Pueblo, CO – For the first time, the University of Mary will bring home two NCAA wrestling All-Americans in the same season after a tremendous weekend on the mat by Taylor Nagel and Trevor Johnson. Both grapplers earned All-American recognition for the first time in their careers.
 
A senior from Victor, MT, Nagel finished fifth at 165 pounds to equal the best NCAA finish by a U-Mary wrestler. Johnson, a Bismarck, ND, native, placed sixth at 141.
 
After opening the NCAA championships with two wins each on Friday, March 9, and earning a spot in their respective semifinals, both Nagel and Johnson suffered back to back defeats to force them to wrestle for fifth place. Nagel would get a win in his third match of the day while Johnson finished with a loss.
 
Nagel lost 6-3 to Mason True of Findlay University in the semifinals. The loss knocked him into the lower bracket where he faced Tad Merritt of top-ranked St. Cloud State. Merritt defeated Nagel 9-1, setting up a battle for fifth against Matt Vandermeer of Lake Erie College.
 
In his final collegiate match, Nagel would roll to a 7-2 victory over Vandermeer and earn All-American status. Nagel's fifth place finish ties the best mark for a U-Mary grappler at the NCAA championships, matching Jesse Laber's effort in 2008. Laber was U-Mary's only wrestling NCAA wresting All-American prior to 2012. Nagel's senior season ends with a record of 13-7.
 
Ranked second in the nation entering Saturday's semifinal, Johnson registered three setbacks. With a chance to move into the title match, William Young of Newberry defeated Johnson 7-2.
 
Forced into the lower bracket, Johnson would lose two close matches. In overtime, Daniel Owenby from the University of North Carolina Pembroke pulled out a 7-5 win over Johnson. Then in a battle for fifth, Johnson lost a 3-2 decision to Casy Rowell of Central Oklahoma. Johnson had defeated Rowell 7-2 on Friday. The sophomore finishes the year 33-9 for the Marauders.
 
The Marauders end up with 19 team points. The final team standings will be announced after the completion of the championship bouts tonight.
 
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