March 14, 2008

Cedar Rapids, IA – Jesse Laber is the University of Mary’s first NCAA All-America in any sport, earning the honor after winning two matches on the first day of the NCAA Division II National Championship Wrestling Tournament.

This is the third time the senior heavyweight from Napoleon, ND, has earned All-America honors for the Marauders. The first two times were in the NAIA when he won the 197-pound title as a sophomore and finished third as a freshman.

Laber guaranteed himself a top-eight finish at the national tournament and All-America status by pinning Steve Franklin of San Francisco State 1:53 into their consolation quarterfinal match. It was Laber’s third match of the day.

With the victory, Laber continues in the tournament and can place as high as third. He will wrestle in the consolation semifinals beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 15. Should be advance, the championship finals start at 7 p.m. Laber will face Nebraska-Omaha’s Anthony Lewis in the consolation semifinals. Laber defeated Lewis 4-1 two weeks ago to win third place in the NCAA North Regional.

After opening the day with a 6-1 victory over Lynn Panko of the University of Indianapolis, Laber lost 6-1 to Cy Wainwright of Newberry College in the second round. The loss was only Laber’s second of the season. With the two wins, the seventh-ranked heavyweight in the nation now has 17 wins. Wainwright, ranked third in the nation, improved to 38-3 and moves into the semifinals.

A two-sport athlete, Laber was named to the All-NSIC football second team as a defensive end in 2007.

This is the first NCAA National Championship appearance for a Marauders grappler. U-Mary is in its first season as an active member of the NCAA, making this the first year the Marauders are eligible to compete in NCAA tournaments.