Three Earn All-America Honors at NCAA Div. III Wrestling Championship
Three earned All-America honors at the 2012 NCAA Division III
Wrestling Championships, held March 9-10 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Ohio Northern junior Kyle Kwiat
(Bloomville/Calvert) claimed the 174-pound national
title.
Third-seeded Kwiat ended his season with a 39-1 record after his
7-4 victory over fourth-seeded Bradley Banks (30-4) of Wartburg
(Iowa) in the finals. Kwiat is Northern's fourth national champion
and its third three-time All-American. He also won a new award
presented by the National Wrestling Coaching Association for the
most technical falls in the nation with 16.
Mount Union senior Josh Malave (Rocky River/Lutheran
West) placed seventh in the 141-pound weight class. Malave
won his first match before suffering a close 1-0 loss to
Wartburg's Kodie Silvestri in the quarterfinals. He went
in the consolation bracket and went 2-1 including a 5-2 win
over Brian Bistis of Cortland State (N.Y.) in the seventh
place match.
Mount Union senior Derick Hesson (Dexter
City/Caldwell) placed third at 285-pounds. After dropping
his first match in overtime, Hesson came back through the
consolation bracket winning five straight matches, including pins
in the consolation semifinals against George Saliba from York,
Pa. and in the third place match against Ryan Fank of Wartburg
(Iowa). Hesson is an All-American for a second-straight year.
The top-eight in each weight class earn All-America
recognition.