MAC Gains Nine At-Large Selections As 45 MAC Wrestlers Head To NCAA Championships
MAC With Third Most Qualifiers Among Division I Conferences Heading To 2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA announced the brackets and qualifiers for the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The MAC received nine at-large selections as a total of 45 wrestlers will head to the 2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships, the third most of any Division I Wrestling Conference in the NCAA.
There were a total of 53 at-large selections for the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, as the at-large selections will join the 277 students that qualified automatically through individual Conference Championships over the last two weeks.
2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships Bracket
The MAC's nine at-large selections brings the Conference total to 45 wrestlers headed to the 2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 16-18. The nine at-large selections from the MAC were Brent Fleetwood of Central Michigan (125); Noah Gonser of Eastern Michigan (125); Noah Forrider of Ohio (141); Nick Barber of Eastern Michigan (149); Casey Sparkman of Kent State (157); Seldon Wright of Old Dominion (165); Austin Severn of Central Michigan (197); Zack Parker of Ohio (285) and Newton Smerchek of Central Michigan (285).
In addition, the MAC's 45 wrestlers that qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships represents the third most among any Division I Conference this season. Last weekend, the Missouri Tigers won their fifth consecutive MAC Wrestling Championship.
The at-large selections were made by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee using the following selection criteria: head-to-head competition, quality wins, results against common opponents, winning percentage, rating percentage index, coaches ranking and qualifying event placement.
MAC Wrestlers Qualified by weight class, with at-large qualifiers listed first followed by the automatic qualifiers in alphabetical order:
125 Pounds
*Brent Fleetwood, Central Michigan, 22-10
*Noah Gonser, Eastern Michigan, 16-10
Kyle Akins, Buffalo, 19-5
Brock Hudkins, NIU, 18-10
Shakur Laney, Ohio, 26-6
Barlow McGhee, Missouri, 19-11
Dylan Peters, Northern Iowa, 8-6
133 Pounds
Josh Alber, Northern Iowa, 23-5
John Erneste, Missouri, 23-6
Corey Keener, Central Michigan, 19-13
Bryan Lantry, Buffalo, 20-5
Alex Madrigal, Old Dominion, 12-12
Anthony Tutolo, Kent State, 19-8
141 Pounds
*Noah Forrider, Ohio, 26-6
Jaydin Eierman, Missouri, 24-5
Mason Smith, Central Michigan, 23-12
149 Pounds
*Nick Barber, Eastern Michigan, 16-12
Steve Bleise, NIU, 26-7
Michael Hayes, Old Dominion, 18-13
Lavion Mayes, Missouri, 19-2
Justin Oliver, Central Michigan, 29-7
Max Thomsen, Northern Iowa, 27-5
157 Pounds
*Casey Sparkman, Kent State, 25-12
Colin Heffernan, Central Michigan, 29-7
Joey Lavallee, Missouri, 25-1
165 Pounds
*Seldon Wright, Old Dominion, 20-10
Daniel Lewis, Missouri, 24-3
Shaun`Qae McMurtry, NIU, 10-10
Bryce Steiert, Northern Iowa, 19-4
174 Pounds
Christian Brucki, Central Michigan, 29-8
Trace Engelkes, NIU, 19-4
Taylor Lujan, Northern Iowa, 27-4
184 Pounds
Jack Dechow, Old Dominion, 28-3
Jordan Ellingwood, Central Michigan, 26-8
Drew Foster, Northern Iowa, 22-4
197 Pounds
*Austin Severn, Central Michigan, 23-10
Kevin Beazley, Old Dominion, 22-5
J`den Cox, Missouri, 23-0
Jacob Holschlag, Northern Iowa, 20-8
Shawn Scott, NIU, 24-7
285 Pounds
*Zack Parker, Ohio, 22-11
*Newton Smerchek, Central Michigan, 23-11
Jake Gunning, Buffalo, 20-5
Gage Hutchison, Eastern Michigan, 25-13
Austin Myers, Missouri, 15-13
