PITTSBURGH – Three Sun Devil wrestlers advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals at the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Christian Pagdilao (157), 2018 All-American Josh Shields (165), and reigning national champion Zahid Valencia (174) will all compete in the quarterfinals Friday morning.
For Shields and Pagdilao, it's their first-ever trip to the quarterfinals and for Valencia, it's his third straight. Pagdilao also picked up his first NCAA wins after competing at the national tournament as a redshirt freshman in 2015.
Valencia (98) is now just two wins away from No. 100 of his career while Shields is three away (97). With a pair of major decisions each, Valencia moved up to sole second place in ASU's bonus point wins in a career while Shields moved into the top-10 (9th). Valencia also moved up to a tie for second (30) in career major decision wins while Shields moved into a tie for fifth (27).
Pagdilao also picked up a major decision victory in his first-round match and came from behind with a late four-point nearfall in his second-round match to advance.
In the Devils' final match of the night, Josh Maruca rebounded from an earlier loss in the first round to upset No. 7 Kaden Gfeller of Oklahoma State, 8-3, in the first round of consolations to stay alive.
Friday's quarterfinals start at 11 am ET/8 am PT on ESPNU while every match on every mat is streamed on ESPN3. Friday night's semifinals begin at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on ESPN.
#23 Josh Maruca (149)
First Round – #10 Pat Lugo (Iowa) DEC #23 Josh Maruca, 5-2
Cons. Round 1 – #23 Josh Maruca DEC #7 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State), 8-3
Next up: Cons. Round 2 – #23 Josh Maruca vs. #9 Justin Oliver (NC State)
#9 Christian Pagdilao (157)
First Round – #9 Christian Pagdilao MD #24 Joshua McClure (UNC), 12-2
Second Round – #9 Christian Pagdilao DEC #8 Josh Humphreys (Lehigh), 11-7
Next up: Quarterfinals – #9 Christian Pagdilao vs #1 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
#3 Josh Shields (165)
First Round – #3 Josh Shields MD #30 Colston DiBlasi (George Mason), 14-4
Second Round – #3 Josh Shields MD #14 Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider), 10-2
Next up: Quarterfinals – #3 Josh Shields vs #11 Bryce Steiert (UNI)
#3 Zahid Valencia (174)
First Round – #3 Zahid Valencia MD #30 Dean Sherry (Rider), 11-2
Second Round – #3 Zahid Valencia MD #14 Kimball Bastian (Utah Valley), 16-5
Next up: Quarterfinals – #3 Zahid Valencia vs #22 Ben Harvey (Army)
For Shields and Pagdilao, it's their first-ever trip to the quarterfinals and for Valencia, it's his third straight. Pagdilao also picked up his first NCAA wins after competing at the national tournament as a redshirt freshman in 2015.
Valencia (98) is now just two wins away from No. 100 of his career while Shields is three away (97). With a pair of major decisions each, Valencia moved up to sole second place in ASU's bonus point wins in a career while Shields moved into the top-10 (9th). Valencia also moved up to a tie for second (30) in career major decision wins while Shields moved into a tie for fifth (27).
Pagdilao also picked up a major decision victory in his first-round match and came from behind with a late four-point nearfall in his second-round match to advance.
In the Devils' final match of the night, Josh Maruca rebounded from an earlier loss in the first round to upset No. 7 Kaden Gfeller of Oklahoma State, 8-3, in the first round of consolations to stay alive.
Friday's quarterfinals start at 11 am ET/8 am PT on ESPNU while every match on every mat is streamed on ESPN3. Friday night's semifinals begin at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on ESPN.
#23 Josh Maruca (149)
First Round – #10 Pat Lugo (Iowa) DEC #23 Josh Maruca, 5-2
Cons. Round 1 – #23 Josh Maruca DEC #7 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State), 8-3
Next up: Cons. Round 2 – #23 Josh Maruca vs. #9 Justin Oliver (NC State)
#9 Christian Pagdilao (157)
First Round – #9 Christian Pagdilao MD #24 Joshua McClure (UNC), 12-2
Second Round – #9 Christian Pagdilao DEC #8 Josh Humphreys (Lehigh), 11-7
Next up: Quarterfinals – #9 Christian Pagdilao vs #1 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
#3 Josh Shields (165)
First Round – #3 Josh Shields MD #30 Colston DiBlasi (George Mason), 14-4
Second Round – #3 Josh Shields MD #14 Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider), 10-2
Next up: Quarterfinals – #3 Josh Shields vs #11 Bryce Steiert (UNI)
#3 Zahid Valencia (174)
First Round – #3 Zahid Valencia MD #30 Dean Sherry (Rider), 11-2
Second Round – #3 Zahid Valencia MD #14 Kimball Bastian (Utah Valley), 16-5
Next up: Quarterfinals – #3 Zahid Valencia vs #22 Ben Harvey (Army)