NCAA Wrestling Brackets Released

DURHAM, N.C.?Three Duke University Blue Devils are set to compete at the 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championship this weekend, March 19-21, in St. Louis. The NCAA released the event brackets, seeding the individual wrestlers across the 10 weight classes.

Duke's Konrad Dudziak leads the team as the No. 5 seed at 285-pounds. Junior John Barone and senior Dan Tulley enter the event unseeded at 184 and 197-pounds, respectively, after earning at-large bids.

The Blue Devils are represented by three wrestlers for the first time since 2004 when Duke sent four competitors to the national championship competition. The event kicks off on March 19 at 11 a.m., at the Scottrade Center.

Dudziak enters the tournament with a 27-2 overall record. He most recently captured the ACC heavyweight title after missing the previous month to injury. The Bayonne, N.J. native suffered losses to the current No. 3 seed Jermail Porter and No. 4 seed Jared Rosholt. Dudziak received a by in the opening match and will go up against Josh Wine of VMI, who heads into the tournament with a 14-6 mark. Wine earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament after capturing the Southern Conference championship.

After rewriting the records book this season, Barone enters the tournament with a 36-6 mark at 184 pounds. He received a bye for his opening match and will take on top-seeded Jake Herbert of Northwestern University. Herbert was voted the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year after capturing his third career Big Ten title.

Barone climbed to the top of the records list this season as he compiled a program-best 36 victories. His win total surpassed his previous record of 35 in 2007-08. For his career, Barone is 106-30 for a .779 win percentage. His 106 match victories is tops in Duke wrestling history, surpassing Bradd Weber's 105, while his .779 win percentage currently ranks fifth.

Tulley rounds out the Duke lineup after earning an at-large selection over the weekend due to an injury to another wrestler. Returning to his hometown of St. Louis to close out his career, Tulley enters the weekend with a 16-10 record and will compete against Logan Brown in the first round on March 19. Brown hails from Purdue University with a 29-13 record. He received an at-large bid to the championship after taking fifth at the Big Ten Championship.

The ESPN family of networks will cover the wrestling championships on March 20-21. ESPNU, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will combine for expanded coverage, and for the first time all 11 hours of coverage on ESPNU, ESPN, and ESPN2 will be presented in high definition.

Live Coverage Schedule
Friday, March 20
11 a.m. ~ Quarterfinals Live ~ ESPNU HD / ESPN360.com
7 p.m. ~ Semifinals Live ~ ESPNU HD / ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com

Saturday, March 21
10:30 a.m. ~ Championship Medal Round - Live ESPNU HD / ESPN360.com
6:30 p.m. ~ Finals Live ESPN HD / ESPN360.com

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