Championship Wrestling at Rider
CAA Tournament March 5-6
Rider University's Alumni Gymnasium will be the site of the 2010 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Championship tournament March 5-6.
"It is extremely exciting for us to be hosting the CAA Wrestling Championships this year," said Rider Associate Head Coach John Hangey. "We feel that it emphasizes the tremendous support for our program from our administration and University."
The Broncs won their last seven dual meets to finish the regular season 15-6 overall, 6-1 in the CAA. Rider defeated nine-time defending champion Hofstra last week for the first time in 11 seasons.
"Our student-athletes have worked very hard this year and they had a pretty good dual meet season," said Hangey. "The fact that they get to fight for an individual automatic bid to the NCAA's and fight for a team championship in their home gym is a great opportunity for them."
The Broncs won 13 conference championships in a 15-year span before Hofstra won the last nine.
Old Dominion (10-5-1, 4-0-1 CAA) is ranked 24th in the nation and is the pre-tournament favorite, with Rider, Binghamton (14-7-2, 4-1-2 CAA), Drexel (9-13, 3-4 CAA) and Hofstra (6-12-2, 4-3 CAA) all in the running for a conference title. George Mason (3-10-1, 1-4-1 CAA) was the last CAA team to win a conference title (2001) before Hofstra's run. Boston University (4-14-1, 2-5 CAA) and Sacred Heart (2-19, 0-6 CAA) complete the eight-team field.
The quarterfinals begin Friday at 1:00 pm. The consolations are at 4:00 pm and the semifinals begin at 7:00 pm. On Saturday the second round of consolations begin at 10:00 am and the consolations and finals begin at 1:00 pm.
Rider has all ten starters ranked among the top six in the CAA, including senior Ed Bordas (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central), senior Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills) and sophomore Tyler Smith (Phillipsburg, N.J./Belvidere), who are ranked first in the CAA in their respective weight classes.
"We should be able to put quite a few kids in the finals this year," Hangey said, "and what a better year to do it, hosting the CAAs in our gym."
Bordas is the two-time defending CAA heavyweight champion and was 7-0 in CAA duals this year. Bordas leads Rider with 29 victories and is ranked 20th in the nation.
Kessler dropped down a weight class this year and is 6-1 in the CAA at 149. Kessler is a three-time NCAA qualifier and was a CAA runner-up in 2009 and 2007.
Smith came into his own this year and is the top ranked 197 pounder in the CAA with 23 wins, including 12 pins.
Sophomore Jimmy Kirchner (Somerville) is ranked second in the CAA among 133 pounders. Kirchner was 5-2 in the CAA this year after finishing third in the CAA Championships last year as a rookie.
Junior Rob Morrison (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) is ranked third in the CAA among 165 pounders and was 5-2 in the CAA, 24-12 overall.
Freshman Jim Resnick (Media, Pa./Penncrest) was twice the CAA Rookie of the Week this year and is ranked fourth in the CAA at 174 pounds. Resnick went 5-2 in the CAA and won his last four bouts to finish the regular season 16-13.
Freshman Zac Cibula (Luxenburg, Wis./Casco) also earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors this year and is ranked fourth in the CAA at 157 pounds. Cibula compiled an 18-11 record, 4-3 in the CAA.
Junior Ilyass Elmsaouri (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) is ranked fourth at 125, sophomore Aaron Nestor (Transfer, PA/Reynolds) is ranked fourth at 141 and senior Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio/Mayfield Village) is ranked fifth at 184.
Ward is 11-10 overall, 3-4 in the CAA. Nestor was 7-7 in dual meets this year. Elmsaouri won six matches this season, two in CAA duals.
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