Wrestling

Stephens Set for Nationals
       SIUE wrestler Zach Stephens (St. Charles, Mo.) will face Adams State College’s Don Ortega in the first round of the NCAA II Wrestling Championships. The tournament begins March 14 in Wheeling, W. Va., and is hosted by West Liberty State College.
       “Zach has a tough first-round opponent,” Coach Booker Benford said. “But he’s focused on winning the tournament. He has to take care of everybody and not worry about his opponent’s rankings or seed.”
       Stephens, the second-ranked wrestler in NCAA-II at 174 pounds, qualified for the championships by finishing first at the Midwest regional. He has a 30-10 record on the season. Ortega qualified by finishing fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regional. He has a 14-16 record this season.
       SIUE has had 19 NCAA individual champions in its history, the last being Titus Taylor in 2000.
       “Titus has been in speaking with Zach the past few weeks,” Benford said. “It is a very good thing because Titus has been to the championships recently and can give him some good advice.”
       If Stephens wins his first match, he will face either South Dakota State’s Bryan Cowdin or Nick Brumbaugh of Kutztown (Pa.) in the double-elimination tournament.
       -siue cougars-