National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 3, 1997

Division II

Nebraska-Omaha leads tough field

Event: 1997 Division II Wrestling Championships.

Overview: Nebraska-Omaha holds the top spot in the rankings. The Mavericks have not won since 1991, but have finished no worse than third since that title year. Seven starters return from last year's third-place team, including five 1996 all-Americans. Seniors Corry Royal (fourth last year at 177 pounds; 26-4 with 10 falls this year) and Pat Kelley (fourth at 190 pounds; 26-3 and 12 falls) lead that crew. Two sophomores -- 150-pound Chris Blair (28-4) and Braumon Creighton (26-10), who moves from 126 to 134 pounds this year -- also figure to contribute. Nebraska-Omaha improved to 11-1 in dual meets with a come-from-behind, 19-16 victory over Central Oklahoma, which had won four consecutive team titles until Pittsburgh-Johnstown snapped that streak last year. The win was no fluke; earlier in the season, coach Mike Denney's squad ended the Bronchos' 48-match winning streak over Division II teams with a 25-16 victory in the finals of the National Division II Dual Meet Tournament... Pittsburgh-Johnstown (14-3-1 in duals) was a surprise champion last year. Ranked second this year, 1996 Division II coach of the year Pat Pecora's team is formidable again with two returning runners-up: 118-pound John Strittmater (36-3) and 142-pound Tony Albertelli (27-3) ... Third-ranked Central Oklahoma (9-6 in duals) has the most returning champions. The Bronchos swept the 142- through 158-pound classes last year, and two-thirds of that trio return, along with three other starters. Shawn Bateman (15-6) claimed the 150-pound class last year, with Mark Cunningham (22-8) following suit at 158 pounds. Looking to redeem himself is 118-pound Keith Kizzar (16-4), who entered last year's championships as the 118-pound favorite, but was upset in the first round and did not place ... Other team contenders include Northern Colorado, South Dakota State and West Liberty State ... Ashland's Corey Kline, who won the 134-pound class as a freshman last year, rounds out the field of returning individual champions.

Field: A total of 140 wrestlers will compete for 10 individual championships. The team champion is determined by adding the team points scored in those matches.

Dates and site: March 14-15 at North Dakota State.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1905); request numbers are 1713 for bracket/schedule, 5339 for the list of qualifiers (available no sooner than the afternoon of March 3), and 5340 for updated brackets and team scores. Championships results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the March 24 issue of The NCAA News.

Championships note: Central Oklahoma has either won or finished second every year since 1990.