Five Bobcats tried Friday, but none achieved All-American status.
Ohio came into day two of the NCAA Championships with four wrestlers vying for All-American status, and one for a national title.
The Bobcats finished day two with all five eliminated.
No. 11 Tywan Claxton, a 149-pound redshirt junior, by virtue of his victories Thursday, had a chance to extend his season and fight for a national championship Friday.
Unfortunately for Ohio, Claxton fell to Edinboro’s David Habat by a score of 10-0 in the quarterfinals. He later lost Friday night to Lock Haven’s Daniel Neff in the “Blood Round” in overtime.
The “Blood round” is the round of consolations where a victory earns All-American status, and a loss ends your season.
Neff earned a reversal with two seconds left to end Claxton’s season and his career.
Spartak Chino, a 157-pound redshirt junior, entered Friday’s competition starting out in the consolation round, needing three victories to become an All-American. He only was able to earn two.
After two victories, Chino fell to Michigan’s Brian Murphy in the “Blood Round,” ending his chances to be an All-American. Chino was Ohio’s last match of the evening.
As a redshirt senior, 165-pound No. 16 Harrison Hightower entered the NCAA Championships looking for his first All-American bid. After pulling an exhilarating victory out in the first match in sudden victory overtime, he lost his second match in sudden victory. The redshirt senior’s career will end two victories short of an All-American bid.
After being upset in the second round, redshirt junior Cody Walters entered today also needing three wins to earn All-American status. Like Chino, he only earned two. The No. 9 seed fell to Minnesota’s Logan Storley in the Blood Round, ending his chances to return to All-American status.
Phil Wellington, a 197-pound redshirt junior, was the only Bobcat not to earn a victory on the day. Ranked No. 14, he fell to Wyoming’s Shane Woods in the first round of today’s consolation rounds.
Although Ohio’s season has ended, the future's looking bright for the Bobcats.
Six wrestlers qualified for the national tournament, four of which will return next season. The only starters in Ohio’s lineup that are not returning for the 2015-16 season are Hightower and Claxton.
With the returning national qualifiers leading the way, Ohio will begin its quest looking for its first national champ in over a decade.
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