Led by spring semester freshman newcomer, Elijah Nash, an alum of Canton McKinley High School, three underclasssmen from the Kent State Tuscarawas Golden Eagles wrestling team earned top five spots at the USCAA National Championships held in Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, PA on Sunday.

More importantly, all three wrestlers qualified for the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Great Lakes Regional, scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the Univeristy of Toledo in Ohio.

Nash was 3-1 and finished third overall in the 125lb weight class, as he continued his quick improvement and has adjusted his wrestling style to suit the collegiate level. Nash and two other Navy and Gold grapplers finished in the top tier of their weight class.

Collin Mancuso, a second semester freshman from Edison High School in Milan, Ohio, captured fourth place in the 157lb weight class with two pins in his four matches. Mancuso has been very consistent the entire season and has been very savvy as a freshman. Meanwhile, sophomore Austin Bailey, from Northgate High School in Sharpsburg, Georgia, last year's runner up in the 149lb weight class finished fifth this time. Bailey has also been a model of consistency for the Golden Eagles, along with becoming a team leader and had one pin in the finals.

Collin Mancuso goes for the pin & Austin Bailey has his match under control.      (Photos by Dave Contini)