Ruhnke wins super regional, Dull takes second to qualify for NCAA Championships

Saturday, February 23

Erie, Pa

10:00 AM

Millersville University

NCAA Super Region 1 Championships

Ruhnke wins super regional, Dull takes second to qualify for NCAA Championships

2/23/2019 9:16:00 PM | Wrestling

FINAL BRACKET

By: Ryan Small, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Erie, Pa. – The Millersville University wrestling team placed five wrestlers on the podium at the 2019 NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Championships Saturday including Shane Ruhnke and Colton Dull, who earned spots in the upcoming NCAA Championships by finishing in the top three of their weight class. Shane Ruhnke won the 165-pound class to become the first Millersville wrestler to win a Super Region 1 championship title. Dull was the runner-up at 197.

David Wuestner (285) and Evan Morrill (184) finished in fourth place, one spot shy of punching their ticket to the NCAA Championships. Ryan McGuire (133) concluded his freshman year in fifth-place.

The Marauders captured sixth place out of 10 teams.

TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS
• Ruhnke, the top seed, came out on the attack in the opening match, scoring a 2:49 pin against Seton Hill's Jake Willochell. That advanced him to the semifinals where he punched his ticket to nationals as he pinned Connor Rogovich of Kuztown at the 2:04 mark. That pin gave him a new career high with 12. Ruhnke faced Logan Grass of Mercyhurst who had topped the Marauder previously this season. Ruhnke opened the match with a takedown with 1:12 remaining in the first period. He scored another takedown with five seconds left in the first period which put him ahead 4-1. Grass took control at the midway point of the bout, changing the riding time towards his end and then got escape with five seconds remaining but was unable to convert another point. Ruhnke held on for a 4-2 win.
• Dull earned his first trip to the NCAA Championships by landing in the first-place match at 197 against Levi Niebauer of Mercyhurst. Niebauer concluded the bout with a 7-3 decision victory, earning Dull a second-place finish. Dull reached the title match by defeating Freddie Nixon of Gannon by a 3-2 decision due to riding time going to his favor. Dull opened his semifinal match by taking a 12-0 lead thanks for two four-point near falls. Dull scored an 16-0 technical fall at the 2:03 mark.
• At 285, Wuestner concluded his collegiate career at Millersville with a fourth-place finish. Wuestner put together a hard-fought day. Wuestner faced 30-match win Jacob Robb of Mercyhurst for a chance to go to NCAAs. Both wrestlers put up a fight but Robb was too much for Wuestner who fell, 5-0. After winning his first semifinals match against Jacob Beistel of Seton Hill, Wuestner advanced to face Andrew Dunn of Kuztown in the semifinals. Wuestner was unable to match the Golden Bears attack as Dunn won in a 12-3 major decision. The loss put the Marauder in the consolation semifinals where he battled to an overtime period against Tyler Oliver of Pitt-Johnstown. Out of a restart, Wuestner was able to get Oliver on the ground, earning a takedown and a 3-1 win.
• Morrill captured his highest finish in a tournament this year. After losing 9-4 against Nathan Bowlen of Seton Hill in the championship quarterfinals, Morrill won the next three bouts to earn a spot in the third-place match. In a rematch from that quarterfinals match, Morrill was not able to change his previous fate against Bowlen in the third-place match and was defeated 6-1.
• After picking up two wins at the start of the day, McGuire (133) earned his 20th win of the season. McGuire then advanced to the semifinals where he faced Alan Diltz of Seton Hill who gave the Millersville wrestler a loss in the regular season. Down 4-0, McGuire crept back in the third period, cutting the lead to 7-4 with 33 seconds left. McGuire was unable to get out of the grasp of the Griffin later in the third period. That loss advanced the wrestler to the consolation semifinals where he went back-and-forth with Matt Siszka of Pitt-Johnstown but Siszka escaped with seconds left to earn a 3-2 victory. McGuire answered back in thr the fifth place match against Jacob Downing of Shippensburg. McGuire got the only takedown in the bout, winning 2-0.

HEAD COACH KERRY REGNER QUOTES
• "There is a lot of pride for the team, program, school and community to see these guys reach the national stage while representing Millersville."
• "I am happy to see both [Dull and Ruhnke] earn their spots to nationals. We head back to the drawing board to work on some things before next weekend."
• "These seniors have fought through tough times. I am very pleased with their persistence to continue to do what they love, regardless of circumstances."
• "McGuire had a good season this year. We are very pleased with his ability to compete every day. If you compete every day like Ryan, results like his are bound to happen."

NOTES
• McGuire is the third true freshman to have won 20 or more in his collegiate debut season. McGuire finished the season with a 21-12 record. Morrill concluded his junior season with a 14-13 record while Wuestner ended the career with a season record of 15-13 and a career of 65-56.
• The last time the Marauders sent two wrestlers to the NCAA Championships was in the 2009-10 season when the team was a part of Division I. This was also the first time that the program placed more than four in the Super Region 1 Championships.
• Ruhnke came into the day with a 7-1 record against regional opponents while Wuestner was 5-5 and McGuire was 4-2.
• This year was Ruhnke's third time placing in this event, claiming fifth in 2016-17 and third last year. After winning three matches today, Ruhnke now sits in ninth all-time in program history in career victories with 91. Shane Smith's 18 pins in the 2010-11 season was the last time a Marauder recorded more than 12 falls.

UP NEXT
• Ruhnke and Dull will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Division II Championships which start on Friday, March 8 at Cleveland, Ohio.

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