ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Navy's wrestling season came to a close on Friday afternoon, as Navy senior team captain Peyton Walsh (Glen Allen, Va.) and freshman Jadaen Bernstein (Glen Gardner, N.J.) suffered their second loss at the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championship at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., bowing out of the double-elimination tournament.

"The team and coaching staff are extremely proud of Peyton and Jadaen and know they both have an incredible future ahead of them," said first-year Navy head coach Joel Sharratt. "This event emphasizes how hard you have to work day in and day out to gain a competitive advantage, as well as the support it takes to keep these talented warriors on the road to excellence and reaching their full potential.

"Peyton and Jadaen competed with an all-in mentality and gave a great effort toward reaching their individual goals and that is something Peyton will fall back on when the going gets tough in his Marine Corps career. It cuts him deeply that he gave so much and fell short of his personal goal, but I know the importance of how this will shape him as a future leader of our country."

Walsh, who was seeded eight at 165 pounds, opened the tournament with a 5-1 win over Air Force's Jesse Stafford, but a second-round loss (7-2) to ninth-seeded Jackson Morse of Illinois on Thursday evening sent Walsh to the consolation bracket. The three-time NCAA qualifier met Northern Colorado's Mitchell Polkowske on Friday afternoon and held a 3-2 advantage early in the third period. Polkowske took a 4-3 advantage with 40 seconds remaining in the match before a flurrying of counters by both wrestlers. Walsh would take his final bow as a collegiate wrestler by a 7-5 count.

"Peyton prepared every day with an infectious attitude and incredible work ethic and that is a legacy he can be proud to leave his teammates with," added Sharratt. "It will significantly impact several of our wrestlers throughout the remainder of their careers on the mat."

Walsh closed out his four-year career by putting forth his best performance with a 40-10 record - it was both the most wins in any one season, while also marking the fewest losses he has posted in any one season. Walsh is the sixth overall and the fifth different wrestler in program history to record 40 wins in a season, joining Mark Conley (2001-02), Matt Stolpinski (2006-07, 2007-08), Tanner Garrett (2005-06) and Bryce Saddoris (2008-09). His 40 wins are the sixth most in school history, while his 108 career wins are the 10th most.

Unseeded at 174 pounds, Bernstein dropped a 5-3 decision in his NCAA debut to 12th-seeded Kyle Crutchmer of Oklahoma State, who will wrestler Friday evening in the semifinals. The Navy rookie bounced back to earn his first NCAA Tournament victory by way of a 4-2 decision over Central Michigan's Jordan Ellingwood on Thursday evening. Bernstein, however, would suffer his second loss of the tournament just moments after Walsh when 11th-seeded Zach Brunson of Illinois built nearly three minutes of riding time en route to a 6-2 decision over Bernstein.

Bernstein concludes his first season at the Academy with a 24-15 record that featured an EIWA Championship in his first appearance.

"As Jadaen finished running his sprints following his loss this afternoon, he knew he had 364 days, 11 hours and 5 minutes before getting another opportunity at becoming a National Champion and an All-American. As a program we need to make every second count and guys like Peyton have emphasized that for our younger team members daily."


### Go Navy ###