After the dust settled at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, the ASU Wrestling team emerged with a national placement and All-American honors.
For the second year in a row, Coach Thom Ortiz led the Sun Devils to a top-six finish, as the team finished in sixth place nationally with a score of 61.5 points. Oklahoma State scored 122.5 points for its fourth consecutive team title.
"As far as effort, I think they gave 100 percent and that's all I require of my kids," Ortiz said. "We tried to do the best we could and I think we did well."
Brian Stith, seeded 10th entering the tournament, became the first Sun Devil to reach the national finals since 2003. The junior 157-pounder fell to Boise State's Ben Cherrington in a 7-3 decision, ending his season as the 2006 NCAA Runner-Up. In 2005, Stith was a Pac-10 Champion and Outstanding Wrestler of the Year.
Of the ASUsenior class, heavyweight Cain Velasquez improved his NCAA Tournament placing from last year to finish fourth. C.B. Dollaway took fifth by upsetting Cornell's Joseph Mazzurco, who entered the tournament as a four seed.
Ryan Bader followed in Dollaway's footsteps as he earned an upset himself, defeating Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan. Bader would conclude his tournament performance at seventh-place and his career with 120 wins. These three Sun Devils finish their senior year as All-Americans along with Stith.
Another senior competing at Nationals this year was Jeremy Mendoza, who did not place. Sophomore Pat Pitsch fell one win shy of joining the All-American squad.
"We expect him [Pitsch] to be an All-American and defend his Pac-10 title," said Ortiz of his expectations.
An exhausted Ortiz lost his voice over the weekend, but will be back on the mats today for the team's offseason program.
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