Head Coach Pat Pecora, the 2017-18 NWCA Super Region I Coach of the Year, and seven Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat wrestlers will travel to the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to compete in Friday and Saturday's NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships.   The top eight place winners in each weight class become NCAA Division II All-Americans.
 
The Mountain Cats came away seven national qualifiers from the Super Region I Tournament in the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center on February 23-24.  This group included regional champion and NCAA No. 1-ranked Cody Law (157 lbs.), five runner-up finishers and a fourth-place finisher.
 
Law (157 lbs.), who claimed his second straight regional title, helped lead the Mountain Cats to a second-place finish behind Notre Dame (OH) as the Super Region I Tournament.
 
Along with Law, returning NCAA national qualifiers Chris Eddins (141 lbs.), Devin Austin (165 lbs.), Levi Niebauer (197 lbs.), and D.J. Sims (285 lbs.) all placed second at the regional tournament.  In addition, Steve Edwards was the runner-up at 174 lbs. and Corey Falleroni placed fourth at 149 lbs.).  Both Edwards and Falleroni will be making their appearances at the National Tournament.
 
First Round Pairings and Individual Wrestler Information:
 
141 lbs. – Chris Eddins  (SO)  (Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Salem High School)
--Ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division II at 141 lbs.
--20-2 overall record and 14-0 dual meet record (tied for second on team with five falls)
--Ranked 10^th Most Dominant Wrestling in NCAA division II
--2017 Super Region I Runner-up (Won first two bouts, then suffered 11-6 loss to No. 9 Drew Walker (Notre Dame) in finals )
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 4 Will Roarke (Maryville) (23-6)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 6 Andrew Schulte (California Baptist (19-3) OR Bryan Lavearn (Tiffin) (15-11)
 
149 lbs. – Corey Falleroni  (R-JR)  (Lower Burrell, Pa. / Burrell High School)
--14-9 overall record and 8-5 dual meet record (tied for team lead with 10 wins by decision)
--2017 Super Region I-Fourth-Place (Posted 4-2 record and defeated Wheeling Jesuit's Daniel Romero 8-6 in Overtime to place fourth)
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 3 Daxton Gordon (California Baptist) (21-2)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 5 Isaiah Kemper (McKendree) (26-14) OR No. 10 Trey Grine (Tiffin (26-6)
 

157 lbs. – Cody Law  (R-SR)  (Windber, Pa. / Forest Hills High School)
--Ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II at 157 lbs.
--21-1 overall record and 14-0 dual meet record (leads team with eight technical fall victories)
--Ranks third in NCAA Division II in technical falls and Most Dominant Wrestler categories
--2017 Super Region I Champion (Defeated No. 6 Fermie Silva (Notre Dame (OH) 16-4 in finals)
--First Round Match-up vs. Heath Lange (Indianapolis) (17-8)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 9 Cortez Arredondo (SW Minnesota State) (19-10) OR No. 11 Matt Malcolm (Nebraska-Kearney) (17-5)
 
165 lbs. – Devin Austin  (R-SO)  (Irwin, Pa. / Penn Trafford High School)
--Ranked No. 9 in NCAA Division II at 165 lbs.
--16-6 overall record and 11-5 dual meet record
--Placed second at Regional Tournament with 2-1 record.  Lost 6-4 to Gannon's Nate Ross in finals
--Also qualified for National Tournament as true freshman in 2016 and took red-shirt in 2016-17
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 6 Devin Fitzpatrick (St. Cloud State) (23-4)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 3 Tyler Mann (Ouachita Baptist) (23-7) OR Greg Hilliard (Belmont-Abbey) (20-10)
 
174 lbs. – Steve Edwards  (R-JR)  (Lower Burrell, Pa. / Burrell High School)
--Ranked No. 10 in NCAA Division II at 174 lbs.
--13-6 overall record and 8-3 dual meet record (tied for second on team with five falls)
--Placed second at Regional Tournament with 3-1 record.  Suffered overtime loss to Seton Hill's Damon Greenwald in finals
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 9 Zach Stodden (Nebraska-Kearney) (30-12)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 1 Nick Becker (Wisconsin-Parkside) (20-0) OR Lukas Poloncic (Augustana) (19-15)
 

197 lbs. – Levi Niebauer (R-SO)  (Carrolltown, Pa. / Cambria Heights High School)
--Ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division II at 197 lbs.
--17-3 overall record and 11-1 dual meet record (Tied for team lead with 10 decisions, second on team in falls with five)
--2017 NCAA Division II National Qualifier
--Placed second at NCAA Regional Tournament (posted 3-1 record. Suffered loss to No. 2 Shippensburg's Evan Ramos in finals)
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 10 Matt Blome (Minnesota State) (17-6)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 4 Konnor Schmidt (Western State) (20-3) OR James Lehman (Wisconsin-Parkside) (28-9)
 
285 lbs. – D.J. Sims (R-SR)  (Aliquippa, Pa. / Aliquippa High School)
--Ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division II at 285 lbs.
--15-7 overall record and 10-3 dual meet record (leads team with six falls)
--Previously qualified for National Tournament in 2015 and 2016
--Placed second at Regional Tournament (Posted 3-1 record.  Injury defaulted in finals)
--First Round Match-up vs. No. 12 Codey Johnson (Colorado State-Pueblo) (21-9)
--Possible Second Round Match-up vs. No. 2 Dylan Faulkenberg (Indianapolis) (28-2) OR No. 10 Logan Hopp (Upper Iowa) (11-3)
 
 
Wrestling is scheduled to begin on Friday at 12 p.m. EDT with the First Round (80 matches).  Session II will start on Friday at 7 p.m. EDT and consist of the Second Round Championship Matches and the First and Second Rounds of the Consolations (120 matches).  On Saturday, wrestling will start at 11 a.m. EDT with the Championship Semifinals, Third Round Consolations and the Consolation Semifinals (90 matches).  The Championship Finals are scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT (10 matches).