Jacoby Advances to Semifinals at NCAA Championships, Looks to Defend National Title
Mar. 10, 2006
FINDLAY, Ohio - Red-shirt junior Jamie Thomas (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and senior Corey Jacoby (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) advanced to the semifinals at 125 and 197 pounds, respectively, at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships being held at the University of Findlay.
Jacoby continued his quest for a second consecutive national championship with decisions over Ben Janike of Minnesota State University-Mankato (7-3) and Casey Woodall of Adams State College (6-0).
Jacoby's two victories set up a semifinal match-up with Tim Boldt of Augustana College (S.D.), whom he defeated last year to win the national championship. Boldt is currently undefeated this season with a record of 20-0.
The East Region champion at 125 pounds, Thomas earned a 10-2 decision over Devlon Webb from Chadron State College and followed it up with an 11-5 decision over Shane Caruthers from the University of Central Oklahoma. Thomas will face Trevor Charbonneau of the University of Nebraska-Kearney in tomorrow’s semifinals. Charbonneau defeated Thomas 3-2 on January 15 at the National Duals.
Red-shirt senior Jake Lininger (Camp Hill, Pa./Lower Dauphin), coming off the school's first-ever NCAA East Region championship at heavyweight, lost a decision in the quarterfinals to Christopher Tuchscherer of Minnesota State University-Moorhead, 5-3. Earlier in the day, Lininger earned a decision over Heath Soderstrom from Adams State 5-4 to reach the 30-win mark this season.
Lininger also defeated Kelly Anundson of Newberry College 12-8 in the second round of the wrestle back bracket and will face Criston Bietz of Augustana (S.D.) on Saturday.
Junior Mark Murphy (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) lost in his first match of the day at 184 pounds by decision to Nathan Jones of Carson Newman College, 5-1. In the wrestle back bracket, Murphy earned consecutive victories over Joshua Vialpondo of Adams State (6-3) and by fall in 2:12 over Mike Howell of Fort Hays State University.
Murphy faces Nate Buys of Augustana (S.D.) on Saturday.
Red-shirt sophomore Dan Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) finished 0-2 at 149 pounds, losing by fall in 6:59 to Mikel Delk of Fort Hays State and falling short in a 17-9 decision to Charlie Pingleton of the University of Indianapolis.
This year’s championships mark the fourth time under fifth-year head coach Don Tabar that Shippensburg has qualified at least one wrestler for the national championships and the third consecutive season that the Red Raiders have had at least five qualify. Tabar has had 17 NCAA qualifiers and seven All-Americans in his five seasons.
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