Ruhnke finishes fifth at Super Regional, just misses nationals berth

Friday, February 24

Erie, PA

9:00 AM

Millersville University

NCAA Super Region 1 Championships

Ruhnke finishes fifth at Super Regional, just misses nationals berth

2/25/2017 6:44:00 PM | Wrestling

Brackets

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

Erie, Pennsylvania - Shane Ruhnke made a run through the consolation bracket to finish fifth at the NCAA Super Region 1 Championships Saturday. As a team, Millersville finished 13th out of 15 teams with Notre Dame College taking first place.

Ruhnke totaled three wins on the weekend while wrestling for the first time this season at 174 pounds. He started Saturday in the consolation quarterfinals and scored a 14-8 win over Kutztown's Joseph Balboni, who was seeded fourth. Ruhnke was then edged 8-4 by Gannon's Jake Stratton, and that win proved the difference in Ruhnke coming just shy of receiving a bid to the NCAA Division II Championships.

Ruhnke scored a major decision over Reyse Wallbrown of Wheeling Jesuit to enter the true fourth-place match. Stratton lost to Pitt-Johnstown's John Blankenship in the third-place match, and because Stratton already owned a win over Ruhnke, Stratton received fourth and the final national championship spot in the weight class. Ruhnke capped his 2016-17 season with a team-best 21 wins, giving him a 43-24 record through two seasons.

David Charles (149) and Austin Camacci (125) also entered Saturday with a chance to make a run through the consolation bracket. Camacci, however, lost a narrow 9-7 decision to Ohio Valley's Anthony Tripke. Charles was ousted by Seton Hill's Ty Lydic in a 6-2 decision. Charles capped his senior season with 16 wins while Camacci finished with 50 career victories.