Wrestling Weekly Release

Bulls Finish MAC Championships with Six Top-Four Finishers

Desi Green

The University at Buffalo wrestling team finished in fourth place with 39 points at the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championships at the Convocation Center on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. After day one, the Bulls were positioned in fourth place with 28 points including all ten Bulls remaining in final and consolation matches. For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Bulls had three wrestlers vying for individual titles including Desi Green, Nate Rock and Jimmy Hamel.

Nate Rock

On day two, the Bulls finished the day with six top-four finishers including Dan Bishop at 125, Green at 149, Ron Majerus at 165, Rock at 174, Mickey Moran at 184 and Hamel at 197. Green, Rock and Hamel each placed second in their respective classes. Moran finished in third at 184 while Bishop and Majerus placed fourth at 125 and 165, respectively.

Green, Rock and Moran are St. Louis Bound

Placing in the top-three at the 2009 MAC Championships; Green, Rock and Moran are bound for the 2009 NCAA National Championships in St. Louis, MO. This year will mark the first appearance at the national championships for each of these wrestlers.

Mickey Moran

Next Up: NCAA Championships

Green, Rock and Moran will travel to St. Louis, MO to compete in the 2009 NCAA Championships on March 19-21. Previous to this year, the most recent Bull to compete in the national championships was Mark Budd in 2007. During Coach Beichnerâs tenure, he has sent 18 individuals to the national championships with six individuals qualifying twice. Beichner has sent a trio of Bulls to the national championships four times in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2006.

The Bulls may possibly have four NCAA qualifiers heading to St, Louis as they wait on notification from the NCAA regarding a possible wild-card selection for Hamel. If Hamel is to be selected, this will tie the program mark for most NCAA qualifiers in a season. In 2001, the Bulls set the mark by sending four NCAA qualifiers to the national championships including John Eschenfelder, Dave Guarino, Shawn Kegel and Josh States.