March 21, 2002
ALBANY, N.Y. - Four of Arizona State's six qualified wrestlers picked up wins in the first session of competition at the 2002 NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y., completed Thursday afternoon. Session two is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. MT, Thursday.
Advancing to the second round of the championship bracket and wrestling again this evening are senior David Douglas (133), junior Eric Larkin (141), sophomore Nick Frost (165) and junior Kellan Fluckiger (HWT). All four are still in the running for national titles.
Junior Rocky Smart (157) and senior Erik Gladish (197) lost their first round matches and will continue to compete in the consolation bracket this evening.
Douglas, the fifth seed at 133 pounds, earned a 12-5 decision over Virginia Tech's David Hoffman. He will face un-seeded Marat Tomaev of Penn State later today in the second round of the championship bracket.
Larkin, the second seed at 141 pounds, took one step closer to his national title hopes with an 8-4 decision over Maryland's Brandon York. Larkin will face Pac-10 rival Gabe Vigil of Boise State in the second round. Larkin defeated Vigil 8-3 in the Pac-10 semifinals earlier this month.
Smart drew the No. 8 seed in his opening bout at 157 pounds, suffering a 4-0 decision loss to Iowa's Matt Anderson. Smart will face Hofstra's Paul Siemon in the consolation bracket later today.
Frost picked up the most dominating win of the first session for ASU, pinning Oscar Santiago from Purdue in 6 minutes, 49 seconds. Frost will have his hands full with third-seed Tyrone Lewis from Oklahoma State in the second round.
Gladish, the ninth-seed at 197 pounds, was upset 11-7 by Pittsburgh's David Sandberg in the opening round. In the consolation bracket this evening, he will face Penn State's Pete Mielnik.
Finally at heavyweight, 10th-seeded Fluckiger earned a 5-0 decision over Jack Leffler of Central Michigan in the opening match and will face Oregon State's Jason Cooley, the seventh-seed, in the second round. Fluckiger will look to avenge his 2-1 loss to Cooley in the Pac-10 championship bout suffered earlier this month.
2002 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY., March 21-23, 2002
Arizona State Results - SESSION I
133 Pounds
Round One: (5) David Douglas (ASU) dec. David Hoffman (Virginia Tech), 12-5
Round Two: (5) David Douglas (ASU) vs. Marat Tomaev (Penn State)
141 Pounds
Round One: (2) Eric Larkin (ASU) dec. Brandon York (Maryland), 8-4
Round Two: (2) Eric Larkin (ASU) vs. Gabe Vigil (Boise State)
157 Pounds
Round One: (8) Matt Anderson (Iowa) dec. Rocky Smart (ASU), 4-0
Wrestleback: Rocky Smart (ASU) vs. Paul Siemon (Hofstra)
165 Pounds
Round One: Nick Frost (ASU) fall Oscar Santiage (Purdue), 6:49
Round Two: Nick Frost (ASU) vs. (3) Tyrone Lewis (Oklahoma State)
197 Pounds
Round One: David Sandberg (Pittsburgh) dec. (9) Erik Gladish (ASU), 11-7
Wrestleback: (9) Erik Gladish (ASU) vs. Pete Mielnik (Penn State)
HWT
Round One: (10) Kellan Fluckiger (ASU) dec. Jack Leffler (Central Michigan), 5-0
Round Two: (10) Kellan Fluckiger (ASU) vs. (7) Jason Cooley (Oregon State)