BRISTOL, R.I. – The Norwich University wrestling team competed at the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Wrestling Championship on Saturday and exited the first day in 12th place, earning 24.5 points.
Doors open for admission at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26 as the semifinals and the consolation quarterfinals get underway at 10 a.m. The championship finals begin at 2 p.m. on the campus of Roger Williams University.
Freshman Joseph Hennessey (Boonville, N.Y.), competing at 184 pounds, started the day with a tough loss to Plymouth State's Christopher Perrault by an 8-6 decision. He rebounded with three-straight pins, registering falls in 1:25, 1:55 and 1:57, respectively, and remains in the hunt for third place at 184 pounds.
Senior Benjamin Swanson (Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.) picked up a pin in 4:24 to advance to the quarterfinals where, unfortunately, he lost by technical fall to Springfield's Zach Joseph at 157 pounds. Joseph is the second-ranked wrestler in NCAA Division III, according to d3wrestle.com. Swanson rebounded with his second pin of the day, taking down Williams' Gabriel Corrochano in 5:41.
Hennessey will begin Sunday with a match against SUNY Cortland's Deuly Espinal, the ninth-ranked wrestler in NCAA Division III at 184 pounds. Swanson, the sixth-ranked wrestler in the region at 157 pounds, will join Hennessey in the quest for third place and a trip to the national tournament, battling Johnson & Wales' Danny McBrinn who is ranked fifth in New England.
At 197 pounds, senior David Rogers lost a 6-1 decision to Coast Guard's Phil Azzari, but secured back-to-back consolation round wins over Castleton's Joseph Galusha (Fall 3:32) and Chinaka Ekechukwu of Bridgewater State (Dec 8-6). Rogers eventually dropped a 13-2 major decision bout to Roger Williams' Christopher Francis, the sixth-ranked wrestler in the New England region.
Senior Pat McCurdy (Woodstown, N.J.) earned a win by fall at 165 pounds, advancing to the fourth consolation round. Sophomore Sean Randles (Las Vegas, Nev.) lost by technical fall at 141, but rebounded to secure a pin in 1:40 to Rhode Island's Alex Devito. Sophomore Jacob Forsman (Voorhees, N.J.) rounded out the scoring for Norwich, earning one point for a 9-3 win by decision over Western New England's Timothy McLinden.
