Tech finishes season at NAIA East Qualifier

February 18, 2017

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — The WVU Tech wrestling team finished their 2016-17 campaign at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) East National Qualifier Saturday, finishing 11th out of 12 teams with 11 points. The Golden Bears complete their season with a 3-8 duals record and as United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Invitational runners-up.

Freshman Leland Swafford finished with the most team points, 5.0, for Tech while wrestling at 149 pounds. Swafford went 2-2, with two wins by pin, during the qualifier including a fall (5:19) over Campbellsville's David Sparks and a fall (1:45) against Allen's Kemondre Pauldo

Senior Terry Nance II, who is a three-time national title holder at 197 in the USCAA, earned 2.5 team points for the Gold and Blue with a record of 2-2 on Saturday. Nance defeated Brewton-Parker's Daniel Anderson with a 7-2 decision and won a 17-6 major decision over Tyler Evers of St. Andrews University.

Senior Colton Rowe (174), junior Jason Wainright (285) and freshman Louis Bernard (165) both finished 1-2 and earned a team point each.

Rowe earned a win over Allen's Armando Saldana while Bernard and Wainright both won by a tiebreaker. Bernard defeated Cumberland's Peter Donchev by decision, 9-8 (TB-1) and Wainright won by decision over St. Andrews' Devin Washington, 3-2 (TB-1).

Junior Jephte Jeanpaul also finished 2-2 during the qualifier, picking up 0.5 points for Tech. Jeanpaul took a bye in his first bout and defeated St. Andrews' Michael Nelson with a 12-5 decision.

Return to the WV-Mat front page