Devoy and Palik Earn NCAA Bids as Wrestling Concludes Competition at EIWAs

Sunday, March 9

Philadelphia, Pa.

All Day

Drexel University

EIWA Championships

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Devoy and Palik Earn NCAA Bids as Wrestling Concludes Competition at EIWAs

3/9/2014 4:59:00 PM | Wrestling

Final Brackets

PHILADELPHIA – Kevin Devoy Jr and Brandon Palik punched their tickets to the 2014 NCAA tournament in Oklahoma City as competition concluded at the EIWA Championships at the Palestra on Sunday. All five Dragons that were still in contention after day one finished in eighth place or higher in their respective weight classes. Devoy Jr made it to the 133 lbs. championship finals but finished in second place. Austin Sommer placed fifth at 157, while Noel Blanco and Palik earned seventh place finishes at 149 and 197 respectively and Tanner Shoap ended competition in eighth place at 125.

Kevin Devoy Jr, who was ranked sixth in the league going into the tournament, won two matches on day one, both by major decision. On day two of competition, he came out strong with a 5-1 decision in sudden victory over #2 Mark Grey of Cornell to advance to the championship finals. Devoy Jr earned a second place finish in the tournament after falling to #1 Mason Beckman of Lehigh, 4-1.

Sommer had two victories in the first day of competition, both of which were upsets as he defeated #4 Raamiah Bethea of Penn in the first round and then overcame Army's #5 Paul Hancock with an 8-7 decision. Sommer opened day two with a 6-4 loss to Boston University's #1 Nestor Taffur in the semifinals. In the consolation rounds, he dropped an 8-3 decision to #2 Brian Realbuto of Cornell but then defeated #3 Joseph Napoli of Lehigh by medical forfeit to finish in fifth place at 157.

Blanco defeated Franklin & Marshall's Sharron Townsend by major decision, but then fell to #1 Christopher Villalonga of Cornell in the second round. Blanco overcame Penn's Andrew Lenzi to finish out competition on Saturday. On Sunday, he lost by fall to #4 Richard Krop of Princeton in the consolation quarterfinals, but then was able to earn a seventh place finish at 149 by defeating Bucknell's #6 Victor Lopez by injury default.

Palik came out strong on Saturday with a 12-1 major decision over Hayden Hrymack of Rutgers. In the second round, however, he fell to #9 Bryce Barnes of Army to move into the consolation rounds, where he defeated Columbia's Matt Idelson, 5-0. On Sunday, Palik lost a 3-1 decision to #7 Paul Rands of Navy, but then defeated #10 Francis Mattiace of Penn to earn a seventh place finish on the tournament.

Shoap fell to #6 David White of Binghamton on day one but then defeated Franklin & Marshall's Jason Bing and Navy's Brendan Campbell to continue competition on Sunday in the consolation rounds. On day two, he lost by fall to #5 Darian Cruz of Lehigh and then fell to Boston University's Chris McGinley in the seventh place match. Shoap finished out his first career conference tournament in eighth place at 125.

Because of their performance this weekend, both Devoy Jr and Palik will advance to NCAA Championship competition. There is also a possibility for Sommer to receive a wildcard bid into the tournament.

125:     #6 David White (Binghamton) DEC Tanner Shoap (DU) 8-2
             Tanner Shoap (DU) DEC Jason Bing (F&M) 4-0
             Tanner Shoap (DU) DEC Brendan Campbell (Navy) 10-7
           #5 Darian Cruz (Lehigh) WBF Tanner Shoap (DU) @4:17
             Chris McGinley (Boston U) DEC Tanner Shoap (DU) 7-5 --- 8th place

133:     #6 Kevin Devoy Jr (DU) MAJ Garrett Frey (Princeton) 15-2
              #6 Kevin Devoy Jr (DU) MAJ Esteban Gomez-Rivera (American) 17-8
              #6 Kevin Devoy Jr (DU) DEC #2 Mark Grey (Cornell) 5-1 SV
              #1 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) DEC #6 Kevin Devoy Jr (DU) 4-1 --- 2nd place

141:      Jordan Laster (Princeton) DEC David Pearce (DU) 5-1
              David Pearce (DU) DEC Nick Tighe (Binghamton) 6-3
              Jeff Canfora (Penn) DEC David Pearce (DU) 5-4

149:     #8 Noel Blanco (DU) MAJ Sharron Townsend (F&M) 10-1
              #1 Christopher Villalonga (Cornell) MAJ #8 Noel Blanco (DU) 9-0
              #8 Noel Blanco (DU) DEC Andrew Lenzi (Penn) 9-4
            #4 Richard Krop (Princeton) WBF #8 Noel Blanco (DU) @3:52
        #8 Noel Blanco (DU) def. #6 Victor Lopez (Bucknell) inj. 0:18 --- 7th place

157:      Austin Sommer (DU) DEC #4 Raamiah Bethea (Penn) 11-9
              Austin Sommer (DU) DEC #5 Paul Hancock (Army) 8-7
              #1 Nestor Taffur (Boston U) DEC Austin Sommer (DU) 6-4
              #2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) DEC Austin Sommer (DU) 8-3
              Austin Sommer (DU) def. #3 Joseph Napoli (Lehigh) by medical forfeit --- 5th place

165:      Philip Marano (Brown) DEC Jason Fugiel (DU) 5-2
              Judson Ziegler (Princeton) DEC Jason Fugiel (DU) 3-0

174:      #8 Bradley Wukie (Penn) DEC Kevin Matyas (DU) 9-4
              #1 Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) MAJ Kevin Matyas (DU) 16-5

184:      Cameron Croy (Harvard) DEC Alex DeCiantis (DU) 5-2
              James Mannier (Navy) DEC Alex DeCiantis (DU) 3-1

197:      #1 Brandon Palik (DU) MAJ Hayden Hrymack (Rutgers) 12-1
              #9 Bryce Barnes (Army) DEC #1 Brandon Palik (DU) 8-6
              #1 Brandon Palik (DU) DEC Matt Idelson (Columbia) 5-0
              #7 Paul Rands (Navy) DEC #1 Brandon Palik (DU) 3-1
            #1 Brandon Palik (DU) DEC #10 Francis Mattiace (Penn) 2-1 --- 7th place

285:      #8 Steven Graziano (Penn) DEC Joseph Giorgio (DU) 2-1
              Ryder Cavey (Brown) DEC Joseph Giorgio (DU) 5-0