Kolodzik, Brucki Bring Princeton Its First (And Second) Midlands Champs; Tigers Post Top-5 Finish

Simply put, 2018 had to end this way.

A year that saw Matthew Kolodzik roll through four of the top six seeds at NCAAs and Princeton end long droughts to both Lehigh and Rider fittingly ended Sunday night with the Tiger wrestling program ending a 55-year drought by claiming its first Midlands individual champion.

And then it ended a 55-minute drought by claiming its second.

Top-seeded Matthew Kolodzik, the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 149, defeated Northern Iowa's Max Thomsen 3-1 to claim Princeton's first Midlands title, and sophomore Patrick Brucki, currently ranked third at 197, ended the dream run of South Dakota State's Tanner Sloan with a 13-4 major decision to earn the program's second title.

Those wins, along with a strong overall performance throughout the team, helped Princeton to its highest-finish ever at Midlands. The Tigers placed fifth overall with 92.5 points, only five behind Wisconsin.

"We're headed in the right direction," head coach Chris Ayres said. "We have a few good competitive leaders, and they shined. Other guys had some good moments as well. We had three guys who were terrific this weekend. Now we need 3-4 more guys to make a bit of a jump, and then we can become an incredible team."

Kolodzik broke the program drought with an impressive defensive showing and a timely first-period takedown of the third-seeded Thomsen. After a feeling-out process through much of the opening period, Kolodzik got in on Thomsen's legs and secured the takedown with less than 10 seconds left in the period, which kept the third seed from scoring an escape point.

Kolodzik escaped quickly in the second to grab a 3-0 lead, and Thomsen added an escape of his own early in the third to draw within two points. The Northern Iowa product tried for a tying takedown, but the two-time All-American put on a brilliant defensive display and fended off one final late shot to complete the 3-1 win.

The often-stoic Kolodzik, who avenged a 2017 Midlands loss with a 7-4 semifinal win over Iowa's Pat Lugo, clapped loudly when he was announced as Princeton's first Midlands champion and pointed excitedly to a loud, orange-clad cheering section.

"He did a great job," Ayres said. "He's done a lot of our firsts, so I think he has a little added pressure on him, but he handles it so well. He has that clutch gene. Once you bust through like he does, it becomes the normal thing for a program."

While Kolodzik's match was dramatic until the final whistle, Brucki seized control immediately against Sloan, who knocked off both the second and third seed to reach the final. The Princeton sophomore captain had his first takedown within the first 10 seconds and didn't stop until he had four in the opening period alone. A variety of shots all landed points for Brucki, who scored a team-best 27 points throughout the weekend — which would have finished only one point behind Penn for a Top-20 finish.

While his championship performance was impressive, it wasn't his only one Sunday. His semifinal was a potential EIWA title preview against sixth-ranked Rocco Caywood of Army, and Brucki was just as overwhelming in a 9-1 major decision.

"He's in a special place," Ayres said. "He's not holding back at all. Not even close, that was the best he's wrestled in that finals match. He overwhelmed him, and he had his foot on the pedal the whole time."

Patrick Glory had a brilliant weekend of his own, even if he didn't end up on the top of the podium. Glory dropped a semifinal decision to top-ranked Spencer Lee of Iowa, who had teched the Tiger freshman in an earlier dual meet. Lee looked on his way to another tech after a pair of near falls in the first period, but Glory would not go quietly. He scored a reversal and ended up putting Lee to his back in an eventual 12-6 loss.

Though disappointed not to reach the final, Glory seemed inspired by the way he finished, and he showed it with a pair of major decisions to place third, including a 14-5 win in the finale over Wisconsin's Connor Brown, the nation's 19th-ranked wrestler.

Both Quincy Monday and Kevin Parker dropped their opening matches Sunday and just missed the medal podium after impressive runs to the quarterfinal round.

Princeton will return to the mat on Saturday when it competes at the F&M Open, and then the Tigers will return home to prepare for a huge home weekend against both North Carolina (Friday, 7 pm, Dillon Gym) and Oklahoma State (Saturday, 1 pm, Jadwin Gym).

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Patrick Glory's place is 3rd and has scored 23.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by fall over King Sandoval (Maryland - UNAT) (Fall 1:44)
    Champ. Round 2 - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by fall over Jeremy Trinh (Fresno State) (Fall 2:31)
    Champ. Round 3 - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by major decision over Jay Albis (Johnson & Wales) (Maj 14-3)
    Quarterfinal - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by tech fall over Travis Piotrowski (Illinois) (TF 17-1)
    Semifinal - Spencer Lee (Iowa) won by decision over Pat Glory (Princeton) (Dec 12-6)
    Cons. Semi - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by major decision over Justin Cardani (Illinois - UNAT) (Maj 10-0)
    3rd Place Match - Pat Glory (Princeton) won by major decision over Connor Brown (Wisconsin) (Maj 14-5)

Josh Breeding's place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Nathan Boston (Campbell) won by tech fall over Josh Breeding (Princeton) (TF 18-1)
    Cons. Round 1 - Josh Breeding (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Cons. Round 2 - Chris Deloza (Fresno State) won by major decision over Josh Breeding (Princeton) (Maj 13-5)

Marshall Keller's place is unknown and has scored 5.5 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Marshall Keller (Princeton) won by major decision over Kyle Todrank (Buffalo) (Maj 11-1)
    Champ. Round 2 - Marshall Keller (Princeton) won by decision over Carter Happel (Iowa) (Dec 12-8)
    Champ. Round 3 - Michael Blockhus (Northern Iowa - UNAT) won in sudden victory - 1 over Marshall Keller (Princeton) (SV-1 6-4)
    Cons. Round 4 - Marshall Keller (Princeton) won by fall over Patrick Quinlan (Franklin & Marshall) (Fall 4:56)
    Cons. Round 5 - Tristan Moran (Wisconsin) won by fall over Marshall Keller (Princeton) (Fall 2:08)

Matthew Kolodzik's place is 1st and has scored 23.5 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won by major decision over Mousa Jodeh (Illinois) (Maj 17-3)
    Champ. Round 2 - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won by tech fall over Graham Rooks (Indiana - UNAT) (TF 19-4)
    Champ. Round 3 - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won in sudden victory - 1 over Jacori Teemer (Arizona State - UNAT) (SV-1 6-4)
    Quarterfinal - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won by decision over Henry Pohlmeyer (South Dakota State) (Dec 5-2)
    Semifinal - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won by decision over Pat Lugo (Iowa) (Dec 7-4)
    1st Place Match - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) won by decision over Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) (Dec 3-1)

Conor Melbourne's place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Conor Melbourne (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Zach Hartman (Bucknell) won by major decision over Conor Melbourne (Princeton) (Maj 8-0)
    Cons. Round 2 - Jeren Glosser (Iowa) won by decision over Conor Melbourne (Princeton) (Dec 10-4)

Leonard Merkin's place is unknown and has scored 4.5 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Leonard Merkin (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Leonard Merkin (Princeton) won by fall over Logan Parks (Central Michigan) (Fall 1:45)
    Champ. Round 3 - Mike D`Angelo (Unattached) won in tie breaker - 1 over Leonard Merkin (Princeton) (TB-1 4-3)
    Cons. Round 4 - Leonard Merkin (Princeton) won by decision over Jahi Jones (Maryland) (Dec 5-3)
    Cons. Round 5 - Emmett LiCastri (Franklin & Marshall) won by decision over Leonard Merkin (Princeton) (Dec 6-5)

Quincy Monday's place is unknown and has scored 4.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Quincy Monday (Princeton) won by major decision over Kasper McIntosh (Minnesota - UNAT) (Maj 11-3)
    Champ. Round 2 - Quincy Monday (Princeton) won by decision over Zachary Barnes (Campbell - UNAT) (Dec 5-0)
    Champ. Round 3 - Quincy Monday (Princeton) won by decision over Will Lewan (Michigan - UNAT) (Dec 4-1)
    Quarterfinal - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) won by decision over Quincy Monday (Princeton) (Dec 5-2)
    Cons. Round 6 - Logan Parks (Central Michigan) won in sudden victory - 1 over Quincy Monday (Princeton) (SV-1 3-1)

Jake Marsh's place is unknown and has scored 1.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Jake Marsh (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Kellen Ekern (Old Dominion - UNAT) won by decision over Jake Marsh (Princeton) (Dec 7-3)
    Cons. Round 2 - Jake Marsh (Princeton) won by decision over Crew Fullerton (Franklin & Marshall) (Dec 14-7)
    Cons. Round 3 - Jake Marsh (Princeton) won by decision over Dj Hollingshead (Bucknell) (Dec 9-6)
    Cons. Round 4 - Kenny Moore (Northern Illinois) won by decision over Jake Marsh (Princeton) (Dec 4-1)

Dale Tiongson's place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Dale Tiongson (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Phil Spadafora (Maryland) won by decision over Dale Tiongson (Princeton) (Dec 6-3)
    Cons. Round 2 - Brandon Martino (Fresno State) won by decision over Dale Tiongson (Princeton) (Dec 6-1)

Grant Cuomo's place is unknown and has scored 2.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Grant Cuomo (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) won by major decision over Grant Cuomo (Princeton) (Maj 19-6)
    Cons. Round 2 - Grant Cuomo (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Cons. Round 3 - Grant Cuomo (Princeton) won by major decision over Jake DiBenedetto (Illinois) (Maj 14-2)
    Cons. Round 4 - Jairod James (Mount Union) won by decision over Grant Cuomo (Princeton) (Dec 3-2)

Travis Stefanik's place is unknown and has scored 2.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Travis Stefanik (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Joe Grello (Rutgers) won by decision over Travis Stefanik (Princeton) (Dec 3-2)
    Cons. Round 2 - Travis Stefanik (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Cons. Round 3 - Travis Stefanik (Princeton) won by major decision over Brian Krasowski (Penn) (Maj 16-5)
    Cons. Round 4 - Clay Lautt (North Carolina - UNAT) won by decision over Travis Stefanik (Princeton) (Dec 8-5)

Kendall Elfstrum's place is unknown and has scored 4.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Kendall Elfstrum (Princeton) won by decision over Christopher Kober (Campbell) (Dec 7-3)
    Champ. Round 2 - Kendall Elfstrum (Princeton) won by medical forfeit over Noah Stewart (Army West Point) (MFF)
    Champ. Round 3 - Bob Coleman (Oregon State) won by decision over Kendall Elfstrum (Princeton) (Dec 11-4)
    Cons. Round 4 - Jordan Atienza (Central Michigan) won by medical forfeit over Kendall Elfstrum (Princeton) (MFF)

Kevin Parker's place is unknown and has scored 6.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Kevin Parker (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
    Champ. Round 2 - Kevin Parker (Princeton) won by major decision over Sam Grove (South Dakota State) (Maj 12-0)
    Champ. Round 3 - Kevin Parker (Princeton) won by fall over Zach Braunagel (Illinois - UNAT) (Fall 6:56)
    Quarterfinal - Mason Reinhardt (Wisconsin) won by decision over Kevin Parker (Princeton) (Dec 4-3)
    Cons. Round 6 - Christian LaFragola (Brown) won by decision over Kevin Parker (Princeton) (Dec 16-10)

Patrick Brucki's place is 1st and has scored 27.0 team points.

    Champ. Round 1 - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by tech fall over Max Ihry (Northern Illinois) (TF 17-1)
    Champ. Round 2 - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by major decision over Connor Corbin (Iowa) (Maj 12-4)
    Champ. Round 3 - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by tech fall over David Eli (Purdue) (TF 20-5)
    Quarterfinal - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by decision over Andre Lee (Illinois) (Dec 10-5)
    Semifinal - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by major decision over Rocco Caywood (Army West Point) (Maj 9-1)
    1st Place Match - Patrick Brucki (Princeton) won by major decision over Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State - UNAT) (Maj 13-4)

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