SOURCE: www.ubbulls.com

March 18, 2016

NEW YORK - Joe Ariola and Colt Cotten each dropped their first matches on day two of the NCAA Championships in front of nearly 18,000 at Madison Square Garden. Both wrestlers were competing in the consolation bracket and have been eliminated from the NCAA Championships.

Ariola, who upset third-ranked Victor Avery of Edinboro, in what many were calling the upset of the tournament in day one, went up against Jeff Koepke of Illinois on Friday. The match was very close throughout, but a stall call on Ariola, late in the third period, was the difference as Koepke escaped with a 2-1 decision.

Cotten was looking to build on the momentum of pinning John Fathy of SIU Edwardsville in his second match of Thursday. However, he had trouble getting going on Friday and lost a 5-2 decision to 14th-ranked Mitch Finesilver of Duke.

All in all, it was a successful trip to New York as two Bulls advanced to the second day of action. Coming off a 10-win season and with the majority of the team returning, the Bulls should be even better next season. The future of UB wrestling is very bright.