Leffler leads 6 CMU wrestlers to NCAA Nationals in Albany
Chris McCarty
CMU wrestling will take six of its wrestlers to Albany, N.Y. this weekend to compete in the NCAA National Tournament on March 21, 22 and 23.
“This year has been a full team effort. After what we’ve gone through this year to still be undefeated in the conference, I can’t say enough about the guys that filled in,” said Head Coach Tom Borrelli.
Among the six is senior heavyweight Leffler. Leffler is the lone athlete in the history of the Maroon and Gold to have a career perfect record vs. MAC competition.
Leffler had never won an individual MAC title until this, his senior season. Leffler had posted three top-three finishes at the MAC tournament and had one wild-card invite to the NCAA tournament prior to this year.
Leffler goes into this weekend unranked by Intermat, but he has posted some major victories this season, including his 6-4 upset of No. 12 Matt Feast of Pennslyvania.
Accompanying the senior heavyweight is junior 133-pounder Jordan Webster. Webster was the other CMU wrestler to earn an individual MAC title en route to the Chippewas MAC Tournament title this year.
Webster is making his second trip to the national tournament after finishing second in the MAC at 133 pounds last season. He went 0-2 in his first trip to the NCAAs.
The No. 10-ranked Webster has won 11 straight matches and the lone CMU wrestler to win all five of his individual MAC matches this season. Webster began his run with an upset victory of then No. 10 Corey Ace of Edinboro on Feb. 10.
Along with the Chippewas conference champions are four wild card selections.
Three of the four CMU wild cards are making returns to the national tournament.
At 141 pounds is last year’s MAC champion, sophomore Jason Mester.
Mester’s season was interrupted with a knee injury vs. Michigan State on Nov. 28. Mester came back from knee surgery to post a 9-6 record on the year, including a 3-2 conference mark.
Morgan also earned his first trip to the national tournament as a freshman. Morgan enters the tournament ranked No. 19 in the country.
Making his national tournament debut is freshman David Bolyard. Bolyard has been ranked all year long and has faced some of the heaviest competition. Bolyard had faced 10 nationally ranked opponents this season, going 3-12 vs. the nation’s top competition.
Bolyard was high school national champion when he wrestled at Springfield High School in Akron, Ohio and has been named an all-American Darkhorse and a “Freshman to Watch,” by Intermat.
“If you look at our history, the guys that have been national champions and three-time All-Americans have had experience as a freshman at the national tournament,” Borrelli said.
“Once they’ve wrestled at the NCAAs as a freshman, the sky is the limit for these guys.”
The final athlete in the tournament is 174-pound transfer senior Tony Gansen.
Gansen transferred in mid-season from Oklahoma State for the sole reason of earning a spot where he was assured a chance to wrestle at the NCAA tournament.
Gansen was the wild card recipient at 174 pounds after finishing second in his weight class.
Last season was the first time the Chippewas wrestling team finished out of the top 20 in four years. The Chippewas finished 34th last year without any All-Americans.
Spring is in the air. We all know what that brings: Sunshine, green grass, finals anxiety and baseball! With that in mind, let's take a look at the contenders and pretenders this season.
