 6. Dan Fell, Marquette 133 pounds- 1. Eric Keller, University of Northern Iowa 2. Kelly Revells, Eastern Illinois 3. Derrick Green, Norfolk State 4. Chris Matarrese, Slippery Rock 5. Jeff Cianfrogna, Marquette 6. Derek Butts, Howard 141 pounds- 1. Don Pool, Eastern Illinois 2. Francky Francois, Delaware State 3. Mark Rial, University of Northern Iowa 4. Henry Hilton, Howard 5. Randy Hobbs, Duquesne 6. Jamie Weigant, Marquette 149 pounds- 1. Tony Davis, Northern Iowa 2. Chris Elliott, Slippery Rock 3. Jason Lawrence, Eastern Illinois 4. Pete DeCarli, Duquesne 5. Kelly Miller, Howard 6. Cario Moorman, Coppin 157 pounds- 1. Doug Ciekeski, Slippery Rock 2. Neil Posmer, Marquette 3. Joe Lucas, Duquesne 4. Keith Weber, Northern Iowa 5. Rob Serio, Eastern Illinois 6. Koenig Joseph, Delaware State	165 pounds- 1. Peter Butville, Marquette 2. Nate Lawrenz, Northern Iowa 3. Rick Ivanic, Millersville 4. Serge Polites, Delaware State 5. Dave Jackson, Slippery Rock 6. Tim Glass, Duquesne 174 pounds- 1. Randy Pugh, Northern Iowa 2. Jessie Moore, Howard 3. Brian Ebersole, Eastern Illinois 4. Adam Schaaf, Millersville 5. Mike Dumoch, Duquesne 6. Maynard Caulk, Delaware State 184 pounds- 1. Ken Bigley, Northern Iowa 2. Kyle Bracey, Eastern Illinois 3. Brock Warder, Marquette 4. Brian McDonald, Millersville 5. John Muse, Norfolk State 6. Isaac July, Howard 197 pounds- 1. Tony Wieland, Northern Iowa 2. Chad Roland, Duquesne 3. Frederic Ashley, Howard 4. Greg Eynon, Millersville 5. Zack Derrick, Eastern Illinois 6. Eddie Cyman, Marquette 285 pounds- 1. Derek delPorto, Slippery Rock 2. Mike Russous, Eastern Illinois 3. Adrian Thompson, Howard 4. Burt Beamer, Northern Iowa 5. Kenneth Hunter, Coppin State 6. Rafael Butts, Norfolk St
Outstanding Wrestler: Tony Davis (UNI)

Individual Results:

125 pounds-

1. Tom Combes, Eastern Illinois

2. Martin Kusick, Coppin State

3. Matt Puskar, Duquesne

4. Omar Porratta, Millersville

5. Ramone Gardenhire, Slippery Rock

6. Dan Fell, Marquette

133 pounds-

1. Eric Keller, University of Northern Iowa

2. Kelly Revells, Eastern Illinois

3. Derrick Green, Norfolk State

4. Chris Matarrese, Slippery Rock

5. Jeff Cianfrogna, Marquette

6. Derek Butts, Howard

141 pounds-

1. Don Pool, Eastern Illinois

2. Francky Francois, Delaware State

3. Mark Rial, University of Northern Iowa

4. Henry Hilton, Howard

5. Randy Hobbs, Duquesne

6. Jamie Weigant, Marquette

149 pounds-

1. Tony Davis, Northern Iowa

2. Chris Elliott, Slippery Rock

3. Jason Lawrence, Eastern Illinois

4. Pete DeCarli, Duquesne

5. Kelly Miller, Howard

6. Cario Moorman, Coppin

157 pounds-

1. Doug Ciekeski, Slippery Rock

2. Neil Posmer, Marquette

3. Joe Lucas, Duquesne

4. Keith Weber, Northern Iowa

5. Rob Serio, Eastern Illinois

6. Koenig Joseph, Delaware State

165 pounds-

1. Peter Butville, Marquette

2. Nate Lawrenz, Northern Iowa

3. Rick Ivanic, Millersville

4. Serge Polites, Delaware State

5. Dave Jackson, Slippery Rock

6. Tim Glass, Duquesne

174 pounds-

1. Randy Pugh, Northern Iowa

2. Jessie Moore, Howard

3. Brian Ebersole, Eastern Illinois

4. Adam Schaaf, Millersville

5. Mike Dumoch, Duquesne

6. Maynard Caulk, Delaware State

184 pounds-

1. Ken Bigley, Northern Iowa

2. Kyle Bracey, Eastern Illinois

3. Brock Warder, Marquette

4. Brian McDonald, Millersville

5. John Muse, Norfolk State

6. Isaac July, Howard

197 pounds-

1. Tony Wieland, Northern Iowa

2. Chad Roland, Duquesne

3. Frederic Ashley, Howard

4. Greg Eynon, Millersville

5. Zack Derrick, Eastern Illinois

6. Eddie Cyman, Marquette

285 pounds-

1. Derek delPorto, Slippery Rock

2. Mike Russous, Eastern Illinois

3. Adrian Thompson, Howard

4. Burt Beamer, Northern Iowa

5. Kenneth Hunter, Coppin State

6. Rafael Butts, Norfolk St

Outstanding Wrestler: Tony Davis (UNI)

The ten weight class champions plus 6 wild card selections will compete in the 1999 NCAA Wrestling Championships held at Penn State University March 18-20, 1999.

Wild Cards:
Martin Kusick, Coppin State
Francky Francois, Delaware State
Mike Russous, Eastern Illinois
Chad Roland, Duquesne
Chris Elliott, Slippery Rock
Nate Lawrenz, Northern Iowa

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