BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Gannon wrestling team began its season Sunday at the University at Buffalo Open.
Corey Bowers (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) was the Golden Knights’ top wrestler, taking third place in the 133-pound division.
Bowers dropped his first match before making a run through the consolation bracket. He pinned Patrick Cost of Brockport in 58 seconds and then pinned Maryland’s Danny O’Malley in 25 seconds. He followed those victories with a 5-2 decision over Ashton Osterberg. His next opponent, Nick Wykoff of West Liberty State, could not finish the contest and Bowers was awarded the win. Bowers then pinned Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Conroy at the 1:15 mark of their match. In the third place contest, Bowers pinned Joe Stanziure of Cornell in 26 seconds.
No other Knights placed at the event, but
Sean Floor (Westbrookville, N.Y./Port Jervis) and
Bret Terry (Canal Winchester, Ohio/New Albany) each won three matches in their weight classes. Floor, in the 149-pound division, won his first three contests by decision before falling to Pitt’s Eric Albright in their quarterfinal meeting.
Terry lost his opening match in the 174-pound class. He rebounded with three straight victories in the consolation bracket.
The meet featured 27 schools and 248 grapplers from each division of the NCAA. Three nationally-ranked Division I programs competed. GU is ranked 17th in the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Preseason Top 20 and is tabbed fourth in the East Region.
Gannon hosts the National Catholic Invitational Saturday, November 7. The event is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion.
The tournament bracket from Sunday’s meet is available
here.