Division II East Regional coming to UNCP

By Nathan Walls
Editor

For the first time since 1994 the NCAA has chosen the Jones Athletic Center as the site for the 2004 Division II Wrestling East Regional.

The event is scheduled for Feb. 27-28. Matches begin Friday at 5 p.m. with tickets priced at $2 per session for students and $5 per session for adults.

The UNCP mat grapplers currently hold a No. 11 national ranking, a 12-6 record and have had several noteworthy achievements crop up this season.

Those accomplishments include: The Braves breaking an Apprentice tournament record for points last month, Josh Woodruff getting his 100th career victory, UNCP competing at the National Duals for the first time, Curry Pickard & Derek Brunson being invited to a Division I tournament and Dwayne Coward becoming the third wrestler in UNCP history to win the Carolina Open. Additionally, Pickard at 125 lbs., Roylando Lucas at 133 lbs. and Brunson at 184 lbs. are all ranked nationally in the top six of their respective weight classes.

Head coach P.J. Smith said that Pickard, Brunson and Coward, All-Americans one year ago, have the best chance to make it to nationals this year.

“They all have a chance to contend for the title,” Smith said. “They are all right there in the mix. They have wrestled well this season.”

If those three advance to nationals, Brunson might have the best possibility to bring home an individual national title, since he is ranked second nationally in his weight class.

“That’s what we are working towards but everyone is tough at that level and it depends on who has a great couple of days of wrestling,” Smith said.

Smith is eager for an overwhelming fan turnout.

“We need to get students out to support our guys,” Smith said. “We are usually ‘Bad to the Bone at Home.’”

The regional will send 40 wrestlers to nationals, which are slated for March 12-13 at Myers Field House and Bresnan Arena in Mankato, Minn.