SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - After two sessions of action Thursday, the Builder wrestling squad sits in second place with 75.5 points, a half point advantage over Grand Valley State. Defending champions, Liberty University, holds the commanding lead heading into day two with 99.5.
Fourteen Builders are still alive in the third session beginning at 10 a.m. Friday. Nine have advanced to the quarterfinals, one win shy of becoming All-Americans.
Both representatives at 125 are still in the championship bracket. Second seeded Bruno Alves advanced with a bye, a forfeit and a 16-1 tech fall over Washington State, while No. 11 seed Caleb Olgers won two at his first national tournament with a 5-4 nail-biter over Toledo and a dominant 10-2 major decision over the sixth seed from Texas Tech. Olgers will face defending champion Dante Mininno of Liberty to potentially make a huge impact on the team race.
The top seed at 133, Dillon Messick advanced to the quarters in a pair of wins that came down to the final seconds. He won an ultimate tiebreaker over Central Florida in round two, followed by a 1-0 decision over Dubuque that had to be determined by video review after the final whistle.
Third seeded Jordan Robins is on a mission at 141, advancing to the quarters with a pair of first period pins over Rutgers and Wayne State.
Returning national finalist Zach Ortega is in the quarterfinals again with three bonus point victories. He recorded a pair of pins over Georgia and Rutgers, followed by a 20-7 major decision over RPI.
Both Builders moved forward in the championship bracket at 165 as sophomore Landon Kissell and freshman Ethan Baker have been winning in dramatic fashion. After a major decision win over Toledo in round two, Kissell overcame several controversial calls to gut out a last second win over Ohio State. Baker has been stacking up team points on his side of the bracket with a trio of pins over Washington State, Fresno State and Maine Maritime Academy.
At 197, Caleb Hartung found a 7-0 win over Ohio State, followed by a 12-4 major decision over a dangerous opponent from Washington State. He will now square off with top seeded Seth Konynbelt from Grand Valley.
Peter Cortapasso is still on the hunt for the heavyweight crown after a quick fall over Alabama and a 5-3 decision over West Chester.
In the wrestle-backs, 157 pound freshman David Norris nearly secured the upset of the day, losing with a last second takedown over the second seeded wrestler from Fresno State. After a pin over Toledo in round one, Norris pinned the returning national runner-up with a huge throw in the first period. Also at 157, AJ Deutel is still on the hunt for his first All-American honors recording a 18-1 tech fall in round one and a 6-2 win over Auburn before dropping a decision to Toledo in round three.
Matthew Henson is still alive at 184 after losing a heartbreaker in the opening round. He followed it up by a first period fall over UMass in the wrestle-backs.
Second seeded Russ Pierce suffered a heartbreaking upset in round three to Rhode Island after a 12-0 win over Rutgers and a 8-2 win over Washington State. Pierce is still on the hunt for his third All-American finish.
After falling to the sixth seed in round one, freshman heavyweight DJ Uribes is still alive after a pin over Springfield Tech, and a come from behind pin over San Jose State where he was trailing 12-0.
Session three begins at 10 a.m. Puerto Rico time. Live streaming and brackets can be found on FloArena.