Wauconda's Tortorice Earns All-America Honors for UW-Whitewater Wrestling

2018 Mar 12

Mike Tortorice, a native of Wauconda, IL, and graduate of Carmel High School, was one of two members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team to collect All-America accolades by placing among the top eight in their weight classes over the weekend at the NCAA Division III Championships at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio.

Senior Jordan Newman (Blaine, MN/St. John's Military Academy) captured his second consecutive national title at 184 pounds to lead the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team to a ninth-place finish Saturday at the NCAA Division III Championships at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio.

Newman became the program's second-ever back-to-back national champion by defeating No. 3 seeded Tyler Lutes of Wartburg (Iowa). The top seed in his bracket, Newman (29-2) jumped out to a 6-0 advantage in the title bout on his way to a 9-1 major decision. He finished the weekend with a 4-0 mark for the second straight season.

Sophomore Mike Tortorice (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) concluded his tournament Saturday with three straight victories - all over seeded opponents - to place third in his NCAA Tournament debut. He finishes his season with a 36-5 record after compiling a 5-1 mark for the weekend.

Newman trailed early in his semifinal bout against fifth-seeded Christos Giatras of Augustana (Ill.), who recorded a takedown and two-point near fall. Newman recovered with an escape and followed up with a takedown of his own, turning Giatras on his back with 37 seconds to go in the first period.

Tortorice jumped out to a 7-1 lead over No. 6 seed Christopher Doyle of Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) in his consolation quarterfinal and held on for a 7-4 decision. In a rematch of his first-round bout against No. 8 Nick Mancini of Mount Union (Ohio), Tortorice trailed 2-0 after the first period before a second-period takedown tied the bout at 2-2. In the third, Tortorice didn't allow Mancini to escape after Mancini opted to start the period down, and Tortorice gained riding time for a 3-2 decision.

In the third-place bout, Tortorice earned an escape early in the third period and hung on for a 3-2 decision over No. 3 seed Jonathan Haas of Brockport (N.Y.). Tortorice's spot on the podium is the Warhawks' third straight All-American at 125 pounds.

UW-Whitewater collected 35 points as a team, only three shy of eighth-place Messiah (Pa.).

See below for complete Warhawk results from the national tournament.

Mike Tortorice (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) - 125 pounds
First Round: lost to No. 8 Nick Mancini (Mount Union) by decision, 6-0
Consolation: d. Tristan Buxton (Waynesburg) by major decision, 14-2
Consolation: d. Sean Redington (Messiah) by decision, 9-6
Consolation: d. No. 6 Christopher Doyle (Baldwin Wallace) by decision, 7-4
Consolation Semifinal: d. No. 8 Nick Mancini (Mount Union) by decision, 3-2
Third Place: d. No. 3 Jonathan Haas (Brockport) by decision, 3-2

Nicholas Bonomo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) - 165 pounds
First Round: lost to No. 8 Nick Velez (Ithaca) by major decision, 13-3
Consolation: lost to Nick Remke (Coast Guard) by decision, 5-2

No. 1 Jordan Newman (Blaine, MN/St. John's Military Academy) - 184 pounds
First Round: d. Joe Cutugno (RIT) by fall, 1:53
Quarterfinal: d. No. 8 Dan Squires (UW-Stevens Point) by decision, 6-0
Semifinal: d. No. 5 Christos Giatras (Augustana) by fall, 2:23
Final: d. No. 3 Tyler Lutes (Wartburg) by major decision, 9-1