Here's a rundown of recent events in Ashland University athletics.
FIGHT
The No. 12 Ashland University wrestling team completed an impressive comeback to win its second straight Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship Saturday afternoon, defeating host Lake Erie 22-21 to capture the title.
“It was a tremendous team effort this weekend,” Ashland coach Colt Sponseller said. “Guys had to step up and fill the lineup and get wins, and they did. Bonus points are key, and we had guys get them.”
Both the Eagles and Storm were 3-0 for the weekend coming into the final dual of the Championships. Lake Erie took a 17-9 lead before a furious AU comeback.
After an opening day win over Kentucky Wesleyan and wins over Tiffin (32-12) and Findlay (25-18) earlier Saturday, Ashland needed to beat Lake Erie to repeat as champion.
More: Age's just a number: Nathan Godsey defies the odds as a member of AU's wrestling team
Trailing 17-9, senior Cameron Jenkins started the comeback at 174 pounds. Filling in for an injured Daniel Beemer, who was named G-MAC Wrestling Athlete of the Week for the second straight week on January 19th. Jenkins got a 5-2 decision from John Penfold, making the deficit 17-12.
Then senior 184-pounder Aidan Pasiuk pinned Tylor Orrison in 1:45 to put Ashland on top 18-17. Sophomore Walker Uhl followed suit, topping Brylan Clouse 6-0 at 197 pounds.
Lake Erie tied the score at 21 in the 285-pound match, but Ashland won the match and the championship title by pinfall.
Junior Luke Wymer (141/149), senior Chance Esmont (157), Pasiuk and Uhl finished 3-0 for the Eagles. Jenkins was 2-0 at 165/174.
Pasiuk shared the tournament's best wrestler honors with Penfold. Esmont, Pasiuk and Uhl made the all-tournament first team, while Wymer, senior 149-pounder Carson Speelman, junior 165-pounder Drew Wiechers and Beemer were all on the second team. The Eagles' third-teamers were Jenkins and senior 125-pounder Christian Wellman.
“Aidan had four pins on the weekend. That's huge,” Sponseller said. “Chance Esmont, Luke Wymer and Walker Uhl stepped up and went undefeated. But we had guys like Cameron Jenkins come in at two different weights and get wins to move the team up. We had gutsy performances from guys who aren't 100%, and they went out there because their team needed them. Great team win and I couldn't be happier.”
Now it's back to the regular season for AU, who will compete in the Greyhound Duals and Greyhound Open on Feb. 5-6 in Indianapolis, Ind.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S ATHLETICS
Three Ashland University men's indoor track and field athletes won new nationals, provisionally, Saturday afternoon at the Penn State National Invitational.
Senior Trevor Bassitt won the men's 400 meters in 46.08 seconds, while senior Channing Phillips was third in 47.44. Both earned new bids for the 2022 NCAA Division II Championships. Those times put Bassitt and Phillips as No. 1 and 2 in the nation, respectively, and Bassitt's time is No. 3 in the world this indoor season.
More: Faith, dedication transform Ashland University's Bassitt into a five-time national champion
Senior Storm Elsesser earned a new challenge with a fourth-place effort in the men's high jump at 2.05 meters/6-feet-8¾.
On Friday, the Ashland men and women competed in both the Penn State National Invitational and the Youngstown State Collegiate Invitational.
At Penn State, sophomore Doniven Jackson not only ran a new provisional time for nationals in the 60-meter prelims at 6.87, but followed it up with a faster finals time of 6.81, good for fourth.
Senior Brent Fairbanks won the men's flyweight in 21.33/69-11¾ and Bassitt won the 60 hurdles in 7.79.
In Youngstown, sophomore Brenden Jackson won the men's 400 in 49.52. Runner-up finishes came from freshman Brock Janowicz in the men's shot put (17.27/56-8), sophomore McKenna Woodruff in the women's 800 meters (2:19.09) and freshman Abby Krile in the unseeded women's pole vault (3.37/11 – ¾).
More: 'He really cared': Jud Logan's impact at Ashland University went far beyond the track
On Jan. 19, Bassitt was named the G-MAC Men's Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week.
The Ashland men and women will split Jan. 28-29, going to the Rod McCravy meet in Lexington, Ky., and the Findlay Classic.
MEN'S SWIMMING
Not swimming competitively in more than two months didn't stop Ashland University junior Franci Aleksi from earning another Great Midwest Athletic Conference weekly honor.
For his effort in the men's 1,000-yard freestyle on Jan. 15 at Hillsdale, Aleksi is a two-time Great Midwest Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week as announced by Great Midwest on Jan. 19. Aleksi also won the honor on October 21st.
In the 1,000 free at Hillsdale, Aleksi won in 9:49.97. also finished second in the 500 free in 4:53.00.
