Wrestling team finishes in 11th-place at 2008 NCAA Division III National Championships

Bolstered by junior Jason Brew's (Sparta) runner-up finish at 157 pounds, the Olivet College wrestling team scored 29.5 points to finish in 11th-place at the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 11th-place finish ties for second-best team finish in school history.

As the No. 2 seed, Brew fell to No. 1 seed and Wartburg's Aaron Wernimont, 7-3, in the championship match to become an All-American for the first time in his collegiate career. Earlier today, he defeated No. 6 seed and New York University's Takafumi Hashimoto, 13-6, in the semifinals.

In addition, junior 174-pounder Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) earned All-American honors for the second straight year with a fourth-place finish. In his first match today, he suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Coe's Tyler Jentz in the semifinals. Vanderhyde bounced back with a thrilling 6-4 sudden death win over No. 2 seed and Wisc.-Steven-Point's Eric Bath in the semifinals of the consolation bracket. He scored a takedown with two seconds left in the overtime period to earn the win. In the third-place match, Vanderhyde suffered a 12-4 major decision loss.

Olivet will return from the NCAA's with two All-Americans for the first time since 1991.