Before Session V of the NCAA Wrestling Championships concluded, Penn State is in line for their second consecutive NCAA title.
Dylan Alton’s third-place finish Saturday eliminated Iowa, and Minnesota’s Kevin Steinhaus mere decision victory mathematically eliminated the Gophers. Penn State sits at 128.5 team points heading into the final session. The Nittany Lions can only lose their grip on the team title if they are deducted team points in tonight’s final session.
Penn State is sending five wrestlers to the finals at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis — Nico Megaludis, Frank Molinaro, David Taylor, Ed Ruth and Quentin Wright, a defending national champion.
Their matchups are as follows:
125 pounds: Megaludis, PSU vs. Matt McDonough, Iowa
149: Molinaro, PSU vs. Dylan Ness, Minnesota
165: Taylor, PSU vs. Brandon Hatchett, Lehigh
174: Ruth, PSU vs. Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford
184: Wright, PSU vs. Steve Bosak, Cornell
Alton took third place at 157 pounds by beating Jason Welch of Northwestern 6-2. Leading 3-2, Alton scored a late take down on a counter shot, then rode out Welch to score a riding time point and secure the victory. Alton won his wrestle-back match Saturday morning against American’s Ganbayar Sanjaa 7-5 in two overtimes to advance to the third-place match.
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