• 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championship - Final Results
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. - Navy senior 184-pound Mathew Miller (Edgewood, Md.) earned a 4-2 victory over 14th-seeded Willie Miklus of Missouri on Saturday afternoon to place fifth at the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championship held at the historic Madison Square Garden. Miller is Navy's first All-American since Bryce Saddoris became a two-time All-American in 2011, while it's the best finish by a Navy wrestler at the National Championship since heavyweight Ed Prendergast placed third in 2008.

After dropping his second-round match on Thursday evening, Miller was forced to work his way through the consolation bracket on Friday. He needed to win three matches to assure himself All-American honors. He did so by defeating Stanford's Garet Krohn, 11-4, and pinning his next three competitors, including second-seeded Sammy Brooks of Iowa in the nightcap.

Miller met 13th-seeded Pete Renda of NC State in his opening match on Saturday and found himself nearly pinned in the second period. Renda owned a 4-0 advantage heading into the third period, but Miller tied the bout up after he scored the reversal and a two-point nearfall. Miller was able to get Renda's riding time advantage under one minute, but was unable to keep him within his clutches as Renda scored the match-winning point on an escape with just seven seconds remaining to win, 5-4.

Despite the tough loss, Miller regrouped and came back to control his match against Miklus. Miller owned a 4-0 advantage in the match, giving up a reversal as time expired, to place fifth with a 4-2 win.

Miller finished the season with a team-best 35-9 record, tying as the 16th-most single-season wins in program history. Among those 35 wins were 22 by fall which were the most among Div. I athletes and the second most by a Navy wrestler in school history (2 off the record by three-time All-American John Reich, 1982-83). Over half of his 83-career wins were by fall, finishing second in the Navy career record books with 44 (John Reich holds the record of 63). With an 83-22 (.790) career record, he graduates with the 10th-best winning percentage in program history among wrestlers with at least 75 wins.

Miller was a three-time NCAA qualifier and posted a 9-6 record at the NCAA Championship, including his 6-2 mark this season.

The championship round has yet to be wrestled, however, the Midshipmen are 22nd in the standings heading into the finals. Navy holds a one-point advantage over Wisconsin who has a wrestler that will compete in tonight's 165-pound championship. At worst, the Mids would slide to 23rd. It will be Navy's best finish at the National Championship since putting together back-to-back 18th-place performances at the 2007 and '08 tournaments.


NAVY WRESTLERS AT THE 86th NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
133 - (7) Eric Montoya, Nebraska def. Zack Davis, Navy - Major Dec, 19-6
133 - Zack Davis, Navy def. Robert Deutsch, Rider - Technical Fall, 17-1 (4:24)
133 - (9) Mack McGuire, Kent State def. Zack Davis, Navy - Dec, 4-2
Season Concluded - 28-16 record

141 - (11) Tommy Thorn, Minnesota def. Nicholas Gil, Navy - Dec, 3-2
141 - Ian Nickell, Cal State Bakersfield def. Nicholas Gil, Navy - Major Dec, 11-0
Season Concluded - 25-16 record

174 - Jadaen Bernstein, Navy def. (4) Ethan Ramos, North Carolina - Dec, 13-8
174 - Jadaen Bernstein, Navy def. Gordon Wolf, Lehigh - Major Dec, 15-4
174 - (12) Nathan Jackson, Indiana def. Jadaen Bernstein, Navy - Major Dec, 14-1
174 - (8) Zach Epperly, Virginia Tech def. Jadaen Bernstein, Navy - Medical Forfeit
Season Concluded - 34-12 record

184 - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. Steven Schneider, Binghamton - Dec, 6-1
184 - (8) Nolan Boyd, Oklahoma State def. (9) Mathew Miller, Navy - Dec, 10-3
184 - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. Garet Krohn, Stanford - Dec, 11-4
184 - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. Tom Sleigh, Bucknell - Fall, 1:13
184 - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. (11) Lorenzo Thomas, Penn - Fall, 1:50
184 - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. (2) Sammy Brooks, Iowa - Fall, 2:35
184 - (13) Pete Renda, NC State def. (9) Mathew Miller, Navy - Dec, 5-4
184 - 5th place match - (9) Mathew Miller, Navy def. (14) Willie Miklus, Missouri - Dec, 4-2
Season Concluded - 35-9

197 - (16) Kyle Conel, Kent State def. Michael Woulfe, Navy - Dec, 4-2
197 - Ryan Wolfe, Rider def. Michael Woulfe, Navy - Dec, 17-12
Season Concluded - 30-14 record

### Go Navy ###