CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA-- Trine wrestler Mack Green placed fifth in the nation in the heavyweight division at the 2014 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships, which concluded Saturday.
Green (Buchanan, Mich./Buchanan) won two of his three matches today and went 5-2 overall in his first-career appearance in the national meet. The performance was good enough to earn him All-American honors for the first time in his Trine career. Green concludes his season with a 33-8 record. That mark ties him with the third-highest win total in school-history with four other wrestlers. The National Championships were held at the US Cellular Center and hosted by Cornell (Iowa). Wrestlers that placed in the top eight of 18 competitors in their weight class were recognized as All-Americans.
After going 3-1 to reach the quarterfinals round, Green opened day two with a match against no. 5 seed Cody Lovejoy of Ohio Northern. Green won in sudden victory with a takedown to earn the 3-1 win and advance.
Facing Green for the chance to advance to the third-place match was no. 1 seed Chad Johnson of Augsburg, who was upset in the semifinals. Green was unable to pull out a fifth-consecutive victory, as he fell to Johnson by 3-0 decision.
In the fifth-place match, Green faced off with no. 6 seed Jacob Minske of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Green was able to cap off his performance in the national meet with a 2-0 victory by decision to take home fifth place. Green went 2-2 against seeded wrestlers in the National Championships.
It took a strong effort Friday to get Green to the second day of the tournament. After being defeated in his first match, he staved off elimination in three-consecutive matches to earn All-American status.
The National Championships conclude the 2013-14 NCAA Wrestling season.