LHU Qualifies Fourth Wrestler for Nationals

INDIANPOLIS – Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) of the Lock Haven University wrestling team became the fourth Bald Eagle to qualifying for the 2014 NCAA Division I Championship after earning an at-large selection as it was announced by the NCAA Wednesday.
 
Kemerer earned a spot at 165 pounds, joining Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco), Mac Maldarelli (Merrick, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) and Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold), who all booked trips to the NCAA Tournament by way of their strong individual showings at last Saturday’s Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championship.
 
Both Neff (141) and Garcia (184) will be making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, while both Maldarelli (149) and Kemerer are making their first career trips to the Division I Championship.
 
The four NCAA qualifiers are the most since Lock Haven sent four to the NCAA Tournament in 2006. Appropriately enough, the 2006 Championship was in Oklahoma City. The Bald Eagles are coming off a third-place finish at last Saturday’s (March 8) EWL Championship, their highest finish since finishing third in 2007.
 
The NCAA has also released full tournament seeds, first-round matches and the full bracket.

Lock Haven’s First Round Matches: 
141: Dan Neff (31-8) vs. 10th seed Todd Preston, Harvard (22-8)
149: Mac Maldarelli (33-14) vs. 8th seed David Habat, Edinboro (26-4)
165: Jake Kemerer 22-8) vs. 9th seed Joseph Booth, Hofstra (32-7)
184: Fred Garcia (24-7) vs. Lucas Sheridan, Indiana (27-14) – pigtail match
 
The NCAA Tournament is set for Thursday through Saturday, March 20-22 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. All sessions will be aired on AM1230 WBPZ Lock Haven.