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Budd Wins Second MAC Championship

Mark Budd

BUFFALO, NY - For the second consecutive season, senior Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) was crowned conference champion at the 2007 Mid-American Conference Championships held at Alumni Arena on Sunday. Budd is the third grappler in UB history to win two conference titles, as he has now qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit, Michigan on March 15-17.

Central Michigan took top team honors, generating 106.5 team points. The Chippewas claim six individual titles en route to their sixth straight MAC Championship title. Kent State was second with 73.5 points, Northern Illinois finished third with 61.5 points, then followed by Ohio with 37 points, Eastern Michigan with 29.5, and Buffalo with 16.5.

Budd began the morning having downed both opponents faced in the first round and semifinals the day before. In the championship round, the reigning 133-pound champion drew Kent State's Danny Mitcheff, an opponent who he defeated 9-0 in February. This time around, Budd was challenged a bit more with the chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships lingering in the wings for both competitors. The match began with a takedown for Budd, which was immediately thwarted with a Mitcheff escape. An escape gave Budd a 3-1 advantage, as the match would remain close to the bitter end. An escape scored by Mitcheff to start the third period would be the last score in the match, with Budd pulling out the tight victory. With his championship performance, Budd earned All-MAC First Team honors.

Senior Ray Lamb (Vineland, NJ/Absegami) was the second and last Bull to place at the conference tournament, as he earned a spot in the third-place match against Kent State's Eric Chine. Unfortunately for Lamb, the nationally-ranked Chine was too much, taking the major decision, 19-6.

Budd will next compete at the NCAA Wrestling Championships held in Detroit, Michigan on March 15-17. For more information on the Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships, visit the MAC Wrestling homepage/.

125 - Dan Bishop
First round: L, maj. dec. Chad Sportelli (Kent State), 8-0
Consolations: L, dec. Seth Morton (Ohio), 9-5

133 - Mark Budd - 1st place
First round: W, dec. Chris Jenkins (Eastern Michigan), 6-4
Semifinals: W, dec. Conor Beebe (Central Michigan), 6-4 (ot)
Finals: W, dec. Danny Mitcheff (Kent State), 3-2

141 - Andrew Stella
First round: L, fall to Dan Ruettiger (Northern Illinois), at 3:33
Consolations: L, dec. Drew Lashaway (Kent State), 6-3

149 - Jason Hilliard
First round: L, fall to Mike Grimes (Northern Illinois), at 6:55
Consolations: L, maj. dec. Clay ucker (Ohio), 15-6

157 - Scott Rendos
First round: L, dec. Jacob Frerichs (Ohio), 7-2
Consolations: L, dec. Cory Mancuso (Eastern Michigan), 4-2

165 - Mike Ragusa
First round: L, dec. Nick Conkliin (Eastern Michigan), 7-4
Consolations: L, dec. Jacob Ison (Ohio), 8-7

174 - Nate Rock
First round: L, maj. dec. Brandon Sinnott (Central Michigan), 15-5
Consolations: L, fall to Antione Love (Ohio), at 4:55

184 - Ray Lamb - 4th place
First round: W, dec. John McClure (Eastern Michigan), 12-5
Semifinals: L, maj. dec. Christian Sinnott (Central Michigan), 15-5
Consolations: W, dec. Nick Terbay (Ohio), 3-2
Third-place match: L, maj. dec. Eric Chine (Kent State), 19-6

197 - Jake Blowers
First round: L, fall to Wynn Michalak (Central Michigan), at 2:04
Consolations: L, fall to Nick McClone (Northern Illinois), at 1:53

285 - Jeff Parker
First round: W, dec. Charlie Walker (Eastern Michigan), 10-4
Semifinals: L, maj. dec. Bubba Gritter (Central Michigan), 10-2
Consolations: L, dec. David Benner (Northern Illinois), 6-5