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March 16, 2007
Auburn Hills, Mich. - Two Stanford wrestlers earned All-America honors today, marking the first year since 1967 that two athletes have finished in the top-eight in their weight class during the same season. At 125 pounds, junior Tanner Gardner became just the second two-time Cardinal All-American and the first to earn the honor in consecutive years. At 157 pounds, junior Josh Zupancic earned the first honor of his career, upsetting three seeded opponents during the tournament.
Gardner defeated Iowa State's tenth-seeded Nick Fanthorpe, 8-2, to secure his second-straight All-America honor. Gardner scored a takedown in the first period to take a 2-0 lead and added another takedown and an escape in the second period to take a 5-0 lead. Fanthorpe cut the lead to three with a third period takedown but Gardner sealed the win with a reversal and riding time.
Zupancic sealed his All-America status with an upset victory over No. 10 Moza Fay of Northern Iowa. Fay put the first points on the board with a first period takedown, but Zupancic took the lead with an ensuing escape and a takedown of his own. Fay took back the lead in the second period with a reversal, but Zupancic tied the match with a third period escape and took back a 6-4 lead with a takedown. A stalling point for Fay and a riding time point for Zupancic rounded out the Cardinal junior's 7-5 decision.
Gardner lost a 9-3 decision to No. 7 Angel Escobedo of Indiana in the consolation sixth round, falling behind 7-0 before putting his first points on the board with a second period escape. Zupancic fell to No. 4 C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota in a tight 1-0 decision. After two scoreless periods, Schlatter rode out Zupancic in the third period to earn a riding time point and pick up the win.
Gardner and Zupancic will both wrestle in seventh place matches tomorrow morning. Gardner will face No. 5 Charlie Falck of Iowa, while Zupancic will face Ryan Hluschak of Drexel.
Gardner joins Chris Horpel, who was an All-American in 1973 and 1975, on the list of Stanford's two-time All-Americans. The honors earned this year are the 14th and 15th all-time for Stanford. Zupancic is the 13th individual Cardinal wrestler to earn All-America status.
Stanford Results (Thru Session IV)
NCAA Championships * Auburn Hills, Mich.
Mar. 15-17, 2007
125 pounds
No. 3 Tanner Gardner (3-2): dec. Brandon Kinney (Columbia), 1-0; dec. Brandon Precin (Northwestern), 5-2 (OT); lost to No. 6 Paul Donahoe (Nebraska-Lincoln), 8-3; dec. No. 10 Nicholas Fanthorpe (Iowa State), 8-2; lost to No. 7 Angel Escobedo (Indiana), 9-3.
157 pounds
Josh Zupancic (3-2): dec. No. 8 Seth Martin (Lock Haven), 8-4; dec. No. 9 Chris Oliver (Nebraska-Lincoln), 3-1; lost to No. 1 Trent Paulson (Iowa State), 2-1; dec. No. 10 Moza Fay (Northern Iowa), 7-5; lost to No. 4 CP Schlatter (Minnesota), 1-0.
165 pounds
Brian Perry (0-2): lost maj. dec. to Andy Rendos (Bucknell), 12-4; lost to Eric Decker (Virginia Tech), 9-4.
174 pounds
Luke Feist (0-2): lost to Rudy Rueda (American), 11-5; fall to Phillip Moricone (Edinboro), 5:36.
184 pounds
Zack Giesen (0-2): fall to No. 3 Mike Pucillo (Ohio State), 6:22; fall to David Craig (Lehigh), 2:28.