Pitt Wrestling
Nino Bonaccorsi Makes it to Semifinals at NCAA Wrestling Championships
TULSA, Okla. — No. 1 Pitt redshirt Nino Bonaccorsi made it to the Semifinals at the NCAA Wrestling Championships Friday morning at the BOK Center.
Bonaccorsi won a 5-3 decision against No. 8 Nebarska’s Silas Allred (28-6) in the Quarterfinals at 197 pounds. Bonaccorsi made two takedowns early, but Allred put tremendous pressure on him later on in the match. Allred appeared to earn a takedown late in the second period, but the referees correctly ruled Bonaccorsi out of bounds, keeping his score at 4-3.
He finished off the match with riding time and fended off shots from Allred to ensure his spot in the Semifinals.
Bonaccorsi will wrestle No. 4 Rider’s Ethan Laird (28-1) in the Semifinals Friday night for a chance to make it to the National Title game.
No. 3 redshirt senior Cole Matthews (21-2) faced a tough matchup against rival No. 6 Penn State junior Beau Bartlett (24-2) in the Quarterfinals at 141 pounds.
Matthews and Bartlett only managed to get one escape through the first three periods and no one scored in overtime, forcing the game into tiebreakers.
He rode Bartlett the entirety of the first tiebreakers period and looked to have the win. Bartlett managed to make a takedown on Matthews very late in the second period of tiebreakers, to earn the victory 3-1.
Matthews will face off against No. 17 Ohio State’s Dylan D’Emilio (19-12) in the Round of 12 Friday night.
No. 9 redshirt senior Micky Phillippi (16-4) had a great Friday morning with two victories in the Consolation Rounds at 133 pounds. He won a 4-1 decision against No. 23 Iowa’s Brody Teske (10-6) and then made two takedowns, an escape and won a 6-3 decision over No. 17 Chattanooga’s Brayden Palmer (22-8).
Moving on at 133 👏 @Micky_Phill #H2P » @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/EktHq63PIr
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) March 17, 2023
Phillippi suffered a tough loss in the Round of 16 to No. 8 Minnesota’s Aaron Nagao in a pin at 2:50 in the first period. He said that he was happy with his performances in the Consolations. He also expounded on his strategy of starting on the attack, than waiting to react defensively, that fans know him best for.
“I just figured moving forward, make them react to me, don’t react to them,” Phillippi said. “At this point, this is it for me. Every time I step out there, I’m just trying to let it fly.”
Phillippi faces off against an ACC foe in No. 6 Virginia Tech’s Sam Latona (25-7) in the Round of 12 Friday night.
No. 20 redshirt senior Holden Heller (16-8) won his first matchup of the day with a 9-7 sudden victory against No. 14 West Virginia junior Peyton Hall (24-6) in the Consolations at 165 pounds. Heller won the match on a takedown, earning revenge against Hall, who pinned him back on Jan. 8.
That match had some of the best scrambling you'll see at NCAAs!
Pitt's @HoldenHeller prevails in SV ✌️
Watch on @ESPNU 📺#H2P » @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/yaZPOoezZH
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) March 17, 2023
He suffered a rib injury in his next matchup with No. 12 Northern Illinois’ Izzak Olejnik (30-3), forcing him to medically forfeit and bow out of the NCAA Championships. The program released a statement on Holden Heller, that said that X-Rays came back negative and that Holden Heller will make a full recovery.
No. 16 redshirt junior Reece Heller (19-10) faced off against a similar wrestler in No. 18 Rutgers’ Brian Soldano (24-12) in the Consolations at 184 pounds. Reece Heller almost managed to pin Soldano, but Soldano scrambled and pinned him instead at 3:36 in the second period.
That loss for Reece Heller ends his time at the NCAA Championships this weekend.
Pitt will wrestle again Friday night at 8 p.m. EST in the Semifinals and Round of 12. Stay tuned for coverage from Pittsburgh Sports Now of Pitt wrestling for the NCAA Championships the next two days.
Matthews and Bonaccorsi Reach Quarterfinals for Pitt at NCAA Wrestling Championships
Pitt Sends Four Wrestlers into the Round of 16 at the NCAA Wrestling Championships
