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Jesse Dellavecchia
Larry Slater

Wrestling

Dellavecchia, Laird March on to NCAA Quarterfinals

Duo wins twice each to advance

ST. LOUIS, MO – Rider University wrestling graduate student Jesse Dellavecchia (Great River, NY/East Islip [Binghamton]) and senior Ethan Laird (Waterford, PA/General McLane) won twice each Thursday at NCAA Championships to advance to Friday's quarterfinals at Enterprise Center.

The No. 4 seed at 157 lbs., Dellavecchia opened the action with a 5-0 decision over North Carolina's Joshua McClure, before defeating 14th-seeded Hunter Willits of Oregon State, 4-2, in the night session. Next up is a quarterfinal meeting with Penn State's Brady Berge, the No. 12 seed, who upset Iowa's Kaleb Young, 3-2, Thursday night.

The seventh-seeded heavyweight, Laird held off Buffalo's Sam Schuyler, 3-2, in the opening round, before soundly defeating North Carolina State's No. 10 seed, Deonte Wilson, 7-2, in the night session. Laird will face second-seeded Mason Parris of Michigan in Friday's quarterfinals.
 
Notes
- Rider sent six wrestlers to NCAA's – Dellavecchia, Laird, Jonathan Tropea (Harrington Park, NJ/Saint Joseph (Montvale)), Richie Koehler (Middletown, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy), McKenzie Bell (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway) and Jake Silverstein (Hauppauge, NY/Smithtown [Nebraska]).     
- Tropea (125 lbs.), Koehler (133 lbs.), Bell (141 lbs.) and Silverstein (165 lbs.) were each defeated in their first two matches, ending their tournament runs.
- On the year, Dellavecchia remains unbeaten at 9-0.
- Dellavecchia and Laird are vying to become Rider's next All-Americans, with 15 different former Broncs earning the honor a total of 17 times. No Bronc has ever reached the championship final.   
 
Full Rider NCAA Championship Results

125 - #31 Jonathan Tropea
1st Round – Lost Dec. #2 vs. Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), 12-7
Cons. 1st Rd. – Lost By Fall vs. #18 Noah Surtin (Missouri) at 5:20

133 - #24 Richie Koehler
1st Round – Lost Maj. Dec. vs. #9 Michael McGee (Arizona State), 13-4
Cons. 1st Rd. – Lost Dec. vs. #25 Jacob Rundell (Purdue), 7-4   
 
141 - #17 McKenzie Bell
1st Round – Lost Maj. Dec. vs. #16 Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh), 17-3
Cons. 1st Rd. – Lost Dec. vs. #32 Cayden Rooks (Indiana), 6-1

157 - #4 Jesse Dellavecchia
1st Round – Won Dec. vs. #29 Joshua McClure (North Carolina), 5-0
Pre-Quarterfinals - Won Dec. vs. #13 Hunter Willits (Oregon State), 4-2
 
165 - #27 Jake Silverstein
1st Round – Lost Dec. vs. #6 Keegan O'Toole (Missouri), 4-0
Cons. 1st Rd. – Lost Dec. vs. #22 Kennedy Monday (North Carolina), 9-2
 
285 - #7 Ethan Laird – 2nd Place
1st Round – Won Dec. vs. #26 Sam Schuyler (Buffalo), 3-2
Pre-Quarterfinals – Won Dec. vs. #10 Deonte Wilson (North Carolina State), 7-2
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Players Mentioned

Jesse Dellavecchia

Jesse Dellavecchia

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Richie Koehler

Richie Koehler

5' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
Ethan Laird

Ethan Laird

6' 2"
Junior
Jonathan Tropea

Jonathan Tropea

5' 4"
Redshirt Junior
McKenzie Bell

McKenzie Bell

Freshman
Jake Silverstein

Jake Silverstein

Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jesse Dellavecchia

Jesse Dellavecchia

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Richie Koehler

Richie Koehler

5' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
Ethan Laird

Ethan Laird

6' 2"
Junior
Jonathan Tropea

Jonathan Tropea

5' 4"
Redshirt Junior
McKenzie Bell

McKenzie Bell

Freshman
Jake Silverstein

Jake Silverstein

Redshirt Sophomore