MARCH 9, 2002
Meyer, Strickland Compete at NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships
Truman State University freshman Merrick Meyer (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North) and sophomore Grant Strickland (Wagoner, Okla.) competed on Friday and Saturday (March 8-9) at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in Kenosha, Wis.
Meyer posted a 1-2 record at 141 pounds while Strickland dropped his only two matches in the 125-pound division.
Meyer opened with a 4-2 first-round loss to Chris Shears of Ashland (Ohio), but bounced back in the first round of the consolation with a 12-2 major decision over Jeremy Roe of South Dakota State. However, Meyer fell by fall at 2:13 in the second round of the consolation bracket to Cole Dennison of Central Washington. Dennison went on to place third, while Shears was ousted in the seventh-place match. Meyer completed the season with a 32-11 record as a true freshman, becoming just the ninth wrestler in school history to post 30 or more victories in a season.
Strickland came up short, 11-5, in his first round matchup with Nebraska-Kearney's Bryce Abbey, who went on to be defeated in the first-place match. In the first round of the consolation bracket, Strickland fell to Ashland (Ohio)'s Jim Phillips by fall at 1:35. Strickland closed the season with a 16-23 ledger.
It marked the 10th consecutive year that the Bulldog wrestling squad has sent individual competitors to the national championships.