KENT, Ohio – Cleveland State advanced No. 31 Ben Smith (197) and No. 21 Daniel Bucknavich (285) into the championship round of the 2024 MAC Championships hosted by Kent State. After the first day of the competition, the Vikings have wrestlers remaining.
Smith will look for his second MAC Championship after going 3-0 this afternoon. The graduate student started the day with an 18-3 technical fall over Tyler Kocak of George Mason before securing a 14-3 major decision in the quarterfinals against Azeem Bell of Rider. Smith then punched his ticket into the championship with an 8-3 decision over Blake Schaffer of Kent State.
Bucknavich dominated the first day of the action, outscoring his three opponents, 32-0. The redshirt junior opened with an 11-0 major decision over Lonne Owen-Pabon of Buffalo and then used an 8-0 decision over Ethan Miller of Lock Haven to get into the semifinals. Bucknavich punched his ticket to the championship and a spot in the NCAA Championships with a 13-0 major decision over Bryan Caves of Central Michigan.
Ben Aranda (125), Marcus Robinson (157), and Tate Geiser (165) remain alive in the consolation brackets.
Top 5 Team Scores
1. Central Michigan – 97.5
2. Rider – 86.5
3. George Mason – 76.5
4. Lock Haven – 67.5
5. Northern Illinois – 62.0
9. Cleveland State – 49.5
Day Two - Saturday, March 9
11:30 AM | Cons. Quarterfinals
1:00 PM | Cons. Semifinals
3:00 PM | Champ Finals | Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth Places
CSU Results at the MAC Championships
Ben Aranda – 125 Pounds (2 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – Tyler Klinsky (RU) DEC Aranda (CSU), 12-5 SV
Cons Round 2 – Aranda (CSU) MD Ryan Meek (OU), 15-7
Cons. Quarters – Davian Guanajuato (SIUE)
Nick Molchak – 133 Pounds (1 Bid)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – Pablo Castro (Kent) MD Molchak (CSU), 12-2
Cons Round 2 – Brandon Wittenberg (GMU) DEC Molchak (CSU), 8-3
Dylan Layton – 141 Pounds (1 Bid)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – Eric Almairnez (SIUE) MD Layton (CSU), 16-5
Cons Round 2 – Dominic Hargrove (GMU) FALL Layton (CSU), :47
Douglas Terry – 149 Pounds (3 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – Cade Balestrini (Bloom) DEC Terry (CSU), 5-1
Cons Round 1 – Terry (CSU) MD Colin Roberts (EU), 11-2
Cons Round 2 – Derek Raike (OU) DEC Terry (CSU), 12-5
Marcus Robinson – 157 Pounds (5 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – No. 24 Johnny Lovett (CMU) DEC Robinson (CSU), 1-0
Cons Round 2 – Robinson (CSU) DEC No. 33 Alejandro Herrerea-Rondon (CU), 4-0
Cons Quarter – William Morrow (BU)
Tate Geiser – 165 Pounds (1 Bid)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – Tyler Swiderski (CMU) DEC Geiser (CSU), 7-4
Cons Round 2 – Geiser (CSU) MD Bradley Gillum (SIUE), 16-7
Cons Quarter – Hunter Shaut (UB)
DeAndre Nassar – 174 Pounds (2 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – Bye
Champ Quarters – No. 28 Sal Perrine (OU) DEC Nassar (CSU), 6-2
Cons Round 2 – AJ Burkhart (Kent) DEC Nassar (CSU), 5-2
Joey Lyons – 184 Pounds (2 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – Chase Kranitz (Buff) MD Lyons (CSU), 15-3
Cons Round 1 – Bye
Cons Round 2 – No. 27 Zayne Lehman (OU) DEC Lyons (CSU), 1-0
No. 31 Ben Smith – 197 Pounds (2 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – No. 31 Smith (CSU) TF Tyler Kocak (GMU), 18-3
Champ Quarters – No. 31 Smith (CSU) MD Azeem Bell (RU), 14-3
Champ Semi – No. 31 Smith (CSU) DEC Blake Schaffer (Kent), 8-3
Championship - No. 28 Sam Mitchell (UB)
No. 21 Daniel Bucknavich – 285 Pounds (3 Bids)
Champ Round 1 – No. 21 Bucknavich (CSU) MD Lonne Owens-Pabon (BUFF), 11-0
Champ Quarters – No. 21 Bucknavich (CSU) DEC Ethan Miller (LHU), 8-0
Champ Semi – No. 21 Bucknavich (CSU) MD Bryan Caves (CMU), 13-0
Championship – No. 27 David Szuba (RU)
