The Takedown Report Honors Six GWU Grapplers
TARBORO, N.C. - The postseason honors continue to roll in for
Gardner-Webb's wrestling team as seniors Daniel Elliott and Josh
Pniewski were named first team All-Carolina by The Takedown Report.
The Tarboro, N.C., based website also recognized Brandon Beach (184),
Brent Blackwell (197), Adam Glaser (157) and Jordan Lowe (165) for
their accomplishments on the mat during 2005-06.
Elliott is a repeat selection to the All-Carolina Team, and recently
completed one of the finest seasons in the history of Gardner-Webb
wrestling. During his senior campaign, Elliott set a new school record
with 40 wins in just 44 matches and became the first GWU grappler to
garner a top ten national ranking. The Fuquay-Varina, N.C., native
placed second at this year's Carolina Open and third at the Southern
Scuffle and was the second wrestler in school history to become a
two-time NCAA East Regional Champion and national qualifier.
The 149-pound Elliott became Gardner-Webb's first wrestler to win 100
matches in his career, notching his 100th victory with a pin over The
Citadel's Nick Orio in his next to last home match and was recently
named the Male Athlete of the Year for Gardner-Webb.
Pniewski's selection to the All-Carolina Team adds to a growing list of
accolades for the 133-pound senior. Since becoming the only wrestler in
school history to win three regional titles en route to making three
separate appearances at the NCAA Division I National Tournament,
Pniewski has been honored as the Male President's Senior Athletic
Achievement Award Winner for Gardner-Webb and repeated as a selection
on the NWCA All-Academic Team.
These honors have been well deserved for Pniewski, who posted an
impressive 33-11 record over his final collegiate season. The Spencer,
Ohio, native won 23 of his final 25 matches heading into the NCAA
Tournament and was ranked in the top 30 of his weight class for the
majority of the year. Pniewski closed his outstanding career by picking
up a first-round victory over Ohio State's Reece Humphrey to become the
school's first grappler to win a match at nationals in two separate
seasons
.Gardner-Webb Wrestling Honored for Academic Achievements
MANHEIM, Pa. - The National Wrestling Coaches Association recently
announced its All-Academic Teams for the 2005-2006 season. For the
second-straight year, Gardner-Webb took the team honor and Josh
Pniewski was named to the NWCA All-Academic D-I Team.
Gardner-Webb was one of 30 NCAA Division I programs to post a team GPA
of 2.80 or higher during the 2005-06 campaign. The Bulldogs posted a
team mark of 2.899 this year to rank 21st in the nation, up from 26th
one year ago.
Pniewski owns a cumulative grade point average of 3.54 and is a repeat
selection after taking the same honor one year ago. The senior business
administration major will graduate on May 13.
To qualify for selection on the NWCA All-Academic Team, an individual
wrestler has to post a 3.2 GPA or higher, be a NCAA national qualifier
and win over 60 percent of his total schedule for the season.
Pniewski easily surpassed those standards on and off the mats, joining
67 other wrestlers on the list. The Spencer, Ohio, native was dominant
all season long for the Bulldogs in the 133-pound division, posting a
sparkling 33-11 record and winning his third-consecutive NCAA East
Regional title. Pniewski ripped off 23 wins over his final 25 matches
leading up to his third trip to the NCAA Division I National Tournament
and became Gardner-Webb's first wrestler to win a match in two separate
years at nationals after defeating Ohio State's Reece Humphrey in the
first round.
This marks the second postseason honor for Pniewski who also won the
President's Senior Athletic Achievement Award Winner for being
Gardner-Webb's top male student-athlete over the 2005-2006 athletic
year.
GWU Wrestling Season Comes to an End at Nationals
OKLAHOMA CITY - Josh Pniewski and Adam Glaser each suffered losses in
their first matches of the afternoon on Friday to end their run at
Nationals and close out the 2005-2006 season for Gardner-Webb
wrestling. GWU set a school record by sending four individuals to
Nationals and picked up a pair of wins for the second-straight year.
Pniewski wrapped up his season with a 10-1 loss to No. 10 Darrell
Vasquez of Cal-Poly in his third match of the tournament. Pniewski ends
the season with a 33-11 record and is the only grappler in GWU's
history to reach the NCAA Division I National Tournament three times.
With his win over Ohio State's Reece Humphrey in the first round,
Pniewski had his second win in as many years at Nationals and became
the first GWU wrestler to accomplish the feat.
Glaser got bumped into the consolation bracket in his only match on
Thursday by the third-seeded Alex Tirapelle of Illinois and did not get
much of a break in his Friday match. Glaser went up against the No. 8
seeded Craig Henning of Wisconsin and fell by a 7-1 score to end his
season. Glaser entered the Nationals on a nine-match winning streak but
suffered a pair of losses to two highly touted wrestlers to end his
season with a 19-17 record.
Pniewski (133), Glaser (157), No. 10 Daniel Elliott (149) and Brent
Blackwell (197) made school history with their trip to Nationals,
marking the largest amount of national qualifiers for Gardner-Webb in
its Division I history. The group of seniors also helped GWU to a 12-13
season, its highest win total in the Division I era.
GWU Wrestlers Earn National Ranking
Elliott Joined By Pniewski, Glaser and Blackwell in National Rankings
BOILING SPRINGS - The latest poll by WrestlingReport.com has all four
of Gardner-Webb's NCAA East Regional Champions showing up in the top 35
wrestlers in the nation in their respective weight classes. Daniel
Elliott has also moved up to No. 10 in the N.W.C.A's latest poll.
With the latest ranking, Elliott becomes the first wrestler in
Gardner-Webb's history to be ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Elliott was hailed as the No. 18 grappler at 149 pounds during the
preseason and has steadily climbed to the No. 10 spot after winning the
regional title for the second-straight season and upping his 2005-06
record to a sparkling 38-2.
Like Elliott, Pniewski also entered the year with a preseason No. 18
ranking but got off to a slow start and won just nine of his first 16
bouts. Since then however, Pniewski has been on an absolute terror,
winning 23 of his last 25 matches and carrying a 17-match winning
streak into his third NCAA Nationals appearance. Pniewski is ranked No.
23 at 133 pounds after claiming his third regional crown in as many
years and racking up a season total of 32 wins and nine losses.
Glaser has picked up wins in each of his last nine and will enter his
first trip to the NCAA National Tournament in the midst of some of the
best wrestling of his career. Glaser is ranked No. 30 by
WrestlingReport.com at 157 pounds after winning the East Regional and
upping his season record to 19-15 by winning 12 of his final 13 matches.
Blackwell has won 19 of 30 matches during his senior season and has
thrived after returning to his natural weight class of 197 pounds.
Blackwell's first Regional Championship and trip the NCAA National
tournament has propelled him to a No. 33 ranking at 197 pounds by
WrestlingReport.com, making him the fourth GWU grappler to be ranked in
the top-35 in the nation.
The four GWU seniors will all head to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on
Wednesday, with matches set to begin on Thursday at 11:00 am.
GWU Sends Four Seniors to NCAA Nationals
BOILING SPRINGS - A school-record four Gardner-Webb wrestlers claimed
NCAA East Regional championships on Saturday as seniors Josh Pniewski,
Daniel Elliott, Adam Glaser and Brent Blackwell all won individual
titles in their weight class to lift GWU to a second-place showing.
The GWU senior foursome stormed into the championship round as Pniewski
(133) took a 20-4 tech fall victory, Elliott (149) won 10-3, Glaser
(157) earned a pin in 4:35 and Blackwell (197) took a major decision
victory at 11-1 in their opening round contests.
Pniewski claimed his third-straight East Regional crown and upped his
season record to 32-9 with a 7-4 decision over Slippery Rock's Sal
Lascari. Pniewski fell behind early, 2-0, but closed the first period
by earning an escape and a late takedown for the 3-2 advantage.
The lead grew to 5-2 when Pniewski started the second period with a
quick reversal, but was narrowed back to a single point with a
second-period escape and a Lascari escape to open the third frame.
Pniewski refused to allow Lascari to mount any offense and carried the
5-4 lead deep into the final minute before sealing his third trip to
Nationals with a late takedown and a 7-4 victory.
Two matches later, Elliott took down SRU's Shawn Baglio twice in the
first two minutes and cruised to a 10-2 major decision win. The
regional title is the second in as many years for Elliott, who ran his
season record to 38-2 and upped his career win total to 103.
Glaser made school history in the very next championship match as he
became the first 157-pounder to advance to the NCAA Nationals at the
Division I level and gave GWU its highest number of NCAA National
Qualifiers in one season in the history of the program.
Glaser battled The Rock's Gerald Christian to a scoreless draw through
the opening three-minute period. Glaser then started the second period
on top and rode Christian for the full two minutes to gain a major
advantage in riding time.
Christian began the final session on top but Glaser wasted little time
breaking free to earn the point and held off Christian for the last two
minutes to take the 2-0 decision.
The afternoon was capped off with a stirring overtime battle at 197
pounds between Blackwell and Slippery Rock's Andrew Joseph.
Blackwell was awarded a quick 1-0 advantage after Joseph was flagged
for a penalty but had his lead neutralized with an escape from Joseph
to start the second period.
The two grapplers headed into the third period locked at 1-1, before
Blackwell scored a point for an escape 17 seconds into the frame for
the 2-1 edge. The action then picked up with a Joseph takedown and a
quick Blackwell escape to force a 3-3 tie with 30 seconds to go.
Neither competitor could score in the final seconds as they headed to a
sudden-death overtime session to determine a champion. Blackwell came
out fast and caught Joseph in an attempt to spin away. Blackwell then
put Joseph on the mat for the emotional 5-3 decision to close out his
five-year career with a trip to Nationals.
The four Bulldog grapplers were joined in the championship brackets by
all 10 Slippery Rock competitors, four Duquesne wrestlers and a pair of
Millersville wrestlers.
Slippery Rock matched Gardner-Webb's four individual titles with wins
by Chris Clarke (125), Jason Cardillo (165), Charles Pienaar (184) and
heavyweight Matthew Burkholder.
Jared Ricotta won the 174-pound division for Duquesne's lone
championship and Millersville's Cody Becker took the 141-pound title.
Slippery Rock ran away with the team championship with 100.5 team
points. Gardner-Webb was second with 67 and was followed closely by
Duquesne's 65 points. Millersville took fourth with 43 points and
Delaware State ended fifth with seven points.
Pniewski, Elliott, Glaser and Blackwell will now compete at the NCAA
National Championships in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 16-18.
2006 NCAA East Regional Results
1- Slippery Rock, 100.5
2- Gardner-Webb, 67.0
3- Duquesne, 65.0
4- Millersville, 43.0
5- Delaware State, 7.0
Individual Champions
125- (SRU) Chris Clarke
133- (GWU) Josh Pniewski
141- (MU) Cody Becker
149- (GWU) Daniel Elliott
157- (GWU) Adam Glaser
165- (SRU) Jason Cardillo
174- (DU) Jared Ricotta
184- (SRU) Charles Pienaar
197- (GWU) Brent Blackwell
285- (SRU) Matthew Burkholder
Most Outstanding Wrestler
Daniel Elliott, Gardner-Webb
At Large Bid
David Pienaar, Slippery Rock
Coach of the Year
Derek Delporto, Slippery Rock
Gardner-Webb Individual Results
125 - Cortney Roberts (0-2)
(DU) Jon Bittinger 8-4 dec. Cortney Roberts
(MU) Mike Acedo-Malaney 9-7 (ot) dec. Cortney Roberts
133 - Josh Pniewksi (1st Place, 2-0)
Josh Pniewski 20-4 (6:23) tech fall (MU) Joe Andel
Josh Pniewski 7-4 dec. (SRU) Sal Lascari
141- A.J. Renteria (0-2)
(MU) Cody Becker 10-3 dec. A.J. Renteria
(DU) Brad Cipriani 6-4 dec. A.J. Renteria
149 - No. 12 Daniel Elliott (1st Place, 2-0)
No. 12 Daniel Elliott 10-3 dec. (MU) Jarrett Hostettler
No. 12 Daniel Elliott 10-2 maj. dec. (SRU) Shawn Baglio
157 - Adam Glaser (1st Place, 2-0)
Adam Glaser 4:35 pin (MU) Malcolm Haynes
Adam Glaser 2-0 dec. (SRU) Gerald Christian
165 - Jordan Lowe (3rd Place, 1-1)
(SRU) Jason Cardillo 17-4 maj. dec. Jordan Lowe
Jordan Lowe 5:38 pin (DSU) Ryan Gibbons
174 - Chad Davis (0-2)
(DU) Jared Ricotta 6-0 dec. Chad Davis
(MU) Mark Knock 6-4 dec. Chad Davis
184 - Brandon Beach (3rd Place, 2-1)
(DU) Mark Himes 4-3 dec. Brandon Beach
Brandon Beach 8-0 maj. dec. (DSU) Chris Woodall
Brandon Beach 8-7 dec. (MU) Tim Rice
197 - Brent Blackwell (1st Place, 2-0)
Brent Blackwell 11-1 maj. dec. (MU) Steve Funk
Brent Blackwell 5-3 (ot) dec. (SRU) Andrew Joseph
285 - Brandon Schweitzer (0-2)
(MU) Michael Davidovitch 3-2 dec. Brandon Schweitzer
(DSU) Sam Johnson 2:18 pin Brandon Schweitzer
Pniewski Wins 15th Straight as UNCG Edges 'Dogs, 18-17
BOILING SPRINGS Gardner-Webb would take the Spartans of UNC-Greensboro to the limit on Wednesday night in Paul Porter Arena, as the Bulldogs relentlessly fought hard until the end, before falling 18-17.
The action started at the 197-pound class, as senior Brent Blackwell fell to the Spartans Daren Burns in a major decision, 12-4. UNCG's Tyler Shovlin, who is ranked No. 16 nationally, took a 6-0 decision over GWU's Brandon Schweitzer, who wrestled perhaps one of his best matches of the year.
With the 'Dogs behind 7-0 right out of the gate, Courtney Roberts at 125 would get GWU on the board, as he scored a 5-3 decision over Justin Walp, taking control of the match early.
At 133 pounds, Josh Pniewski picked up his 15th straight victory, as he dominated the match from start to finish, scoring a 14-3 major decision over the Spartans Chris Bencivenga, and tying up the score at 7-7.
However, UNCG would not rollover, as they stopped the GWU streak at two matches and regained the lead at 10-7 when at 141 pounds No. 20 Kevin Artis registered a decision for UNCG over A.J. Renteria of GWU 7-1.
But the seniors for GWU would answer, as 12th ranked Daniel Elliot picked up a 6-4 decision over Cody Harrington to again tie the score, this time at 10-10. Fellow classmate Adam Glaser would follow up Elliot in a big way, scoring an 11-2 major decision over Nathan Berryman and giving the 'Dogs a 14-10 lead.
The Spartans would have an answer of their own, as Mark Ring would pick up a 9-1 major decision over Jordan Lowe at 165 pounds, to knot up the score for a third time, 14-14.
Yet, UNCG was not done, as Joe Lowe would score another major decision for the Spartans, as he defeated GWU's Chad Davis 15-5 at 174 pounds.
For the second straight night, the outcome would come down to the final match. With UNCG leading 18-14 going into the final match of the night, junior Brandon Beach needed a pin or a technical fall to pull out a team win or a major decision to force a draw. Beach came out strong scoring a quick two-point takedown and went on to win the individual match by a 5-3 count, but the three team points were not enough as UNC-Greensboro clipped the Bulldogs, 18-17.
The Bulldogs (12-13) wrapped up their season, but will look to continue on individually, as GWU will host the NCAA East Regional Championships on March 4 and 5.
UNC - Greensboro Def. Gardner-Webb, 18-17
197 (UNCG) Daren Burns maj. dec. Brent Blackwell, 12-4
285 (UNCG) No. 16 Tyler Shovlin dec. Brandon Schweitzer, 6-0
125 (GWU) Courtney Roberts dec. Justin Walp, 5-3
133 (GWU) Josh Pniewski maj. dec. Chris Bencivenga, 14-3
141 (UNCG) No. 20 Kevin Artis dec. A.J. Renteria, 7-1
149 (GWU) No. 12 Daniel Elliot dec. Cody Harrington, 6-4
157 (GWU) Adam Glaser maj. dec. Nathan Berryman, 11-2
165 (UNCG) Mark Ring maj. dec. Jordan Lowe, 9-1
174 (UNCG) Joe Lowe maj. dec. Chad Davis, 15-5
184 (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Kane Smith, 5-3
No. 12 Elliott Gets Pin for 100th Win, 'Dogs Fall 24-18
BOILING SPRINGS - Daniel Elliott ran his record to 35-2 on the season
and notched his 100th career victory with a pin 1:50 into the first
period. Josh Pniewski also won via a pin but The Citadel won six of the
10 matches en route to the 24-18 victory.
The Citadel's Anthony Easter narrowly edged out Cortney Roberts in the
125-pound match after seeing Roberts rally from a 5-1 first-period
deficit to knot the score at 5-5. Easter was awarded a riding time
point and scored the 6-5 decision to claim the early 3-0 advantage for
The Citadel.
Pniewski flipped the three-point spread in favor of Gardner-Webb by
running his record to 29-9 with a pin 58 seconds into the second
period. Pniewski grabbed the early 3-0 lead after the opening frame and
had built the cushion to 6-0 before sticking Billy Bullwinkel for the
six-point win.
Ninth-ranked Sean Markey returned the favor in the 141-pound bout by
pinning Chas Franz with 18 seconds remaining in the first frame to
reclaim the lead for The Citadel by a 9-6 margin.
Elliott then took the mat against The Citadel's Nick Orio and scored a
takedown 51 seconds into the match. The twelfth-ranked Elliott quickly
followed the takedown with a pair of three-point near falls to grab a
commanding 8-0 lead and finished off his 39th-straight, dual-match
victory with a pin at the 1:50 mark.
Glaser then scored GWU's third win in the first five matches to give
the Bulldogs a 15-9 lead. Glaser and Chris Humphries battled to a
scoreless draw through the first two periods, but Glaser rode Humphries
for the entire second frame and earned a quick escape in the third
session to take the 2-0 decision at 157 pounds.
The Citadel charged back with a technical fall at 165 and back-to-back
5-2 decisions at 174 and 184 to take the 20-15 advantage heading into
the final two bouts.
Mark Thompson then secured the team win for The Citadel with an 11-3
major decision victory over Brent Blackwell at 197.
Brandon Schweitzer ended The Citadel spurt by blanking John Buck, 6-0,
in the heavyweight match, but it was not enough as Gardner-Webb fell by
a 24-18 score.
The loss drops Gardner-Webb to 12-12 on the season, while The Citadel
climbs to 8-8 in dual match action. GWU will close out the regular
season on Wednesday night when it hosts UNC Greensboro (10-6) at 7:00
pm.
The Citadel Def. Gardner-Webb, 24-18
125 - (CIT) Anthony Easter dec. Cortney Roberts, 6-5
133 - (GWU) Josh Pniewski pin Billy Bullwinkel, 3:58
141 - (CIT) No. 9 Sean Markey pin Chas Franz, 2:42
149 - (GWU) No. 12 Daniel Elliott pin Nick Orio, 1:50
157 - (GWU) Adam Glaser dec. Chris Humphries, 1-0
165 - (CIT) Dan Thompson tech. fall Jordan Lowe, 21-6
174 - (CIT) Darius Caldwell dec. Chad Davis, 5-2
184 - (CIT) John Dickerson dec. Brandon Beach, 5-2
197 - (CIT) Mark Thompson maj. dec. Brent Blackwell, 11-3
285 - (GWU) Brandon Schweitzer dec. John Buck, 6-0
Elliott Takes Wrestler of the Week Honors for Second Time
BOILING SPRINGS - For the second time this season, Daniel Elliott has
been named as the East Region Wrestler of the Week. Elliott improved
his season record to 29-2 with a pair of impressive home victories
against Campbell and Carson-Newman on Wednesday.
Elliott pinned Steven Wiktorek with 10 seconds left in the first
period, giving GWU a 30-0 lead over Campbell through the first eight
bouts. Gardner-Webb went on to defeat the Camels by a 36-6 count.
In the second match, Elliott earned an 18-2 tech fall victory over
Carson-Newman's Bradley Argabright to push GWU's lead to 30-6. The
Bulldogs eventually took the 30-12 win over the Eagles.
Elliott now has 94 wins to his credit over his career and has posted a
45-4 record since Jan. 1, 2005. Elliott has won 33-straight dual
matches and is a perfect 18-0 in dual matches this season.
Elliott is closing in on 100 career wins and has seven matches left in
the regular season, plus at least two contests at the NCAA East
Regional Championships to reach the mark.
If Elliott would win all four matches at the East Regional Duals on
Feb. 5, he would be in position to reach the 100-win plateau when GWU
hosts The Citadel or UNC Greensboro on Feb. 21 and 22.
Bulldogs Post Impressive Wins at Home
Boiling Springs, N.C. Gardner-Webb looked impressive on Wednesday afternoon, as the Bulldogs posted a 36-6 win over Campbell and then blew past Carson-Newman, 30-12, as it improved to 9-9 in dual match action this season.
The Campbell match started with the 174-pound contest as Chad Davis posted a 17-1 technical fall victory over James Amsley to put GWU on top, 5-0, after one match. The Bulldogs would feed from Davis' quick start, as they would win the next eight matches, and hold a 36-0 lead.
Brandon Beach, Brent Blackwell, Brandon Schweitzer and Cortney Roberts scored four-straight wins for the 'Dogs to take a commanding 17-0 lead with just five bouts remaining.
Josh Pniewski help to seal the GWU victory with a 15-2 major decision win over Caleb Lesnoff at 133 pounds to put the match out of reach for Davidson at 21-0.
Yet the Bulldogs did not stop there, as A.J. Renteria would pick up an 8-7 victory over Elliott Berger at 141 pounds, only to be followed by back-to-back pin falls by Daniel Elliott at 149 pounds and then Adam Glaser at 157 pounds.
The lone scoring for the Fighting Camels came in the last bout, as Brent Poynter pinned GWU's Jordan Lowe, preventing the Bulldogs from the shutout.
The Bulldogs carried over its enthusiasm and wasted little time in taking control of Carson-Newman as both Davis and Beach would pick up victories for the 'Dogs, while Blackwell pinned Jonathan Trevor in 4:20 to push the spread to 12-0 after just three matches.
Cortney Roberts won by a forfeit at 125 pounds, while Daniel Elliot earned a tech fall victory at 149 pounds, winning 18-2. Pniewski and Renteria took decisions at 133 and 141 pounds.
Gardner-Webb improves to 9-9 in dual matches on the season and will be back in action on Feb. 5, as they will compete in the East Regional Duals.
Gardner Webb Def. Campbell, 36-6
125 (GWU) Cortney Roberts dec. Richard Apolinar, 7-5
133 (GWU) Joshua Pniewski maj. dec. Caleb Lesnoff, 15-2
141 (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Elliott Berger, 8-7
149 (GWU) Daniel Elliott pin fall Steven Wiktorek, 2:50
157 (GWU) Adam Glaser pin fall Nicolaus Amato, 5:16
165 (CAM) Brent Poynter pin fall Jordan Lowe, 1:50
174 (GWU) Chad Davis tech. fall. James Amsley, 17-1
184 (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Steven Higgins, 9-4
197 - (GWU) Brent Blackwell dec. Jason Cook, 8-4
285 (GWU) Brandon Schweitzer dec. John Fennell, 5-3
Gardner Webb Def. Carson Newman, 30-12
125 (GWU) Cortney Roberts wins by forfeit
133 (GWU) Joshua Pniewski dec. Kent Pierson, 8-1
141 (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Robert Cate, 7-1
149 (GWU) Daniel Elliott tech. fall Bradley Argabright, 18-2
157 (C-N) Stephen Humphrey dec. Adam Glaser, 8-3
165 (C-N) Justan Ransom dec. Jordan Lowe, 3-1
174 (GWU) Chad Davis dec. William Campbell, 10-7
184 (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Nathan Jones, 3-2
197 (GWU) Brent Blackwell pin fall Jonathan Trevor, 4:20
285 - (C-N) Charles Robinson pin fall Brandon Schweitzer, 1:28
Elliott Climbs to No. 13 in Nation, Named East Region's Wrestler of the Week
BOILING SPRINGS â*" After taking third place in the UNC Greensboro
Southern Scuffle and upping his season record to 23-2, Daniel Elliott
has been ranked No. 13 in the nation at 149 pounds by The Wrestling
Mall. Elliott was also ranked in the top 20 by three other polls.
Along with the No. 13 ranking by The Wrestling Mall, Elliott was tabbed
No. 14 by Amateur Wrestling News, No. 16 by W.I.N. Magazine and No. 18
by the National Collegiate Wrestling Association in the latest polls,
which were released on Monday.
Elliott was also named as the East Regionâ*s Wrestler of the Week for
his third-place showing at the Southern Scuffle. Elliott knocked off
several nationally ranked grapplers en route to the third-place finish,
including Edinboroâ*s previously unbeaten and third-ranked Gregor
Gillespie.
The third-place showing solidified Elliott as one of the premier
149-pounders in the nation as over 32 teams â*" good for nearly 40% of
the Division I programs in the country â*" attended the ultra-competitive
event.
Elliottâ*s standout performance at the Scuffle came on the heels of his
second-place finish at the Carolina Open and was followed by the senior
going 3-0 at the North Carolina State Wolfpack Duals on Saturday.
Elliott now sits at 88 career wins and has posted an eye-popping 39-4
record over his last 43 matches, a streak which dates back to January
1, 2005 and includes Elliottâ*s two losses in the NCAA National
Tournament in St. Louis.
For the 2005-2006 season, Elliott boasts a lofty 23-2 mark and is a
perfect 13-0 in dual matches. Dating back to Dec. 10, 2004, Elliott has
ripped off 28 consecutive wins in dual-match contests.
Bulldogs Take 11th at Southern Scuffle as Elliott and Pniewski Place
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Daniel Elliott captured third place at 149 pounds
and Josh Pniewski took eighth in the 133-pound division as the senior
duo led Gardner-Webb to 50 team points and an 11th-place team showing
at UNC Greensboro's Southern Scuffle.
Gardner-Webb ended the two-day, 32-team tournament in a tie for 11th
with North Carolina State in the standings and ahead of 20 other teams
including Pittsburgh, The Citadel, Virginia Tech, Virginia, UNCG,
Maryland, Ohio, Appalachian State, VMI, Duke and Campbell.
The Golden Gophers of Minnesota, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation,
took home the team trophy by finishing some 43 rank points ahead of
second-place and 12th rated Missouri. Rounding out the top 10 were
numerous nationally ranked programs as No. 6 Cornell took third, No. 14
Edinboro finished fourth, No. 9 Lehigh finished sixth, and No. 22 Navy
ended in ninth.
The Bulldogs had multiple standout performances in the tournament which
amounted to 22 individual victories and nine Gardner-Webb wrestlers
picking up at least one win.
Elliott turned in the most impressive performance of any Bulldog
grappler as the Fuquay-Varina, N.C., native blazed a 7-1 record en
route to a third-place showing in the 149-pound bracket.
The senior began the event with back-to-back tech fall wins, scoring a
lopsided 21-3 victory over Navy's Matt Gulosh and blanking Jay
Chichester of George Mason by a 17-0 margin to sail into the round of
16. Elliott then advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3 decision over
No. 17 Jason Bake out of Kent State.
In the quarters, Elliott suffered his first loss of the event and just
his second defeat of the entire season as he dropped an 8-3 decision to
Lock Haven's Josh Medina. The LHU wrestler began the season ranked as
highly as No. 11 in the nation before falling out of the rankings in
the most recent polls.
Elliott wasted no time in getting back on track, scoring decisions over
North Carolina State's Joe Caramanica and Rider's Don Fisch to advance
deep into the bracket.
With his five wins and just one loss in the event, Elliott was paired
up against Edinboro's Gregor Gillespie, who carried a No. 3 national
ranking into the contest. Elliott racked up his sixth victory of the
tournament and advanced to the third-place match with a convincing 10-4
decision over the third-ranked wrestler.
Fresh off his second victory over a top-20 wrestler in two days,
Elliott redeemed his lone loss of the Scuffle by earning a 12-8
decision over Medina to claim third place and up his season tally to 20
wins and just two losses.
Pniewski also started strong, scoring a 13-1 major decision win over
Virginia Tech's Anton Prater in the opening round of action in the
133-pound class. Pniewski's stay in the winner's bracket would be short
lived however as No. 11 ranked Matt Keller of Chattanooga edged
Pniewski by a 6-4 count.
The Spencer, Ohio, native bounced back with a 16-2 major decision win
over Lock Haven's Casey Moore and kept his run alive with 9-2 and 8-0
decisions over Maryland's Sean Carr and Ohio University's Terry Jackson.
Pniewski then posted back-to-back pin fall victories over opponents
from Cornell and Appalachian State to advance into the seventh-place
match. Pniewski stuck Cornell's Nick Bridges at the 4:57 mark before
finishing ASU's Terreyl Williams with just six seconds left in the
match.
In the seventh-place match, Pniewski took on the No. 13 rated Mike
Mormile of Cornell. Mormile had just enough to get past Pniewski,
taking the 5-2 decision.
Pniewski ended the tournament with a 6-2 record over the two-day affair
and took eighth place in the 133-pound division. Pniewski's only two
losses came to top-15 wrestlers in the nation.
A.J. Renteria (141) and Adam Glaser (157) each recorded a pair of
victories and Cortney Roberts (125), Chad Davis (174), Matthias
Piasecki (174), Brandon Beach (184) and Brent Blackwell (197) all
posted a victory.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Jan. 7 when they compete at
North Carolina State's Wolfpack Duals.
GWU will be home on Jan. 11 when it hosts Appalachian State and
Spartanburg Methodist.
2005 Southern Scuffle Team Results
1- Minnesota, 192.0
2- Missouri, 149.0
3- Cornell, 131.0
4- Edinboro, 103.0
5- Ohio State, 94.5
6- Lehigh, 86.0
7- Kent State, 82.5
8- Oregon State, 68.5
9- Navy, 55.0
10- North Carolina, 50.5
T11- Gardner-Webb, 50.0
T11- North Carolina State, 50.0
13- UT-Chattanooga, 48.5
14- Pittsburgh, 46.0
15- Lock Haven, 44.0
16- The Citadel, 39.5
17- Virginia Tech, 38.0
18- Virginia, 36.5
19- UNC Greensboro, 31.5
20- East Stroudsburg, 30.0
21- Maryland, 27.0
22- Eastern Michigan, 26.5
23- Ohio, 24.0
24- Appalachian State, 23.5
25- VMI, 21.0
26- Rider, 18.5
27- Old Dominion, 16.0
28- Campbell, 10.5
T29- George Mason, 10.0
T29- Duke, 10.0
31- Davidson, 3.0
32- Princeton, 0.0
Gardner-Webb Individual Results
125 Pounds
Javier Maldanado (Chattanooga) maj. dec. Cortney Roberts; 15-4
Cortney Roberts tech fall Chris Panfili (Davidson); 18-0
Johnny Olanowski (Missouri) pin fall Cortney Roberts; 0:18
133 Pounds - Pniewski Eighth Place
Josh Pniewski maj. dec. Anton Prater (Virginia Tech); 13-1
No. 11 Matt Keller (Chattanooga) def. Josh Pniewski; 6-4
Josh Pniewski maj. dec. Casey Moore (Lock Haven); 16-2
Josh Pniewski dec. Sean Carr (Maryland); 9-2
Josh Pniewski maj. dec. Terry Jackson (Ohio); 8-0
Josh Pniewski pin fall Nick Bridge (Cornell); 4:57
Josh Pniewski pin fall Terreyl Williams (App. St.); 6:54
No. 13 Mike Mormile (Cornell) def. Josh Pniewski; 5-2
141 Pounds
A.J. Renteria pin fall Charles Lloyd (Minnesota); 6:01
Nick Alparone (Virginia) def. A.J. Renteria; 10-4
A.J. Renteria pin fall Steve Fehnel (Maryland); 5:57
Branden Beasley (Navy) def. A.J. Renteria; 3-2
Jay Morrison (Edinboro) tech fall Chas Franz; 20-4
T.J. Enright (Ohio State) def. Chas Franz; 5-4
149 Pounds - Elliott Third Place
Daniel Elliott tech fall Matt Gulosh (Navy); 21-3
Daniel Elliott tech fall Jay Chichester (George Mason); 17-0
Daniel Elliott dec. No. 17 Jason Bake (Kent State); 6-3
Josh Medina (Lock Haven) dec. Daniel Elliott; 8-3
Daniel Elliott dec. Joe Caramanica (N.C. State); 7-3
Daniel Elliott dec. Don Fisch (Rider); 9-8
Daniel Elliott dec. No. 3 Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro); 10-4
Daniel Elliott dec. Josh Medina (Lock Haven); 12-8
157 Pounds
John Jarred (Navy) dec. Adam Glaser; 9-4
Adam Glaser pin fall Nick Amato (Campbell); 4:11
Adam Glaser dec. Mike Ashby (Edinboro); 3-2
Jerad Villecco (Maryland) pin fall Paul Florio; 0:44
Addison Nuding (Duke) dec. Paul Florio; 3-0
165 Pounds
No. 15 Justin Lestor (Pittsburgh) DQ Jordan Lowe; 5:40
Charlie Clark (Ohio State) maj. dec. Jordan Lowe; 10-0
Brent Poynter (Campbell) pin fall David Pelsang; 1:56
Jacob Lauffenburger (Lock Haven) maj. dec. David Pelsang; 13-1
174 Pounds
Aaron Miller (Kent State) pin fall Chad Davis; 6:47
Chad Davis dec. Josh Lewis (Eastern Michigan); 8-4
Eric Ring (Edinboro) tech fall Chad Davis; 17-1
No. 1 Ben Askren (Missouri) pin fall Matthias Piasecki; 2:37
Matthias Piasecki forfeit Joey Hooker (Cornell); medical
Nick Padezan (Pittsburgh) maj. dec. Matthias Piasecki; 9-0
184 Pounds
Brandon Beach maj. dec. Kyle Elgert (VMI); 12-4
Steve Borja (Virginia Tech) maj. dec. Brandon Beach; 18-4
Derrick Morgan (Lock Haven) maj. dec. Brandon Beach; 8-0
197 Pounds
Tom Kocher (Lock Haven) dec. Brent Blackwell; 11-5
Brent Blackwell pin fall Jim Martin (George Mason); 1:45
Travis Gardner (Oregon St.) dec. Brent Blackwell; 7-4
285 Pounds
Jainor Palma (N.C. St.) dec. Brandon Schweitzer; 7-3
Adam Karacevicz (E. Stroudsburg) dec. Brandon Schweitzer; 4-2
Elliott Improves to 13-1 as GWU Wrestles at IU Duals
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Gardner-Webb invaded Assembly Hall on Saturday to
take on the 16th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers and a tough Eastern Illinois
squad at the IU Duals. Senior Daniel Elliott went 2-0 on the day but
GWU dropped both matches.
Elliott's 3-2 decision over Matt Cooper in the 149-pound bout was
Gardner-Webb's lone bright spot in a 37-3 loss to No. 16 Indiana.
The tone was set early on as the top-ranked 125-pound grappler in the
nation, Joe Dubuque, earned a pin over Cortney Roberts with six seconds
left in the first period to put the Hoosiers on top, 6-0.
Josh Pniewski dropped a narrow 5-4 decision at 133 before a technical
decision at 141 pounds gave Indiana the 14-0 advantage.
Elliott's one-point victory over Cooper at 149 got Gardner-Webb to
within 14-3, but IU won the remaining six contests, including a pin and
two major decisions for the 37-3 final.
The Bulldogs got out to a quick 9-0 start against Eastern Illinois as
Roberts took a forfeit win before Pniewski handled Tony Metzger by a
10-3 margin.
After the Panthers struck back with a decision at 141, Elliott answered
with a 10-7 decision over Jeff Tharp to push the spread back to nine
points at 12-3 through the first four matches.
The Gardner-Webb lead grew as Adam Glaser won 12-10 at 157 and Paul
Florio took a 10-2 major decision victory in his 165-pound match.
Florio's major decision was the third-straight win for GWU and pushed
the Bulldog advantage to 19-3.
The momentum quickly changed sides from that point, as EIU's Kenny
Robertson backed up his No. 11 ranking with a 1:30 pin over Chad Davis
at 174 pounds. Another pin fall at 184 pounds gave the Panthers six
more points and cut the GWU lead to just four points at 19-15.
Terron Williams then took an 8-3 decision over Brent Blackwell at 197
to bring Eastern Illinois to within a single point at 19-18 before EIU
completed the 24-19 come-from-behind victory with a win via injury in
the heavyweight bout.
Gardner-Webb falls to 3-7 in dual matches with the two losses on
Saturday. Up next for the 'Dogs is the Southern Scuffle at UNCG on Dec.
29 and 30.
No. 16 Indiana Def. Gardner-Webb, 37-3
125- (IU) No. 1 Joe Dubuque 2:54 fall Cortney Roberts
133- (IU) Andrae Hernandez 5-4 dec. Josh Pniewski
141- (IU) Nick Spatola 18-2 tech. fall A.J. Renteria
149- (GWU) Daniel Elliott 3-2 dec. Matt Cooper
157- (IU) No. 4 Brandon Becker 6-0 dec. Adam Glaser
165- (IU) Max Dean 5:03 fall Dave Pelsang
174- (IU) Marc Bennett 7-4 dec. Chad Davis
184- (IU) Justin Curran 7-4 dec. Brandon Beach
197- (IU) No. 8 Brady Richardson 13-5 maj. dec. Brent Blackwell
295- (IU) Dave Herman 12-3 maj. dec. Brandon Schweitzer
Eastern Illinois Def. Gardner-Webb, 24-19
125- (GWU) Cortney Roberts wins by forfeit
133- (GWU) Josh Pniewksi 10-3 dec. Tony Metzger
141- (EIU) Casey Carrino 7-3 dec. Chas Franz
149- (GWU) Daniel Elliott 10-7 dec. Jeff Tharp
157- (GWU) Adam Glaser 12-10 dec. Tyler Williams
165- (GWU) Paul Florio 10-2 maj. dec. Andy Mangiaguerra
174- (EIU) No. 11 Kenny Robertson 1:30 fall Chad Davis
184- (EIU) Greg Perz 2:05 fall Brandon Beach
197- (EIU) Terron Williams 8-3 dec. Brent Blackwell
295- (EIU) Danny Perez inj. def. Brandon Schweitzer
Bulldogs Get Past James Madison, 18-17
HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Gardner-Webb wrestling team edged James Madison
by a single point on Thursday night after the teams split the 10
matches. Daniel Elliott earned a tech fall victory and Brent Blackwell
took a major decision win for the decisive extra points.
The hotly contested match started with the 133-pound bout between No.
18 Josh Pniewski and James Madison's Rich Gebauer. Pniewski rolled to
the 12-6 victory to stake Gardner-Webb to the early 3-0 advantage.
Gardner-Webb's other nationally ranked grappler, No. 17 Daniel Elliott,
then scored an 18-3 tech fall victory over Mitch Davey at 149 pounds to
push the GWU lead to a five-point spread at 8-3.
The lead grew to 11-3 as Adam Glaser secured Gardner-Webb's third
victory in the opening four contests with a 6-2 decision at 157 pounds.
After Mike Meagher scored a major decision for the Dukes at 165, Chad
Davis earned a 5-1 decision at 174 to double up James Madison on the
scoreboard, 14-7.
JMU would narrow the gap with decisions in the 184, 285 and 125-pound
bouts, but a Brent Blackwell major decision victory at 197 pounds gave
Gardner-Webb all the points it would need to finish off the Dukes for
an 18-17 road victory.
Gardner-Webb improves to 2-5 in dual matches on the young season. The
'Dogs will be right back on the mats on Friday night when they wrestle
at VMI, starting at 7 pm.
Gardner-Webb Def. James Madison, 18-17
125- (JMU) Louis Sweet maj. dec. Cortney Roberts, 14-4
133- (GWU) Josh Pniewski dec. Rich Gebauer, 12-6
141- (JMU) Brian Kibler dec. A.J. Renteria, 9-4
149- (GWU) Daniel Elliott tech fall Mitch Davey, 18-3
157- (GWU) Adam Glaser dec. Jon DiVello, 6-2
165- (JMU) Mike Meagher maj. dec. Paul Florio, 11-2
174- (GWU) Chad Davis dec. Bucky Anderson, 5-1
184- (JMU) Brian Lambert dec. Brandon Beach 11-9
197- (GWU) Brent Blackwell maj. dec. Jon Bauman, 12-4
285- (JMU) Chris Cvitan dec. Brandon Schweitzer, 6-5
GWU Wrestling: Elliott Takes 2nd at Carolina Open
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb wrestling team turned in a strong
showing at the Carolina Open on Saturday as 16 different grapplers
registered at least one victory. Daniel Elliott led the Bulldog charge
on the day by posting a 3-1 record en route to a second-place finish at
149 pounds.
For the day, Gardner-Webb picked up 35 wins compared to 34 losses as 16
Bulldog grapplers notched at least one victory and 10 took two or more
wins in the event.
Elliott, who came into action on Saturday as the No. 17 ranked grappler
at 149 pounds, stormed through the first four rounds and into the
championship match. Elliott advanced into the second round on a bye and
then began dismantling the opposition as he tore through the bracket.
In the second round, Elliott took a 7-2 decision over UNC-Greensboro's
Andrew Krieger. Elliott then pinned Campbell's Steve Wiktorek in 4:13
before taking a 10-0 major decision victory over Brandon Palmer to
advance to the championship match in the 149-pound class.
In the finals, Elliott had his run come to an end with an 8-6 loss to
Brent Metcalf of Virginia Tech. The loss snapped Elliott's perfect 9-0
start to the 2005-2006 campaign and was Elliott's first loss since Dec.
30 of 2004 outside of two losses at the NCAA Nationals in March. The
senior 149-pounder has now posted an incredible mark of 25 wins and
just three losses over his last 28 contests.
Elliott was not the only Gardner-Webb wrestler to impress, as No. 18
ranked Josh Pniewski piled up four victories in the 133-pound
tournament. Pniewski advanced into the third round with decisions over
Chris Bencivenga of UNCG and Alvin Simmons of Newberry before suffering
a 3-1 loss to Appalachian State's Terreyl Williams. Pniewski rebounded
to score two more victories via major decision and pin fall.
Brandon Schweitzer was solid in his return to the lineup at the
285-pound slot, picking up five wins in seven matches on the afternoon.
Schweitzer took a 2-0 decision over Virginia Tech's Mark Logan before
falling to Wade Van Sickle of Duke in the second round. Schweitzer then
rattled off four-straight victories before having his day ended with a
3-1 loss to UTC's Izzy Silvia.
Brandon Beach earned four wins in the 184-pound division, including two
victories via the pin and Chaz Franz picked up three wins at 141 pounds
for the Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb will get back into dual match action on Dec. 1, when it
will travel to James Madison.
Elliott Goes 3-0 at UNC-Greensboro Duals, 'Dogs Top Anderson
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Daniel Elliott took a pin fall victory and won two
other matches by decision to open his senior season with a 3-0 mark.
Elliott, ranked No. 18 in the nation at 149 pounds, has now won 19 of
his last 21 matches dating back to Dec. 30 of 2004.
Elliott scored a pin fall victory over Codey Bearden at the 3:17 mark
to push Gardner-Webb's lead to 19-0 over Anderson. The Bulldogs went on
to take the team victory by a 38-12 score.
Matt Taylor made his highly anticipated collegiate debut for the
Bulldogs at 125 pounds by scoring a 13-4 major decision win. Josh
Pniewski then gave GWU the 10-0 lead by registering a pin in 3:50
before A.J. Renteria took an 8-6 win at 141 pounds.
After the Elliott pin fall victory pushed the spread to 19-0, Anderson
took the next two matches by forfeit and pin fall to cut the deficit to
19-12. Sophomore Chad Davis pushed the lead to 25-12 with GWU's third
pin of the match before Brandon Beach and Brent Blackwell posted wins
at 184 and 197. Ricky Wilson Jr. then finished off the 38-12 victory by
pinning Aaron Lambert at the 4:50 mark.
Gardner-Webb won just four other matches on the day as the 'Dogs
suffered a 33-10 loss to Virginia and a 43-3 loss to the host UNCG
squad.
Renteria and Elliott pulled out back-to-back decisions at 141 and 149
against Virginia to trim the Cavalier lead to just three points at 9-6.
Virginia then posted wins in the next five contests to open up a 33-6
lead before Wilson Jr. score a major decision victory at 285 to make
the final 33-10 in favor of Virginia.
Elliott then picked up Gardner-Webb's lone victory against UNCG as the
Spartans took nine of the ten matches, rolling to the 43-3 win.
Gardner-Webb (1-2) will be in action again on Saturday as it competes
in the Buffalo Duals against Buffalo, Bloomsburg and the University of
Findlay.
Gardner-Webb def. Anderson, 38-12
125 - (GWU) Matt Taylor maj. dec. Tyler Davis, 13-4
133 - (GWU) Josh Pniewski win by fall Anthony DiCarlo, 3:50
141 - (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Nick DiCarlo, 8-6
149 - (GWU) Daniel Elliott wins by fall Codey Bearden, 3:17
157 - (AC) Herb Porter wins by forfeit
165 - (AC) Forrest Garner wins by fall Dave Pelsang, 1:18
174 - (GWU) Chad Davis wins by fall Hunter Garner, 2:55
184 - (GWU) Brandon Beach maj. dec. Jeremy Smith, 13-3
197 - (GWU) Brent Blackwell dec. Darryl Scott, 2-1 (rideout)
285 - (GWU) Ricky Wilson win by fall Aaron Lambert, 4:50
Virginia def. Gardner-Webb, 33-10
125 - (UVA) Anthony Burke win by fall Matt Taylor, 6:52
133 - (UVA) Eric Albright dec. Josh Pniewski, 12-7
141 - (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Nick Alparone, 6-5
149 - (GWU) Daniel Elliott dec. Andrew DiPasquale, 8-6
157 - (UVA) Mike Sewell win by forfeit
165 - (UVA) Damian Johnson win by fall Dave Pelsang, 2:19
174 - (UVA) Mike Grogan dec. Chad Davis, 3-2 (rideout)
184 - (UVA) Kyle Narkiewicz dec. Brandon Beach, 8-6
197 - (UVA) Brent Jones wins by forfeit
285 - (GWU) Ricky Wilson maj. dec. Nick Smith, 11-1
UNCG def. Gardner-Webb, 43-3
125 - (UNCG) Joe Kemmerer dec. Matt Taylor, 1-0
133 - (UNCG) Chris Bencivenga dec. Josh Pniewski, 8-5
141 - (UNCG) Kevin Artis wins by fall A.J. Renteria, 2:07
149 - (GWU) Daniel Elliott dec. Cody Harrington, 6-3
157 - (UNCG) Nathan Berryman wins by forfeit
165 - (UNCG) Mark Ring wins by fall Dave Pelsang, 2:59
174 - (UNCG) Joe Lowe maj. dec. Chad Davis, 16-4
184 - (UNCG) Kane Smith dec. Brandon Beach, 3-2
197 - (UNCG) Daren Burns wins by forfeit
285 - (UNCG) Joe Sheffield wins by fall Ricky Wilson, 4:31
Gardner Webb University's Pniewski Preseason No. 18 Ranking
NEWTON, Iowa - Wrestling International News Magazine recently announced
its NCAA Division I preseason individual and team rankings, naming
Gardner-Webb's Josh Pniewski as the No. 18 wrestler in the nation at
133 pounds.
Pniewski missed the first half of Gardner-Webb's 2004-2005 campaign
while recovering from injury but bounced back to post a 16-9 record and
become the school's first-ever, two-time National Qualifier on the
Division I level.
Despite the shortened season, the Spencer, Ohio, native still managed
to lead the Bulldogs with five major decision victories, while ending
second with 46 takedowns and third with 41 points and 16 wins. Pniewski
also finished among Gardner-Webb's top five with nine reversals and 11
victories via near fall.
Pniewski closed the year by winning 13 of his final 18 matches,
including 10 straight en route to claiming his second NCAA East
Regional Championship in as many years and cementing his place as one
of the top grapplers in the region.
While competing at the NCAA National Championships in St. Louis, Mo.,
Pniewski suffered a first-round loss before upsetting T.J. Enright of
Ohio State. Pniewski earned a come from behind, 7-6, victory over then
No. 18 ranked Enright after scoring a takedown with 15 seconds left on
the clock.
The national ranking for Pniewski is the second such honor for the
Gardner-Webb program this preseason, as Daniel Elliott was also touted
as the No. 18 ranked wrestler in the nation in the 149-pound division
by Amateur News Wrestling.
Gardner-Webb will open up the 2005-2006 campaign with a quad match at
UNC Greensboro on Nov. 12.
Gardner-Webb senior wrestler Daniel Elliott in national ranking
Elliott Earns Top Twenty Preseason National Ranking
OKLAHOMA CITY - Gardner-Webb senior wrestler Daniel Elliott has been
tabbed as the No. 18 rated grappler in the nation in the 149-pound
division as announced by Amateur Wrestling News on Oct. 3.
Elliott caught fire midway through his 2004-2005 campaign, winning 15
consecutive matches leading up to the NCAA Nationals. The
Fuquay-Varina, N.C., native finished with a team-best 24 wins and also
led the Bulldog squad with 82 takedowns, 22 near falls, 13 reversals
and seven tech falls.
Along with his numerous team-leading statistics, Elliott also gained
national recognition by finishing the season tied for second in his
weight class with those seven tech fall victories, and was just one
short of leading the nation.
Elliott backed up his regular season success with a NCAA East Regional
Championship, and went on to post a win at the NCAA Nationals.
The preseason ranking is the latest in a string of honors handed to
Elliott since the 2004-2005 season came to a close. Elliott was named
as Gardner-Webb's Most Outstanding Wrestler and also played a role in
Gardner-Webb being named as a NWCA All-Academic Top-30 Team. In late
April, Elliott was named to the All-Carolina Team by The Takedown
Report.
Elliott and the 'Dogs will kick into action on Nov. 12 with a quad at
UNC Greensboro. Gardner-Webb will compete with UNCG, Anderson and
Virginia.
Gardner Webb University Wrestling Announces Fall Clinic on Oct. 8
BOILING SPRINGS - The Gardner-Webb wrestling program has announced that
it will be holding a fall wrestling clinic on Saturday, Oct. 8. The
clinic will begin at 10 a.m. and continue throughout the day, leading
up to the GWU football game at 6 p.m.
The clinic is recommended for any junior high and high school athlete
who desires to gain a better understanding of the sport of wrestling.
The clinic will be divided into three parts with the first being an
optional viewing of a Gardner-Webb wrestling practice. After
registering, all participants will take part in a three-hour
instructional clinic. An additional 45-minute live wrestling session
will be available immediately following the clinic for anyone
interested.
Gardner-Webb's practice will take place from 10 a.m. until noon and is
open for viewing by all clinic participants. Registration for the
clinic will then take place in Bost Gymnasium from 11:45 a.m. through
12:30 p.m., with the clinic lasting from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. The
45-minute optional live wrestling period will follow immediately and
last from 3:30 until 4:15 p.m. Finally, supper will be provided for
participants between 4:45 and 6:00 p.m. The day will wrap up with the
option of attending Gardner-Webb's football game with Hampton in
Spangler Stadium, starting at 6 p.m.
The clinic will be staffed by Gardner-Webb Head Coach Richard Wince and
GWU Assistant Coach Scott Shipman. Wince is in his 16th season with the
Bulldogs while Shipman is entering his fourth year as the assistant and
is a former NCAA National Champion, U.S. National Place winner and
four-time All-American. Additional staff will include current Bulldog
wrestlers.
Fees for the clinic include instructional costs, supplies, educational
materials, a t-shirt, dinner on campus and one football game ticket.
Cost for a single wrestler is $50, single coach is $20. Wrestlers with
a team will be admitted for $40, and any coach that brings a team will
get in at no charge.
A team must be composed of five or more people and must send
registration forms together.
Registration needs to be completed by Oct. 1 to guarantee a spot.
The clinic will be held at Bost Gymnasium on Gardner-Webb's campus.
Directions will be provided upon receipt of registration.
For additional information and questions, or to register for the
clinic, please contact Scott Shipman at (704) 406-3321 or via email at
sshipman@gardner-webb.edu.
Gardner-Webb Announces Signings
2005-2006 Gardner-Webb University Wrestling Signings
Rich Boland George Walton HS / Marietta, GA 149 / 157
Chad Cotterman Walkersville HS / Frederick, MD 133 / 141
J.J. Davis Byrnes HS / Duncan, SC 165
Paul Florio LaSalle Institute / Troy, NY 141
Cortney Roberts Spencer HS / Van Etten, NY 125
Rob Tate East Gaston HS / Gastonia, NC 133 / 141
Matt Taylor Colonial Forge HS / Stafford, VA 125
Seven-Man Wrestling Class Headlined By Four State Champions
BOILING SPRINGS The Gardner-Webb wrestling program has signed seven student athletes to National Letters of Intent, head coach Dick Wince announced on Thursday. The group has five combined state championships and will join the Bulldog roster in the fall of 2005.
The incoming class spans six states along the Eastern seaboard and will provide a substantial amount of depth to the low and middle-weight classes in the upcoming season.
"This is no doubt the best recruiting class in the history of the program, Wince stated. "These great athletes add depth in the lower and middle weights. This class has the ability to continue the ascent to the upper levels of Division I wrestling that our veterans have begun. We are expecting them to step right into the program and contribute immediately.
Cortney Roberts (Spencer HS / Van Etten, NY) and Matt Taylor (Colonial Forge HS / Stafford, VA) will wrestle at 125 pounds, while Chad Cotterman (Walkersville HS / Frederick, MD), Paul Florio (LaSalle Institute / Troy, NY) and Rob Tate (East Gaston HS / Gastonia, NC) will compete at 133 or 141, Rich Boland (George Walton HS / Marietta, GA) could see time at 149 or 157 and J.J. Davis (Byrnes HS / Duncan, SC) will give GWU another strong competitor in the 165-pound class.
Boland, a two-time Georgia state champion, finished his prep career with a second-place showing in the state tournament at 135 pounds in 2005. The Marietta, Ga., native also took second place in his freshman campaign before winning the state championship in 2003 and 2004. Boland posted a 43-8 mark during his senior year and went 161-19 over his four-year career. Boland is projected to compete at 149 or 157 pounds for Gardner-Webb.
Cotterman should contend for time in the 133 or 141 pound classes at the collegiate level after turning in second-place finishes in the state of Maryland in 2004 and 2005 at 135 pounds. Cotterman is a four-time regional champion and state qualifier and a three-time county champion. The Walkersville High School standout ripped off a 38-3 record in his final prep season and was honored as the 2005 Frederick News Post Wrestler of the Year as well as being named to Maryland,s 2005 Senior Team.
Davis, the 2005 South Carolina Wrestler of the Year, should make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs. Davis won the South Carolina state title at 160 pounds as a senior after turning in runner-up finishes at 152 pounds in 2004 and 140 pounds in 2003. The Duncan, S.C., native is a two-time member of the South Carolina Junior National Team and owns a career record of 146 wins to just seven losses after going 32-1 in his final prep season. Davis will be asked to move up to the 165-pound division in his first collegiate season at Gardner-Webb.
Florio will bring a New York state championship with him to Boiling Springs this fall after marching to a 44-2 mark and a state title during his senior season. Florio won 193 high school matches over his career and was named as a FILA Cadet All-American in 2002. The LaSalle Institute standout is a two-time New York Section II champ and a five-time New York Section II place winner. Florio is projected to compete at 141 pounds for GWU this fall.
Roberts is also a New York product and hails from Spencer High School. Roberts took fourth in New York,s Section IV during his final prep season after finishing second in the section in 2004. In 2004, Roberts won the New York state championship in Freestyle and Greco-Roman, and was a member of the New York Junior National Team. Roberts went 30-6 as a senior and 133-29 over the course of his prep career and will compete at 125 pounds at the collegiate level for the Bulldogs.
Tate is the fourth member of the signing class to have a state championship after winning the 119-pound weight class title in 2004. Tate was the runner-up at 125 pounds in 2005 and also placed at the North Carolina state championships during his sophomore campaign. The local product out of East Gaston High School in Gastonia, N.C., is a four-time state qualifier, a three-time member of the North Carolina Cadet and Junior National Teams and a Freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion. Tate is projected to wrestle in the 133, or 141-pound weight class for Gardner-Webb.
Taylor signed with GWU in November, and is a four-time place winner in the state of Virginia. Taylor possesses a career mark of 153-36 and went 45-6 during his senior year. The Stafford, Va., native took sixth in the state at 103 pounds in 2002, fifth at 119 in 2003, third at 119 in 2004 and second at 125 pounds in 2005. Among Taylor,s list of accomplishments are being a three-time member of the Junior National Team in Freestyle and Greco-Roman, a FILA Cadet All-American in Greco-Roman in 2003 and a Virginia Freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion in 2003. Taylor was ranked in the fall as one of the top 125-pound recruits in the nation by Intermatwrestle.com, and should make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs.
The seven newcomers will join Gardner-Webb,s 16 returners from a team that posted a 6-11 mark during the 2004-2005 campaign.
Elliott Earns Spot on All-Carolina Team
TARBORO, N.C. Gardner-Webb junior wrestler Daniel Elliott added another postseason honor recently, as he was named to the Takedown Report,s All-Carolina Team.
The Takedown Report is a website based in Tarboro, N.C. that devotes itself towards covering every level of collegiate wrestling in the North and South Carolina region. Its All-Carolina Team consists of 10 wrestlers who were ranked by the website as the top grappler in each of the respective weight classes.
Elliott was named to the team as the top 149-pound wrestler in the two-state region after posting a 24-9 record during the 2004-2005 campaign. Elliott was named as Gardner-Webb,s Most Outstanding Wrestler after he led the squad with 24 wins, seven tech falls, 82 takedowns and 22 near falls while also topping the Bulldogs with 13 reversals and 13 riding time points. The seven tech falls placed Elliott among the top three NCAA Division I wrestlers in the 149-pound class, and was just one short of leading the nation.
The Fuquay-Varina, N.C., started the season on a 9-7 pace, but caught fire after the turn of the calendar year, as he went without a loss from the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 30 all the way through to the opening round of the NCAA Nationals on March 17, a stretch spanning a total of 15 matches over 10 weeks of action.
During that time, Elliott became Gardner-Webb,s second East Regional Champion and third NCAA Division I National Qualifier is the past three seasons. After suffering his first loss of 2005 in the opening-round match at Nationals, Elliott bounced back to pin his Citadel opponent, Levi Duyn, at the 5:27 mark. That win, along with Josh Pniewski,s second-round win in the 133-pound class consolation bracket, marked the first time in the history of the GWU program that two victories had been recorded at Nationals.
Takedown Report All-Carolina Team
125- Joe Kemmerer (31-7), UNC Greensboro, SoCon Champion
133- Evan Sola (36-6), North Carolina, D1 All-American
141- Jason Jones (21-13), Appalachian State, National Qualifier
149- Daniel Elliott (24-9), Gardner-Webb, East Regional Champion
157- Travis Piccard (35-5), The Citadel, SoCon Champ
165- Dwayne Coward (35-1), UNC-Pembroke, D2 Nat. Runner-Up
174- Careef Robertson (25-4), Anderson College, D2 Nat. Champion
184- Frank Cornely (22-10) Duke, ACC Champion
197- Daren Burns (30-6), UNC Greensboro, SoCon Champion
285- John Richard (20-9), Limestone, D2 All-American
Wrestling Named as NWCA All-Academic Top-30 Team
MANHEIM, Pa. The Gardner-Webb wrestling program was honored Tuesday by the National Wrestling Coaches Association for its academic excellence in the 2004-2005 year.
Gardner-Webb was named as an NWCA All-Academic Team after posting a team grade-point average of 2.95. The Bulldogs were one of 30 NCAA Division I wrestling programs to be acknowledged for the award.
Gardner-Webb junior Josh Pniewski was also honored, as he was named to the 2005 NWCA Division I All-Academic Team after posting a cumulative G.P.A of 3.56.
Pniewski, a business administration major, excelled in the classroom as well as on the mats for the Bulldogs as he won the 2005 East Regional Championship in the 133-pound weight class for the second consecutive year. Pniewski had the start of the 2004-2005 campaign delayed by injury, but returned at the end of December to post a 16-9 mark. Pniewski led GWU with five major decision wins, was second with 46 takedowns and ranked among the team leaders in nearly every other offensive statistic.
Pniewski,s season was highlighted with a 7-6 decision over Ohio State,s T.J. Enright at the NCAA National Championships. Pniewski,s win over the No. 18 ranked Enright, along with Daniel Elliott,s 14-2 major decision win over The Citadel,s Levy Duyn at 149 pounds marked the first time in the brief Division I history of GWU that two wrestlers had posted wins at Nationals.