Nov. 15, 2015


• 2015 Michigan State Open - Both Divisions

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Eleven of the 15 wrestlers who competed for the Navy wrestling program in the Open and Freshman/Sophomore Divisions of the Michigan State Open on Sunday placed among the top eight, including sophomore Corey Wilding (Pittsburgh, Pa.) who was crowned the 149-pound winner in the Freshman/Sophomore Division.

Three of Navy's seven entries in the Open Division placed, while all eight of the Mids competing in the Freshman/Sophomore Division were among the placewinners.

Senior Mathew Miller (Edgewood, Md.) led the way for the Mids in the Open Division, as he finished as the runner-up at 184 pounds. Miller, who pinned each of his first three opponents to punch his ticket into the finals, was tripped up in the championship bout by Central Michigan's Austin Severn, 3-1. The two-time NCAA qualifier and the nation's 18th-ranked wrestler has now won 30 matches by way of fall over his career, including seven this season. He is ranked sixth on Navy's leader board for career pins and is just one shy of tying fifth-place Pete Blair (1951-55).

Taking third at 197 pounds in the Open Division was senior Michael Woulfe (Oak Park, Ill.), who pushed up a weight class this season with the return of Miller. Woulfe opened up with a pair of falls followed by a major decision over Central Michigan's Jackson Lewis that sent him to the semifinals. Northern Illinois' Shawn Scott, however, dealt Woulfe his first loss of the day, 10-5, but the Navy senior bounced back to score a 12-7 win over Ohio State's Kollin Moore to take third.

Rounding out the Open Division was sophomore Jadaen Bernstein (Glen Gardner, N.J.), who placed sixth at 174 pounds. Ranked 18th, Bernstein won his opener against Kent State's Jerald Spohn, 11-5, before Central Michigan's Christian Brucki scored a surprise 5-4 win against the reigning EIWA 174-pound champion. Bernstein made his way through the wrestlebacks, winning four in a row before dropping a 13-9 decision to Nick Kee of Appalachian State in the fifth-place match.

As previously mentioned, all eight Navy wrestlers who entered the Freshman/Sophomore Division finished among the top eight in their respective weight classes. Navy was assured a champion at 149 pounds after both Wilding and sophomore Casey Cowan (Houston, Texas) landed a spot in the championship bout. Wilding won a 4-2 decision in sudden victory against Bucknell's Collin Boylin to earn a spot in the semis where he would go on to pin Mark Bozzo of Michigan State. Meanwhile, Cowan's 7-6 victory over Eastern Michigan's J.J. Wolfe propelled him into to the semis where he would beat Appalachian State's Matthew Zovistoski, 12-6, for a chance to win his first title. Wilding, however, would secure the victory over his teammate by a 6-1 decision.

Sophomore Michael Coleman (Hudson, Ohio) and freshman Nicholas Gil (Crystal Lake, Ill.) both earned a spot in the championship of their respective weight classes. Coleman earned a 5-1 decision over Ohio State's Seth Williams in the 165-pound semifinals before losing a heartbreaker in the first tie breaker (7-6) to Austin Reese of Ohio. Meanwhile, earned his way into the championship bout of the 141-pound weight class thanks to a 10-5 victory over Findlay's Ryan Skonieczny, but suffered a 13-3 setback to Ohio State's Ke-Shawn Hayes in the finals.

Also placing in the Freshman/Sophomore Division for the Mids were 125-pound sophomore Brant Leadbeter (Owings, Md.) in eighth, freshman 157-pound Jonathan Carrera (Milton, Mass.) in seventh, sophomore 157-pound Rodney Hahn (Winfield, Mo.) in eighth and sophomore 184-pound Robert Mannier (Troy, Ohio) in sixth.

Navy also sent 14 wrestlers to the East Stroudsburg Open on Sunday where sophomore heavyweight Nick Mabry (New Braunfels, Texas) finished in second place.

Navy returns home next Saturday to play host to the 38th annual Navy Classic at Wesley Brown Field House beginning at 10:00 am. Joining the Midshipmen in this year's tournament will be Bucknell, Brown, Campbell, Delaware Valley, George Mason, #20 Kent State, #23 Ohio, Princeton and #12 Wisconsin.


### Go Navy ###