Lance, Schultz Earn Top Eight Finishes at Senior Nationals

CORALVILLE, Iowa – Eric Schultz and Christian Lance earned top eight finishes in men’s freestyle at Senior Nationals on Sunday after wrestling back through the consolation bracket. Schultz, wrestling at 97 kg, finished fifth and Lance finished seventh at 125 kg. 
 
After making it to the consolation semifinals, Schultz won by injury default in the fifth-place match against No. 1 seed Kyle Snyder. In the consolation quarterfinals, the senior earned a 9-7 decision victory over Northwestern’s No. 11 seed Lucas Davison to advance to the bracket semifinals, but fell to No. 2 Hayden Zillmer by technical fall. Schultz finished seven places higher than his seed for the event and went 4-2 overall. 
 
Lance earned a 6-4 decision victory over No. 4 seed David Tate Orndorff in the seventh-place match, keeping Orndorff scoreless in the second period to come back for the win. In the consolation quarterfinals, Lance fell in a 6-6 decision by criteria to No. 8 Daniel Chaid. The senior finished 3-2 overall at the event. 
 
Also wrestling in the men’s freestyle division was 2016 NCAA finalist and three-time All-American for Nebraska, TJ Dudley. Dudley (97 kg) wrestled back through the consolation bracket for a spot in the third-place bout against Hayden Zillmer. Dudley ultimately finished in fourth-place.
 
Twenty-two Huskers competed at the Senior Nationals event this weekend. Friday’s Greco-Roman division featured three wrestlers earning top eight finishes. Sophomore Alex Thomsen secured the 65 kg title and Peyton Robb (77 kg) and Austin Emerson (130 kg) finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
 
USA Wrestling Senior Nationals – Men’s Freestyle
Oct. 11, 2020 
 
97 kg: Eric Schultz
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16: Eric Schultz dec. Ben Honis (Titan Mercury WC), 10-6
Quarterfinals: Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids WC) pinned Eric Schultz, 2:11
Cons. 8 #2: Eric Schultz dec. Scottie Boykin (TMWC / Spartan Combat WC), 12-10
Cons. Quarterfinals: Eric Schultz dec. Lucas Davison (TMWC / Wildcat Wrestling Club), 9-7
Cons. Semifinals: Hayden Zillmer (Gopher Wrestling Club – RTC) tech. fall Eric Schultz, 10-0
Fifth Place: Eric Schultz dec. Kyle Snyder (TMWC / NLWC), injury default 
 
125 kg: Christian Lance
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16: Mason Parris (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) def. Christian Lance, 9-4
Cons. 8 #1: Christian Lance dec. Zach Elam (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 5-3
Cons. 8 #2: Christian Lance dec. Demertius Thomas (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club), 5-4
Cons. Quarterfinals: Daniel Chaid (TMWC / California RTC) dec. Christian Lance, 6-6
Seventh Place: Christian Lance dec. David Tate Orndorff (TMWC/OHIO RTC), 6-4