UNCG captures the Southern Conference Wrestling Title

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DAVIDSON, N.C. – UNC Greensboro claimed its first-ever Southern Conference Championship and three individuals qualified for the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday at the Baker Sports Complex.

141-pounder Ivan Lopouchanski, 165-pounder Victor Hojilla and 174-pounder Byron Sigmon all won individual titles at their respective weight classes in order to qualify for the NCAA Championships. It marked the third straight season that UNCG has sent three wrestlers to the NCAA Championships.

UNC Greensboro claimed the team championship by putting five wrestlers in the finals and three coming home with third-place finishes to score 81.5 points. The Citadel came in second with 74 points and Appalachian State was third with 71.5 points. Five-time defending SoCon Tournament champion Chattanooga finished in a distant fourth with 43 points followed by VMI and Davidson with 37 and 21 points, respectively.

Lopouchanski began his day with a bye before defeating The Citadel’s Nick LaFevre to advance to the finals. In the finals, Lopouchanski avenged his only SoCon loss of the year by beating Davidson’s Vitaly Radsky, 8-3, to win the 141 pound championship.

Hojilla had an impressive start to his day as he pinned Chattanooga’s Bond Davis just 15 seconds into the second period. He followed that up with a 13-4 major decision against Tyler Mullen from Davidson to make it to the finals. There he avenged a 10-1 loss to Appalachian State’s Kyle Blevins earlier in the year by winning 10-5 to win the title at 165 pounds.

At 174 pounds, Sigmon received a first-round bye before pinning Evan Dill from VMI at the 5:00 mark. In the finals, Sigmon won his title by defeating J.C. Oddo from The Citadel, 5-2. The win marks the third time that the junior has qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Peter Sturgeon and freshman Eric Chandler also had nice days for the Spartans as they both advanced to the finals. At 125 pounds, Chandler fell in the finals to Toney Gravely of Appalachian State, while Sturgeon lost to defending SoCon Champion Odie Delaney from The Citadel at heavyweight.