M. Wrestling Sends Three to NCAAs

Three of Harvard's top wrestlers headed to Penn State yesterday, ready to compete against the nation's best at the NCAA Wrestling Championships tomorrow through Saturday.

Individual titles won by senior tri-captain Dustin DeNunzio (141 pounds) and junior Joey Killar (165 pounds), as well as a second place finish by sophomore Brad Soltis (197 pounds) at Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships earlier this month, earned the Crimson trio the trip to the National tournament.

"I feel really good about it," Coach Jay Weiss said. "This is what we work and train for. This week we've been tapering to let the guys heal up. Right now we are we are healthy which I haven't really been able to say all year."

DeNunzio and Killar-both ranked No. 7 nationally in their class and members of last year's All-Ivy League Team-enter the tournament seeded sixth in their respective weight classes and are considered top contenders for the national title.

Soltis, however, must not be underestimated-his spectacular showing this season and his performance at EIWAs makes this sophomore a serious threat.

After making Harvard history by winning his second straight EIWA title, DeNunzio will now be making his third collegiate appearance at the national championships.

Last year, he became the first Crimson wrestler in fifteen years to win All-American honors by placing sixth. DeNunzio made it to the semi-finals before falling to 3-5 to Iowa's Mark Ironside, the eventual tournament champion.

He enters the tournament with an outstading season record of 24-3. Among his competitors, DeNunzio will look to overtake No. 1-ranked Mark Angle of Clarion and No. 4 Michael Lightner of Oklahoma, both of whom dealt him losses at last year's national championships.

Killar, who was sidelined for two months because of a rib injury, proived that he was back and better than ever at EIWAs. Killar simply awed and impressed the conference with his commanding drive to the championship.

Before his injury, Killar was having a terrific season, placing third at the Cliff-keen Invitational in Las Vegas and boasting a record of 20-2.

Already proving he is superior among his EIWA counterparts, Killar's main competition will come from powerhouse programs joutside the conference. In the 165-pound class, Iowa's Joe Heskett currently holds the No. 1 national ranking followed by Kirk White of Bolise State.

Soltis grabbed a well-earned berth to natinals after a thrilling defeat over No. 15 Bob Greenleaf of Cornell at EIWAs in the semifinals.

He has had a tremendous season, emerging as one of the Crimson's most dominant and reliable wrestlers, compiling a 15-6 record. Among the competition, Soltis might face-off against Greenleaf once again, as well as No. 3 Andrei Rodzianko of Penn, who defeated Soltis in the EIWA finals.

"It is great for Brad to get out there and experience it," Weiss said.

There are six rounds to the tournament, with the semi-finals taking place Friday night and the finals on Saturday. There are 79 teams represented at the tournament, with 30 to 35 grapplers in each of the ten weight classes.

"The key word has been fundamentals," Weiss said. "We didn't change anything or teach them anything this week. We just worked on the things they do best-the things that got them there."

And regardless of this week's outcome, these wrestlers alredy have had a season full of "things" for which to be proud.