PARK CITY, Kan. – Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) moved into the semifinals and secured All-America status with two victories in the NCAA Division II championships on Friday.

Echevarria upset a pair of seeded wrestlers in the first round and the quarterfinals at 133 pounds at Hartman Arena to lead a group of eight Gannon wrestlers who were competing on the opening day of the D-II championships.

Senior Nick Coreno (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) also collected a pair of wins and became an All-American.

Gannon's other six qualifiers lost twice and were eliminated from the tournament.
 

 
Echevarria's big moment:

Echevarria, who transferred from American International in the offseason, has had a big year for Gannon. He spent much of the season ranked in D-II's Top 10 and compiled a 26-6 record going into the tournament.

However, he did not receive one of the eight seeds in the 133 weight class, and he drew a first-round matchup with No. 2-seeded Quentrevion Campbell of Chadron State. Campbell entered the tournament with a 21-1 record.

Instead of being upset with that draw, Echevarria went to work. He beat Campbell 9-4 to grab a berth in the quarterfinals. Echevarria then faced Lander's 7th-seeded Elijah Lusk and handed him a close 5-4 loss.

With that win, Echevarria (28-6) locked up All-America status. In Saturday's semifinals, he will face Glenville State's Gavin Quiocho (37-2).
 

 

Coreno's quest:

Nick Coreno (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) entered the meet as Gannon's only seeded wrestler with the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds.

He opened the tournament with a 6-4 victory over Cole Ritter of Maryville.

Coreno then faced No. 5 Hunter Jump of Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. Jump claimed a 4-2 win to earn All-America status and knock Coreno into the consolations.

Coreno recovered by edging Ashland's Sevriano Garza in the second round of consolations to gain All-America status. Coreno (28-6) will meet Adams State's 8th-seeded Aaden Valdez (26-4) on Saturday. Coreno can finish as high as third.
 

 

Gannon's lineup recap:

Gannon's other six competitors bowed out of the tournament on the first day.  Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) (149), Ethan Richner (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High) (157), Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg Area) (184), and Matt Long (Corry, Pa./Union City) (285) each finished 1-2.
Jose Diaz (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) (125) and Cole Hivnor (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (174) each lost twice.

As a team, coach Tom Boyd's Gannon squad is in 11th place among 51 teams with 19 points in the standings. National power Central Oklahoma leads the standings with 59.5 points.
 

125 POUNDS
Jose Diaz (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) (20-7), 0-2
Prelim - Anthony Aniciete (Tiffin) won by decision over Diaz (Gannon) 20-7 (Dec 9-3)
Prelim - Logan Seliga (UNC Pembroke) won by fall over Diaz (Gannon) 20-7 (Fall 0:38)
 
133 POUNDS
Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) (28-6), 2-0
Champ. Round 1 - Echevarria (Gannon) won by decision over Quentrevion Campbell (Chadron State) (Dec 9-4)
Quarterfinal - Echevarria (Gannon) won by decision over Elijah Lusk (Lander ) (Dec 5-4)
 
149 POUNDS
Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) (21-8), 1-2
Prelim - Ryan (Gannon) won in sudden victory - 1 over Jackson Hoover (Indianapolis) (SV-1 7-4)
Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Brown (Central Oklahoma) won by decision over Ryan (Gannon) (Dec 8-3)
Cons. Round 1 - Devan Moore (Newberry) won by decision over Ryan (Gannon) (Dec 7-3)
 
157 POUNDS
Ethan Richner (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High) (16-9), 1-2
Champ. Round 1 - Jack Haskin (Lake Erie) won by major decision over Richner (Gannon) (MD 9-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Richner (Gannon) won by decision over Cooper Warshel (Pitt-Johnstown) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Bailey Gimbor (Kutztown) won by decision over Richner (Gannon) (Dec 9-3)

 

Action ?? from Session I of the 2024 NCAA Division II Championships! #GannonWrestling #D2Wrestle pic.twitter.com/whtr3qK5bn

— Gannon WRESTLING (@Gannon_MWR) March 15, 2024

 
165 POUNDS
Nick Coreno (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (28-6), 2-1
Champ. Round 1 - Coreno (Gannon) won by decision over Cole Ritter (Maryville) (Dec 6-4)
Quarterfinal - Hunter Jump (Central Oklahoma) won by decision over Coreno (Gannon) (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Coreno (Gannon) won by decision over Sevriano Garza (Ashland) (Dec 5-4)
 
174 POUNDS
Cole Hivnor (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (20-8), 0-2
Prelim - Gus Dalton (Colorado Mesa) won by decision over Hivnor (Gannon) (Dec 7-0)
Prelim - Trenton Munoz (Nebraska-Kearney) won by fall over Hivnor (Gannon) (Fall 5:45)
 
184 POUNDS
Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg Area) (23-11), 1-2
Prelim - Casilio (Gannon) won by fall over Seth Konynenbelt (Grand Valley State) (Fall 3:33)
Champ. Round 1 - Billy Higgins (Nebraska-Kearney) won by fall over Casilio (Gannon) (Fall 1:42)
Cons. Round 1 - Anthony Yacovetti (Lander ) won by tech fall over Casilio (Gannon) (TF-1.5 5:48 (15-0))
 
285 POUNDS 1-2
Matt Long (Corry, Pa./Union City) (22-14), 1-2
Champ. Round 1 - Shawn Streck (Central Oklahoma) won by major decision over Long (Gannon) (MD 14-6)
Cons. Round 1 - Long (Gannon) won by fall over Tyler Haynes (McKendree) (Fall 1:15)
Cons. Round 2 - Crew Howard (Nebraska-Kearney) won by decision over Long (Gannon) (Dec 8-3)