Ten wrestlers make top eight at Missouri
Cumberland University has a very young team, so Head Coach Jarad Swint took his team to compete at the Missouri Open which is some of the top NCAA I competition in the country. He entered all but one wrestler in the freshman/sophomore tournament. The team competed against wrestlers from University of Missouri, Oklahoma University, MacMurray College, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Missouri Valley, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois, Indianapolis, Northwest Missouri, Truman State, Central Missouri State, Harper Community College, Central Oklahoma, McKendree College, Indiana University, Meramac Community College, Universtiy of Illinois, and Rend Lake University. Swint said “It is a good opportunity for this young team to wrestle some NCAA I competition that is at their age. We also outperformed Missouri Valley and McKendree at the tournament. Missouri Valley College ranked 5th in the NAIA had 4 wrestlers place in the top eight and McKendree College ranked 9th had 1 wrestler place in the top eight. I know that these teams did not have all of their top guys wrestling and had more in the open, but I know we could say the same thing. It is definitely a good bench mark.”
There were two separate tournaments at Missouri. Senior Eric McCray at 184 was the only CU wrestler to wrestle in the open tournament that included upperclassmen. McCray won his first two matches to reach the semifinals. He then fell short in his next three matches placing sixth. In the semifinals McCray faced Raymond Jordan the 6th ranked NCAA I wrestler at 184.
Sophomore Desean Willis at 125 won four matches on the day making it to the round of eight before falling to Greg Cannon from the University of Oklahoma for the second time in the tournament. Willis defeated Cody Frye from Missouri Valley, Scott Audo from Southern Illinois Edwardsville, Anthony Williams Eastern Illinois, and Jimmy Nichols from Indianapolis. Willis outperformed Andy Harper the 2006 returning 3rd placer from the NJCAA national tournament. Willis placed 7th at 2006 NJCAA nationals.
Freshman Corey Bleaken at 149 continues to perform well as he placed 2nd, going 4-1 on the day. Bleaken had two pins and a major decision on his way to the finals. He lost a close 3-2 decision to Central Oklahoma’s Colby Robinson in the finals.
Sophomore Daniel Rosbottom at 157 made the top eight going 2-2 on the weekend. Rosbottom defeated Bryan Beard from the University of Indiana 5-3 to make it to the round of eight. Rosbottom is from Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Redshirt freshman Kurt Hamilton at 165 went 2-2 after a first round bye to make the top eight. Hamilton defeated Andrew Wood from Missouri, and Jose Caceras from Meramac Community College.
Sophomore Trey Myers at 165 had a good weekend going 3-1 before giving up a medical forfeit in the consolation finals to take 4th. Myers had wins over Caceras from Meramac, Ray Richardson from Harper, and Justin Milos from Harper.
Sophomore Luke Borneman at 184 was 4th going 4-2 for the tournament. Borneman defeated Eric Cameron from the University of Indiana, Alex Knipp from Harper, Kyle Studer from Cumberland University, and Chas Maloch from McKendree.
Freshman Kyle Studer at 184 made the top eight going 2-2 on the weekend. Studer had wins over Josh Skurnik form Missouri and a medical forfeit over Kenny Meredith from Central Oklahoma.
Freshman Ben Briscoe at 197 was 2nd going 3-1 on the weekend. Briscoe had wins over Matt Cole from Oklahoma University, Skyler Ervin fromUniversity of Indianapolis, and Justin Kuhn from Indiana University.
Freshman Xavier Taylor at 285made the top eight by going 3-2 on the weekend. Taylor defeated Aaron Bland from Truman State, Ed Carpenter from Eastern Illinois, and Adam Robinson from Rend Lake University.
Other wrestlers results for the weekend were as follows: Sophomore Eric Rogers at 125 went 2-2, Freshman Stephen Medina at 157 went 1-2, and wrestling unattached freshman Tommy Creutz at 165 went 2-2.
There were two separate tournaments at Missouri. Senior Eric McCray at 184 was the only CU wrestler to wrestle in the open tournament that included upperclassmen. McCray won his first two matches to reach the semifinals. He then fell short in his next three matches placing sixth. In the semifinals McCray faced Raymond Jordan the 6th ranked NCAA I wrestler at 184.
Sophomore Desean Willis at 125 won four matches on the day making it to the round of eight before falling to Greg Cannon from the University of Oklahoma for the second time in the tournament. Willis defeated Cody Frye from Missouri Valley, Scott Audo from Southern Illinois Edwardsville, Anthony Williams Eastern Illinois, and Jimmy Nichols from Indianapolis. Willis outperformed Andy Harper the 2006 returning 3rd placer from the NJCAA national tournament. Willis placed 7th at 2006 NJCAA nationals.
Freshman Corey Bleaken at 149 continues to perform well as he placed 2nd, going 4-1 on the day. Bleaken had two pins and a major decision on his way to the finals. He lost a close 3-2 decision to Central Oklahoma’s Colby Robinson in the finals.
Sophomore Daniel Rosbottom at 157 made the top eight going 2-2 on the weekend. Rosbottom defeated Bryan Beard from the University of Indiana 5-3 to make it to the round of eight. Rosbottom is from Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Redshirt freshman Kurt Hamilton at 165 went 2-2 after a first round bye to make the top eight. Hamilton defeated Andrew Wood from Missouri, and Jose Caceras from Meramac Community College.
Sophomore Trey Myers at 165 had a good weekend going 3-1 before giving up a medical forfeit in the consolation finals to take 4th. Myers had wins over Caceras from Meramac, Ray Richardson from Harper, and Justin Milos from Harper.
Sophomore Luke Borneman at 184 was 4th going 4-2 for the tournament. Borneman defeated Eric Cameron from the University of Indiana, Alex Knipp from Harper, Kyle Studer from Cumberland University, and Chas Maloch from McKendree.
Freshman Kyle Studer at 184 made the top eight going 2-2 on the weekend. Studer had wins over Josh Skurnik form Missouri and a medical forfeit over Kenny Meredith from Central Oklahoma.
Freshman Ben Briscoe at 197 was 2nd going 3-1 on the weekend. Briscoe had wins over Matt Cole from Oklahoma University, Skyler Ervin fromUniversity of Indianapolis, and Justin Kuhn from Indiana University.
Freshman Xavier Taylor at 285made the top eight by going 3-2 on the weekend. Taylor defeated Aaron Bland from Truman State, Ed Carpenter from Eastern Illinois, and Adam Robinson from Rend Lake University.
Other wrestlers results for the weekend were as follows: Sophomore Eric Rogers at 125 went 2-2, Freshman Stephen Medina at 157 went 1-2, and wrestling unattached freshman Tommy Creutz at 165 went 2-2.
