Wrestlers Leaving Their Mark At NCWA National Championships

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

Allen, TX - The Penn State Mont Alto wrestling team had five wrestlers travel to Allen, TX to compete in the 2017 NCWA National Championships. The Lions entered the championship ranked 17th in Division I of the NCWA. Clay Kocsis was the top performer for PSU Mont Alto as he went 2-0 on the first day of competition to advance to the quarterfinals.

Kocsis, in the 174-pound weight class started the day off by pinning Mark Patterson from Rowan University. Kocsis then advanced to the quarterfinals after a technical fall win over Javiair White (Rutgers Wrestling Club). He remains perfect on the season with a 25-0 overall record.

Sophomore Jake Sechrist was 0-2 in the 125-pound weight class. Sechrist was pinned in the Round of 32 by Anthony Monahan and lost by pin to Demetri Koures in a 1:10. At the 141-pound division, Brandon Jackson was 0-2 after he was pinned in his opening match and then lost a 9-2 decision to Miles Franklin (UMBC) in the Consolation Round of 32.

Grant Shughart (157-pounds) went 0-2 including a technical fall to Youssef Aref of UCLA and finishes the season with an 11-21 overall record. In the 165-pound weight class, Jared Adam went 0-2 falling to Noah Kinne (Monroe Community College) and Thomas Hazipavlides in a 5-2 decision.

Day two of action from Allen, TX is slated to begin at 9 a.m.