Ohio Wrestlers to Participate in NCAA's

Contact: Brian Stanley (740) 593-0054 or sportsmedia@ohio.edu

ATHENS, Ohio (March 14, 2001) -- Senior Dan Bednar (Brecksville), and sophomores Luke Moore (Springfield) and Ryan Smith (Dayton) will travel to the University of Iowa to participate in the 2001 NCAA Wrestling Championships from March 15 to 17.

Bednar (197) and Moore (174) won their respective weight classes at the 2001 Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships on March 4, while Smith (157) obtained a wild card after placing second in his class. The Bobcats went on to win their 15th championship, ending Central Michigan's three-year run.

All three wrestlers will begin with first round matches on Thursday. Bednar will face 11th seed Mike Fickell of Pennsylvania, Moore will face Wyoming's Steven Schenk, and Smith will grapple with #11 Leo Urbinelli of Cornell.