April 23, 2007

Akron, Ohio - Cal State Fullerton's Ian Murphy won the national freestyle championship and the Titans picked up a total of 12 All-American awards over the weekend at the University Greco and Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Akron, Ohio.

Murphy beat Dave Bertolino of NCAA national runnerup Iowa State in the 185-pound finals and finished ahead of NCAA All-Americans Matt Pell from Missouri and James Yonushanis of Penn State. Murphy also placed third in Greco.

Murphy, from Santiago High School in Corona, in December won the 184-pound title at the Tournament of Champions in Reno and was ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10 but became academically ineligible at the semester. The Titan junior also won the National Collegiate Open.

Heavyweight Wade Sauer, who won All-American honors at the NCAA championships in March by finishing sixth, won two more All-American awards by placing fifth in the 264 1/2-pound division of Greco and eighth in freestyle.

Other Titan All-Americans are Morgan Atkinson, third at 154 1/4 in Greco and fourth in freestyle; T. J. Dillashaw, sixth at 132 1/4 Greco; Adin Duenas, fourth at 138 3/4 Greco; Nick Blackshaw, fourth at 145 1/2 Greco; Brian Stills, sixth at 154 1/4 Greco; Matt Methling, sixth at 211 1/2 Greco; and Kurt Klimek, seventh at 264 1/2 Greco.

Atkinson lost in Greco to only Harry Lester, the eventual champion, who was ranked second in the world. Atkinson reinjured rib cartilage and had to default to a fourth-place finish in freestyle.

CSF All-Americans

University Greco:
132.25 TJ Dillahsaw 6th
138.75 Adin Duenas 4th
145.5 Nick Blackshaw 4th
154.25 Morgan Atkinson 3rd
154.25 Brian Stills 6th
185 Ian Murphy 3rd
211.5 Matt Methling 6th
264.5 Wade Sauer 5th
264.5 Kurt Klimek 7th

University Freestyle
154.25 Morgan Atkinson 4th
185 Ian Murphy National Champion
264.5 Wade Sauer 8th