Michigan
NCAA Championships
Three Wolverine Freshmen Secure NCAA All-America Honors
3/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 17, 2017
» Wolverine freshmen Stevan Micic (133 pounds), Logan Massa (165) and Myles Amine (174) locked up All-America honors in their first appearance at the NCAA Championships; it is just the second time in program history that U-M has boasted multiple freshman All-Americans.
» Michigan went 4-1 in the evening session; Massa dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker in the semifinals, while Micic and Amine earned back-to-back consolation wins.
» The Wolverines jumped eight spots, from 21st to 13th (33 points), in the team standings.
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Site: St. Louis, Mo. (Scottrade Center)
Event: NCAA Championships (Day 2 of 3)
U-M Team Standing: 13th Place of 69 Teams (33 points) after Day 2
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 18 -- at NCAA Championships - Day 3 (St. Louis, Mo.), 10 a.m. CDT
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- University of Michigan sophomore/freshmen Stevan Micic, Logan Massa and Myles Amine locked up All-America honors in their NCAA Wrestling Championships debut after a successful day for the rookie trio on Friday (March 19) in front of a sold-old crowd of 18,344 at the Scottrade Center. The Wolverines took advantage of the day to jumped eight spots to 13th place (33 points) in the team standings.
It is just the second time in program history that Michigan placed multiple freshmen at the NCAA Championships and the first since Josh Churella and Eric Tannenbaum did so in 2005. The Wolverines have boasted 187 NCAA All-Americans in program history, including 11 freshmen and 55 over head coach Joe McFarland's 18-year tenure. Michigan has boasted at least one All-American in 24 of the last 26 seasons and put at least three on the podium each of the last three years.
Michigan went 4-1 in the evening session, with Micic and Amine winning both of their wrestleback matches to first secure All-America distinction in the Round of 12 (AKA "bloodround") then advance to tomorrow's consolation semifinal round at 133 and 174 pounds, respectively. Massa dropped a one-point heartbreaker in the 165-pound semifinals; he also dropped down into the consolation semifinals. All three will finish as high as third place and no worse than sixth in their NCAA debuts.
Massa, seeded second at 165 pounds, cruised in the morning quarterfinal round, earning a 9-0 major decision against Arizona State's seventh-seeded Anthony Valencia. It was Massa's second bonus win over Valencia this season; he scored on three takedowns -- one in each period -- and rode for 5:14. The Wolverine wrestler was also the aggressor in his semifinal bout against Penn State's third-seeded Vincenzo Joseph but gave up a pair of counter takedowns, including one in a flurry late in the third, to fall, 5-4 -- just his third loss of the season.
Micic, seeded fifth at 133 pounds, bounced back from a tough, 6-4, loss to Iowa's fourth-seeded Cory Clark in the morning quarterfinals -- decided on a second-period counter takedown and riding time -- with two wins in the wrestlebacks, including a dominant 16-4 major decision over Oregon State's Joey Palmer in the Round of 12. Micic built up a sizable early lead in that bout, scoring on two takedowns, including one just 15 seconds in, and four near-fall points off of a leg turk. He added two more takedowns and accumulated 3:22 in riding-time advantage.
Micic followed up the bloodround win with a 6-5 decision against Illinois' eighth-seeded Zane Richards -- his third straight over the Illini wrestler since dropping the initial meeting in the January dual meet. Micic again struck quickly, finishing on two first-period takedowns, but Richards evened the score on a controversial takedown in the third. Micic escaped quickly and stayed offensive through the final 30 seconds to hang on for the win.
Amine, seeded ninth at 174 pounds, also rebounded from a disappointing loss in the quarterfinals -- a 14-8 decision to Arizona State's top-seeded Zahid Valencia -- with back-to-back wins in the evening wrestlebacks. He avenged a dual loss with a 9-4 decision against Lehigh's seventh-seeded Ryan Preisch in the bloodround, scoring two takedowns in the opening minute of the match before adding another to ice it late in the third.
Amine picked up a bonus point of his own with a 12-2 major decision against Southern Illinois Edwardville's Jake Residori in his next bout, again scoring on a quick single-leg takedown and a pair of reversals before breaking it open with four near-fall points off a third-period back bow.
The Wolverines will return for the NCAA Championships' fifth session at 10 a.m. CDT on Saturday (March 18) at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The morning session will feature third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches. The finals will kick off at 7 p.m. CDT and will be televised live on ESPN.
Top 10 Teams (Final)
1. Penn State 146.5 2. Ohio State 110 3. Oklahoma State 103 4. Iowa 97 5. Missouri 86.5 6. Virginia Tech 63.5 7. Minnesota 62.5 8. Cornell 60.5 9. Nebraska 59.510. MICHIGAN 47.5
Michigan Results (Day 2)
Numbers listed are tournament seedings
133 Pounds -- #5 Stevan Micic
Quarterfinals - dec. by #4 Cory Clark (Iowa), 6-4
Consolations - major dec. Joey Palmer (Oregon State), 16-4
Consolations - dec. #8 Zane Richards (Illinois), 6-5
Consolations Semis - vs. #3 Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State)
165 Pounds -- #2 Logan Massa
Quarterfinals - major dec. #7 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State), 9-0
Semifinals - dec. by #3 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State), 5-4
Consolations Semis - vs. #9 Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma State)
174 Pounds -- #9 Myles Amine
Quarterfinals - dec. by #1 Zahid Valencia (Arizona State), 14-8
Consolations - dec. #6 Ryan Preisch (Lehigh), 9-4
Consolations - major dec. Jake Residori (Southern Illinois Edwardsville), 12-2
Consolation Semis - vs. #2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell)
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
