Kwiat advances to sems, Letcher wins once in Session 2 of NCAA III Wrestling Championships Friday night

By: Tim Glon

| Championships Site | Session I Recap |

LACROSSE, Wis. — Junior Kyle Kwiat advanced to the semifinals and clinched All-America honors for the third consecutive season in Session 2 at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships Friday night at the LaCrosse Center.

Kwiat (37-1) guaranteed himself All-America honors with a 17-0 tech. fall victory over James Roach of Saint Olaf (Minn.) in the quarterfinals Friday night.

Senior Mick Letcher (32-11) ended the tournament with a 2-3 record at 157 pounds and was one victory away from a top-8 finish and All-America honors for the second consecutive season.

Kwiat is seeded third at 174 pounds and can finish no worse than sixth place.

He defeated Ryan Dorman of Stevens (N.J.) 7-1 in the first round Friday morning and is 2-0 in the tournament.

Kwiat earned All-America honors with a fourth place finish in 2010 and accomplished the feat again with a fifth place finish in 2011.

Letcher defeated Jacob Bohler of Saint Olaf (Minn.) by decision 13-6 in the consolation second round earlier Friday night, before falling in the consolation third round by fall in 1:24 to #8 Derek Brenon of Ithaca (N.Y.).

Letcher went 1-1 Friday morning, defeating Matt Fusaro of Johns Hopkins (Md.) 4-2 after falling by fall in the first round to fourth-seeded Landon Williams of Wartburg (Iowa).

He wrapped up his career with a 107-41 record in four seasons at ONU.

Senior Billy Painter lost by fall to Ryan Renon of Lakeland (Wis.) in 4:09 in the consolation second round Friday night and ends his season with a 26-9 record.

In his four years as a Polar Bear, Painter boasts an 87-39 career record.

He fell in the first round to second-seeded Joe Schwartz of Wesleyan (Conn.) by pin.

Junior Jeremy Jones went 0-2 Friday afternoon in the 133-pound weight class and ended his season with a 22-14 record.