University of Wyoming wrestler Joe LeBlanc and Northern Colorado’s Justin Gaethje earned All-America status by placing in the top eight at the NCAA Championships in Omaha on Friday.
LeBlanc advanced to the semifinals at 184 pounds, upsetting the No. 2 seed, John Dergo of Illinois, getting two takedown points in overtime for a 10-8 win. Missouri’s Max Askren, the No. 6 seed, stopped Le- Blanc 9-7 in the semifinals. LeBlanc faces the No. 5 seed, Clayton Foster of Oklahoma State, in the consolation final this morning. A win gives him a chance to wrestle for third place.
Gaethje, a 157-pounder, lost to the unbeaten No. 1 seed, J.P. O’Connor of Harvard, 8-1. Gaethje moved to the consolation bracket and defeated the Big 12 champion, Shane Vernon of Oklahoma, using a late escape for a 6-5 overtime win. Gaethje then lost 10-6 to Cyler Sanderson of Penn State, the youngest of the four brothers of the “First Family” of wrestling. Gaethje faces No. 12 seed Steven Brown of Central Michigan this morning for seventh place. Gaethje is UNC’s first All-America grappler since Larry Wagner in 1970.
Iowa locked up a third straight team title Friday night, sending five wrestlers to the finals and building an insurmountable lead over Cornell.
Rams water polo splits pair.
The Colorado State women’s water polo team (7-13, 2-3 Western Water Polo Association) split two games at the Loyola Marymount Invitational in California, losing 13-5 to the No. 9-ranked hosts, then beating Chapman 15-4.Kofstad’s stellar round leads DU.
University of Denver golfer Espen Kofstad had nine birdies and no bogeys to shoot 63 and move from 63rd place into fifth at the Desert Shootout at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz..
