Karpency Takes 157 Championship at PSUAC/USCAA National Invitational

February 12, 2012

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Competing in the program's first conference and national invitational, Penn State Fayette's wrestlers brought home some hardware from the second ever Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference and United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Invitational Wrestling Championships on Sunday.

Junior Dan Karpency (Adah, Pa.) won the championship at 157, and freshman Jacob Durbin (Nineveh, Pa.) finished fourth at 149 in famous Rec Hall on Penn State's main campus.

Karpency used pins in both the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the championship bout. A pin of Williamson Trade's Mike Fenstermacher at 1:30 in the quarterfinals set-up a showdown with Apprentice School's William Sexton. Karpency took advantage of his quickness to pin Sexton in 3:20.

Karpency met Shane Alterio of Penn State DuBois in the finals, and notched a 5-3 decision in a match that went the distance. The win by Karpency marks the program's first ever conference champion.

Durbin used a 5-0 decision over Penn State Beaver's Dylan Winkle to advance out of the quarterfinal round, but was pinned by Apprentice School's Kyle Spruill at 1:59. In his consolation bout, Durbin earned a 6-3 decision over Lindenwood-Belleville's Stanton Ketcherside to advance to the third-place match. Durbin met a familiar foe in Penn State Greater Allegheny's Matt Lago, but could not outduel him, falling in a 6-1 decision and taking home fourth place at 149.

Freshman Mhye Brown (Columbus, Ga.) finished 1-2 on the day, pinning Penn State Mont Alto's Robert Voneida in the first consolation bout at 141. Sophomore Kenny Seliga (Uniontown, Pa.) and junior Jonathan Taylor were winless on the day, falling in all three matches they each competed in.