Barnett, Hillger earn All-America honors

Started by TomM, March 20, 2021, 10:52:32 PM

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TomM

Barnett, Hillger earn All-America honors

Wisconsin wrestlers advance past blood round at NCAA Championships

ST. LOUIS — On arguably the most exciting night of the NCAA Championships, Wisconsin wrestlers Eric Barnett and Trent Hillger staked a claim in the Badgers' history books and each earned NCAA All-America honors on Friday evening.

This marks Hillger's third All-America award in three years and best career performance at the national tournament, while it's Barnett's first career honor after the sophomore qualified for the national tournament as a wild-card selection following the Big Ten Championships.

See Hillger win third All-America honor - https://twitter.com/BadgerWrestling/status/1373092581974900738

Hillger advanced through Thursday's opening rounds victorious. On Friday morning, Hillger dropped his first loss, a 2-1 overtime decision to Iowa State's Gannon Gremel to enter the consolation brackets. In Friday night's blood round, Hillger bounced back with a 6-3 decision victory over Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) to earn All-America honors.

Hillger then defeated a familiar foe in a 3-1 decision victory over Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) and will advance to Saturday's consolation semi-finals against Big Ten opponent Tony Cassioppi (Iowa). He finished eighth overall at the 2019 NCAA Championships and will wrestle Cassioppi tomorrow to advance to the third-place match. The loser will wrestle for fifth-place among the heavyweights.

See Eric Barnett celebrate his first All-America honor - https://twitter.com/BadgerWrestling/status/1373067116501475332

After finishing 1-1 on Thursday in the opening day of the NCAA Championships, sophomore Barnett battled his way victoriously through three consolation matches to achieve his first career All-American nod at 125 pounds. He picked up consolation bracket victories with a 10-2 major decision win against Jake Ferri (Kent State) and then a 7-3 decision over Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State).

Friday's blood-round match saw him take on a familiar foe in ninth-seeded Devin Schroder of Purdue. Scoreless through the first period, Schroder scored a takedown in the second period to take the lead before Barnett tied it up. Both wrestlers scored takedowns late in the third period, but Barnett had accrued more than one minute of riding time to earn the extra point and seal his 5-4 decision win.

Barnett bowed out of the national tournament in his ensuing match against Minnesota's Patrick McKee. The gritty grudge match saw both wrestlers collect six points each in a tied-up third period before McKee pinned Barnett at 6:06. Barnett finishes the NCAA Championships with a 4-2 record here in St. Louis.

Wisconsin teammate Kyle Burwick completed his first NCAA appearance at 133 pounds with a narrow 4-3 decision loss to Devan Turner (Oregon State) in the consolation bracket on Friday morning. Burwick had finished Thursday's opening rounds with a 1-1 record, including collecting a pin in his first match against Mosha Schwartz of Northern Colorado.

Badgers senior Chris Weiler ended his NCAA Championship on Thursday with two losses in the opening round.

See all Badgers results at the NCAA Championships here https://uwbadgers.com/news/2021/3/18/2021-ncaa-wrestling-championships.aspx

See all NCAA results here https://www.ncaa.com/championships/wrestling/d1

Title: Wisconsin Motion W Logo - Description: Wisconsin Motion W Logo

JESSICA BURDA LESLIE | WISCONSIN ATHLETICS

Director of Brand Communications
Seek excellence and truth instead of fame -John Prime
Courage is grace under pressure - Ernest Hemingway
Advocating "matside weigh-in" since 1997
"That's why they wrestle the matches"

TomM

Barnett, Hillger finish on podium at NCAA Championships

Wisconsin wrestlers place sixth and eighth on national tournament's final day

ST. LOUIS — Wisconsin wrestlers Trent Hillger and Eric Barnett finished sixth and eighth respectively at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday in the medal round.

Wisconsin finished with 18.5 team points (in 23rd place prior to NCAA finals). Iowa had officially clinched first place in the team standings, but complete standings will be determined after the final matches on Saturday night. Both Penn State and Oklahoma State are vying for second place currently, while Michigan, Arizona State and NC State were all in the mix for top five. [Editor's Note: This article will be updated with final team point standings following the conclusion of the tournament.]

Both Badgers earned All-America honors on Friday during the blood rounds and closed their national tournaments with podium-worthy finishes in stacked weight classes.

"What can I say about Trent?" said Wisconsin head coach Chris Bono. "Everyone wrote him off early, he needs to heal up! He competed with such grit this weekend, I could not be more proud of him.

"A three-time All-American, placing sixth this year, his highest placing ever in this tournament. He is a leader on this team! I can't wait for next year with Trent."

Redshirt junior Hillger, now a three-time All-American, saw his highest UW career finish in sixth place. Hillger finished 4-3 at NCAAs and 10-6 overall in the shortened season. The Linden, Michigan native lost his consolation semifinal match to Iowa's Tony Cassioppi with an 8-0 major decision. Hillger then lost a narrow 4-0 decision to Iowa State's Gannon Gremmel to finish sixth.

Sophomore Barnett earned his first All-America honor on Friday, a notable rally from his 10th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. The national committee saw his season's potential and awarded him a wild-card selection for the tournament.

Wrestling on Saturday morning in the consolation bracket, Barnett wrapped his national tournament run with a 12-7 decision loss to West Virginia's Killian Cardinale. Barnett tallied a 4-3 record at NCAAs and 11-7 overall record for the Badgers in 2021.

"What a NCAA tournament!" shared Bono on Barnett. "To come from a non-qualifier last year, a wild-card selection into the tourney this year and becoming an All-American from the 19th seed is amazing.

"I am so proud of Eric! This guy was one of our first recruits when we got the job (coaching at Wisconsin). He represented his home state of Wisconsin this weekend. He is a leader on and off the mat!"

Wisconsin teammate Kyle Burwick completed his first NCAA appearance at 133 pounds with a narrow 4-3 decision loss to Devan Turner (Oregon State) in the consolation bracket on Friday morning. Burwick had finished Thursday's opening rounds with a 1-1 record, including collecting a pin in his first match against Mosha Schwartz of Northern Colorado. Burwick finished his season with a 7-8 overall record (1-2 at the NCAA Championships) and had earned an automatic qualification after placing fifth at the Big Ten Championships.

"Kyle Burwick is one of the most improved guys on the team," Bono said. "He really did not hit his stride until the Big Ten tourney! I really believe that if we had a full year, Kyle would have been an All-American! This guy is a tireless worker."

Badgers senior Chris Weiler ended his NCAA Championship on Thursday with two losses in the opening round. A graduate transfer from Lehigh, Weiler was a top performer for the Badgers all season at 184 pounds. He finished 6-6 overalland earned a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic qualification.

"Chris had a disappointing NCAA tourney this year, but has the potential and talent to be an All-American," said Bono. "He needs to heal up and get ready to make a run at it next year. He has been a great addition to the team this year."

NCAA Day 2 Results: Barnett, Hillger earn All-American honors

NCAA Day 1 Results: Hillger advances to NCAA quarterfinals

COMPLETE RESULTS
125: Eric Barnett
8th Place, All-American
19th Seed
Record: 4-3 at NCAA Championships (11-7 overall in 2021)
Round 1: WIN - Decision 6-3 vs. Jaret Lane (Lehigh)
Round 2: LOSS - Decision 9-7 vs. Brandon Courtney (ASU)
Consolation: WIN - Major Decision 10-2 Jake Ferri (Kent State)
Consolation: WIN - Decision 7-3 vs. Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State)
Blood Round: WIN - Decision 5-4 vs. Devin Schroder (Purdue) - ALL-AMERICAN HONORS
Watch Eric Barnett win All-America honors
Consolation Quarterfinals: LOSS - Fall 6:06 vs. Patrick McKee (Minnesota)
7th-Place Match: LOSS - Decision 12-7 Killian Cardinale (West Virginia)
133: Kyle Burwick
18th Seed
Record: 1-2 at NCAA Championships (7-8 overall in 2021)
Round 1: WIN - Fall 4:38 vs. Mosha Schwartz (UNCO)
Watch Video of Burwick's Pin
Round 2: LOSS - Major Decision 11-3 vs. Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State)
Consolation: LOSS - Decision 4-3 vs. Devan Turner (Oregon State)
184: Chris Weiler
13th Seed
Record: 0-2 at NCAA Championships (6-6 overall in 2021)
Round 1: LOSS - Fall 5:48 vs. David Key (NAVY)
Consolation: LOSS - Major Decision 12-4 vs. Samuel Colbray (Iowa State)
285: Trent Hillger
6th Place, All-American
14th Seed
Record: 4-3 at NCAA Championships (10-6 overall in 2021)
Round 1: WIN - Decision 5-1 vs. Josh Heindselman (OU)
Round 2: WIN - Decision 2-1 vs. Matt Stencel (CMU)
See celebration photos of Trent Hillger's win
Quarterfinals: LOSS - Decision 2-1 (SV-1) vs. Gannon Gremel (Iowa State)
Blood Round: WIN - Decision 6-3 vs. Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)
Consolation Quarterfinals: WIN - Decision 3-1 vs. Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) - ALL-AMERICAN HONORS
Watch Trent Hillger win All-America honors
Consolation Semifinals: LOSS - Major Decision 8-0 vs. Tony Cassioppi (Iowa)
Fifth-Place Match: LOSS - Decision 4-0 vs. Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State)
See all NCAA results here - https://www.ncaa.com/championships/wrestling/d1


JESSICA BURDA LESLIE | WISCONSIN ATHLETICS
Director of Brand Communications
Seek excellence and truth instead of fame -John Prime
Courage is grace under pressure - Ernest Hemingway
Advocating "matside weigh-in" since 1997
"That's why they wrestle the matches"