WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (blugolds.com) — Coach Tim Fader picked up the 300th dual victory of his career as the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team won its pool on the first day of the Budd Whitehill Duals on Friday. The eighth-ranked Blugolds went 3-0 to advance to Saturday's semifinals.
Fader, in his eighth season leading the Blugolds, hit No. 300 after the Blugolds' second win of the day. He is in his 24th season overall as a head coach.
The Blugolds got off to a flying start at the tournament by defeating Oswego State 38-6 in their opening dual. UW-Eau Claire was the victor in eight of the 10 weight classes. Jon Harvey (Fr. – Lake City, Minn./Lincoln) and Jared Stricker (So. – Ashland, Wis.) both won via fall at 165 and 174 pounds, respectively. The victory by Stricker — ranked No. 13 in Division III — came over fifth-ranked Charlie Grygas.
The Blugolds also earned a pair of major decisions against the Lakers. Carter Schulz (Fr. – Rice Lake, Wis.) won 14-2 at 125 pounds, and 10th-ranked Tyler Fleetwood (Jr. – Fulton, Ill.) followed with a 12-0 victory at 133. Fifteenth-ranked Zach Sato won by 6-3 decision at 149 pounds, and ninth-ranked Niall Schoenfelder scored a 7-2 decision at 184 pounds. Sam Melton (Jr. – Shell Lake, Wis./Spooner) and Chase Melton (Sr. – Spooner, Wis.) both won via forfeits at 197 and 285 pounds.
UW-Eau Claire moved to 2-0 in pool play with a 31-7 victory over Messiah in the afternoon, which was the 300th in Fader's coaching career. The Blugolds were victors in eight of 10 weight classes again, taking two wins by fall, four by decision, one by major decision and one by sudden victory.
Stricker and Chase Melton both won via fall, with each securing a pin in the later stages of their matches at 174 and 285. Sato scored an 8-0 major decision at 149, and Schoenfelder outlasted his foe to secure a 3-1 sudden victory at 184.
Schulz and Fleetwood had gotten the Blugolds off to a winning start by earning decisions of 7-2 and 15-9 in the first two weight classes, respectively. Tristan Massie (Jr. – Hillsdale, Wis./Barron) picked up a 9-6 decision at 165 pounds, and Sam Melton earned a hard-fought 10-8 decision at 197.
UW-Eau Claire closed out the day with a 26-13 win over Washington & Lee. The Blugolds trailed 10-9 halfway through the dual after Washington & Lee took three of the first five matches, but took control from there. Fleetwood gave the Blugolds their first win of the dual with a 16-0 technical fall at 133. Sato added a 14-2 major decision at 149 pounds. Massie put the Blugolds in front in the team scores with a 13-3 major decision at 165, and they never trailed again. Stricker won by fall at 174, Schoenfelder scored a 10-2 major decision at 184 and Chase Melton prevailed in a 3-1 decision at 197.
The second-seeded Blugolds advanced to the championship bracket thanks to their 3-0 showing on the opening day. UW-Eau Claire will face third-seeded Ohio Northern in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Central on Saturday, Jan. 14. The winner of that bout faces either No. 1 Stevens or No. 4 Ithaca in the championship, while the semifinal losers will wrestle for third place.
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