College Wrestling

4 Added, Now 6 Broncs Qualify for Nationals

LAWRENCEVILLE-The Rider University wrestling contingent heading to Omaha, Nebraska for the NCAA Championship tournament grew Wednesday.

The NCAA announced Wednesday evening the 50 at-large selections to round out the field of 330 wrestlers who will compete at the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Along with Rider's Colonial Athletic Association champions, senior heavyweight Ed Bordas (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) and senior 149 Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills), four additional Broncs were selected as 'Wildcards' for Nationals, held March 18-20.

Rider's newest National Qualifiers include sophomore 133 Jimmy Kirchner (Somerville), junior 165 Rob Morrison (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff), freshman 174 Jim Resnick (Media, Pa./Penncrest) and sophomore 197 Tyler Smith (Phillipsburg, N.J./Belvidere).

"We are very excited for our wrestlers to get a chance to wrestle at the NCAA tournament," said Rider head coach Gary Taylor.  "They will gain valuable experience against the nation's best wrestlers which will help in their future development."

Kirchner, Morrison and Resncik all finished third in their weight classes at the CAA Championships and will be making their first trip to Nationals.

Smith was the top ranked 197 in the CAA before an injury in the final dual meet sidelined him and also makes his first trip to Nationals.

"We have wrestled a tough schedule this year which hopefully will have them ready once they get to Omaha," Taylor said.  "They have all had good individual seasons and are looking forward to this opportunity."

Kessler (25-10) is making his fourth trip to Nationals, first as a CAA Champion, and will face Bobby Ward (25-8) of North Carolina State in the first round. 

Bordas is going to Nationals for the third time in three years at Rider, all three times as a CAA Champion. Bordas (32-7) is ranked 20^th in the nation and will face Eric Nye (21-13) of Arizona State in the first round.

Kirchner (21-11) will compete against Kelly Kubec (35-8) of Oregon State in the first round at Nationals.  Morrison (26-13) takes on the #10 seed, Alex Meade (28-8) of Oklahoma State in the first round. Resnick (19-15) will face the eighth seed, Colby Covington (38-5) of Oregon State in the first round. Smith (23-14) will begin in the pig-tail round against Dylan Temple (22-9) of Appalachian State.

Taylor has now escorted 143 wrestlers to Nationals, including 30 in the last six years. Taylor has come home from Nationals with 13 All-Americans in the last 30 years, including two in the last three years.

Rider sent six wrestlers to the 2007 Nationals. Rider had four National Qualifiers each of the last two years.  In 1996 nine Broncs advanced to the NCAA National Championships, where only perennial national champion Iowa had more with 10.

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