Kent State University
Mid-American Conference Championships
DePalma Wins MAC Title; McGuire & Conel Also Clinch NCAA Bids
3/6/2016 4:54:00 PM | Wrestling
Brackets Team Scores Watch 149-pound Championship Match
Ypsilanti, Mich. – Senior Mike DePalma was at his best all weekend, winning a 149-pound Mid-American Conference title Sunday at Eastern Michigan's Convocation Center. DePalma, Mack McGuire and Kyle Conel each earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships.
"We had a great final round," Head Coach Jim Andrassy said. "And Mike wrestled two perfect matches in the semifinals and finals. It's the best he's ever looked and it's the right time for it."
DePalma topped Central Michigan's Justin Oliver 7-3 in the championship bout with takedowns in each period. The Flashes' senior converted a double leg shot in the first and scored on a re-attack in the second. With DePalma leading 5-3 late in the third, Oliver made one final attempt and was immediately flattened. DePalma will be making his third career trip to the NCAA Championships and his title gives Kent State an individual champion 11 straight seasons.
"I came here with the mentality that I was going to win this tournament," DePalma said. "And this was a stepping stone for what I need to do at the national tournament."
McGuire sealed a third place with a first period pin of Ohio's Cam Kelly. From the neutral position, McGuire locked up a tight cradle. Kelly tried to get out-of-bounds, but several rolls and adjustments put his shoulders on the mat. McGuire earned an automatic bid earlier in the day with a medical forfeit from Eastern Michigan's Shayne Wireman.
"Mack was able to get it in his mind that he could wrestle hurt," Andrassy said of McGuire's knee. "It was about believing in himself."
Conel placed fifth for his NCAA spot. The redshirt freshman dropped his consolation semifinal 3-1 in sudden victory to Shawn Scott of Northern Illinois. After slowing the match down, Scott snuck in a takedown with three seconds left in the overtime.
However, Conel bounced back with a 3-2 win over Buffalo's James Benjamin in the fifth place match. Earning a second period takedown to go ahead, Conel topped Benjamin for the second time in as many days.
Redshirt freshman and No. 7 seed Devin Nye won two matches Sunday for a third place finish. Nye pinned Eastern Michigan's Gage Hutchison for the second time this weekend. A stand-up attempt by Hutchison started a turn of events that ended with Nye on top. Earlier, Nye won his consolation semifinal 7-2 over Missouri's Cody Johnston.
Jairod James scored a minor upset of No. 4 seed Trace Engelkes from Northern Illinois on his way to a fourth place. Leading 5-4 late in the match, James countered an Engelkes throw attempt with a bear hug that resulted in six points and an 11-4 victory.
Senior Tyler Buckwalter placed fifth, ending his weekend with a 12-7 victory over Central Michigan's Colin Heffernan. Buckwalter dropped a tight consolation semifinal battle to Ohio's Austin Reese 4-3.
Senior Ian Miller did not compete Sunday and was credited with a sixth place. Despite his absence Sunday, the Golden Flashes finished fourth of nine in a very competitive team race.
New York City's Madison Square Garden will play host to the 2016 NCAA Championships March 17-19. At-large bids and 33-man brackets will be released Wednesday, March 9.
Players Mentioned
