KENT, Ohio -  Kent State junior Dustin Kilgore led the Golden Pride Wrestling Club Saturday with a third place finish at the FILA University Nationals at the University of Akron.  Classmates Ross Tice and Nic Bedelyon also earned spots on the victory stand, while several other Golden Flashes made their presence felt, competing against the nation’s best.   

Competing in the 96 KG (211.5 lbs) bracket, Kilgore won six matches, including two by pin.  He advanced to the semifinals with victories in his first four bouts, before falling to eventual champion Chad Hanke.

“Dustin isn’t big enough for that weight class,”  Jim Andrassy said of Kilgore’s semifinal loss.  “It’s noticeable that he’s about 200 pounds and some of the guys he wrestles are 230, cutting down to 211, so he’s going to have to either put on some weight or drop down a weight class.”

Tice served as the team’s “iron man” going 7-2 on the day in his fifth place finish at 79 KG (174 lbs).
“Ross is a competitor,” Andrassy said.  “He’s not far off from being an All-American next year, he just needs a little more confidence.”

Bedelyon claimed a seventh place with a 5-2 mark at 60 KG (132 lbs).

“Nic did well for having only competed in a couple freestyle events,” Andrassy said.  “And wrestling up a bit in weight didn’t seem to affect him so we may look at him competing at 133 next year.”

Sophomores Casey Newburg and Keith Witt and redshirt freshman Brandonn Johnson combined for 10 wins in the 84 KG (185 lbs) bracket.  Junior Marcel Clopton (66 KG) and sophomore Stevie Mitcheff (55 KG) each had two wins on the day.