Bedelyon places sixth in NCAA Wrestling Championships

Tim Dorst

Senior Nic Bedelyon wrestled his last match for Kent State on Saturday, and he ended his career as one of the most successful wrestlers in school history.

Bedelyon settled for a sixth-place finish in the 125-pound weight class bracket at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. He finished his career as one of only three Kent State wrestlers to earn All-American honors twice.

In his first match on Saturday, Bedelyon matched up against Minnesota’s Zachary Sanders, the No. 2 seed in the bracket, in a consolation semifinal match. Bedelyon scored a reversal in the second period, but Sanders took Bedelyon down three times in the match to earn a 9-4 win.

Bedelyon suffered a heartbreaking 6-4 overtime loss to Stanford’s Ryan Mango in the fifth-place match. Bedelyon owned a 3-0 lead going into the third period, but Mango battled back and scored a takedown with 15 seconds left to force overtime.

In the sudden victory period, Mango took Bedelyon down to the mat for two points and the win.

Bedelyon’s sixth-place finish ties him for the second highest finish by a Kent State wrestler at the NCAA Tournament in the last 27 years. Only 2011 national champion Dustin Kilgore placed higher in that time span.

Bedelyon ends his senior season with a record of 32-7. His 113 career victories ranks sixth in the history of the program.

The Flashes finished the three-day tournament with 19.5 team points.

Contact Tim Dorst at [email protected].