Kyle Kwiat advances to finals at NCAA III Wrestling Championships
By: Tim Glon
LACROSSE, Wis. — Junior Kyle Kwiat advanced to the finals of the 174-pound weight class with a convincing 10-4 victory in Session 3 of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships Saturday morning at the LaCrosse Center.
Third-seeded Kwiat (38-1) will face fourth-seeded Bradley Banks (30-3) of Wartburg (Iowa) in the finals Saturday night at approximately 9 pm EST.
Kwiat turned in an impressive performance to defeat second-seeded Michael Schmitz of host Wisconsin-LaCrosse in the semifinals.
Schmitz had defeated Kwiat in each of the two previous NCAA Championships tournaments, but it was Kwiat's turn in 2012.
Kwiat started strong with a takedown in the first 15 seconds of the match to take a quick 2-0 lead.
Schmitz countered with a reversal, and after a Kwiat escape, a takedown to go up 4-3.
Kwiat again escaped and the first period ended in a 4-4 tie.
Kwiat got a quick escape to begin period two and his second takedown of the match gave him a 7-4 lead heading into the third and final period.
The Polar Bear put the match away with a 2-point nearfall midway through the period and rode out Schmitz to grab the riding time point and the 10-4 victory.
He guaranteed himself All-America honors with a 17-0 tech. fall victory over James Roach of Saint Olaf (Minn.) in the quarterfinals Friday night.
He defeated Ryan Dorman of Stevens (N.J.) 7-1 in the first round Friday morning and is 3-0 in the tournament.
Kwiat earned All-America honors with a fourth place finish in 2010 and accomplished the feat again with a fifth place finish in 2011.
Senior Mick Letcher (32-11) ended the tournament with a 2-2 record at 157 pounds and was one victory away from a top-8 finish and All-America honors for the second consecutive season.
He wrapped up his career with a 107-41 record in four seasons at ONU.
Senior Billy Painter went 0-2 at 165 pounds on Friday and ends his season with a 26-9 record.
In his four years as a Polar Bear, Painter boasts an 87-39 career record.
Junior Jeremy Jones went 0-2 Friday afternoon in the 133-pound weight class and ended his season with a 22-14 record.