Completed Event: Wrestling versus NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , NTS
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Final
Wrestling
vs NCAA Championship
Four Duke Grapplers To Compete At NCAA Championships In St. Louis
3/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 16, 2004
Juniors Adam Benitez and Frank Cornely, along with sophomore Levi Craig and freshman Christian Smith will be in action beginning Thursday, March 18 at the 2004 NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, Mo.
The four Blue Devil wrestlers each claimed ACC titles at their respective weight classes, becoming the first foursome in Duke history to earn conference titles and NCAA Championship berths in the same season. The previous Duke standard for NCAA qualifies in a season was three with Ted Sliwinski, Tom Nugent and Seann Henry accomplishing the feat in 1987 and Greg Penny, Joel Puleo and Brian Davis qualifying in 1974. The 1974 trio all claimed ACC titles as well.
Adam Benitez (133-lbs.) has registered 14 straight victories to enter the NCAA Championship with a 26-10 record. The 26 victories are third most on the team this season and are tied for the ninth best single season total at Duke. After finishing the dual meet season with a perfect 11-0 mark, Benitez won three matches at the ACC Championship to win the 133-lb. title. The Santa Ana, Calif., native has a 2-1 mark against NCAA qualifiers this season with wins over Josh Pniewski (Gardner-Webb), 6-5, and Josh Keefe (UT-Chattanooga), 6-4. After an opening round bye, Benitez will square off against Darrel Vasquez (26-5) of Cal Poly-SLO.
Frank Cornely (184-lbs.) continued to climb in the Duke career record books throughout the 2003-04 season. The Pennsauken, N.J., native has a 23-12 record this season with a seven-match win streak. Cornely has posted at least 20 wins in all three seasons and currently ranks 12th all-time at Duke with 71 victories. This season, Cornely is fourth on the team with four pins to go along with three major decision victories. All four of Cornely's pins have come in the opening period, including a pin in 38 seconds of John Dickerson (The Citadel). Cornely drew a tough assignment at the championships, facing top-seed Greg Jones (21-0) of West Virginia, in his first match.
After a slow start to the dual meet season that including six consecutive losses, Levi Craig (174-lbs.) has rebounded to win 10 of his last 13 matches and reach the NCAA Championship for the first time. The Enid, Okla., native captured the ACC crown at 174-lbs. with three straight wins. Craig opened with a 6-0 win over Joshua Lee (North Carolina) and beat Rick Brownlee (N.C. State), 3-0, in the semifinals. In the finals, Craig topped Virginia's Michael Grogan, 3-1, in overtime. During the tournament season, Craig claimed second place at the Pembroke Open. Craig's opening round opponent is Cleveland State's Matt Kallai (17-8).
Christian Smith (125-lbs.) has had an outstanding freshman season for the Blue Devils. The Chesapeake, Va., native is second on the team with 30 wins and first with 10 wins by fall. Smith leads the country in pins at 125-lbs., while also being tied for fifth in wins. During the early season tournaments, Smith posted a 15-9 record and racked up top-five finishes at the Keydet Invitational (second), Keystone Classic (third), Pembroke Open (fourth) and Beast of the East (fourth). Smith finished the dual meet slate with a 13-3 mark, including a 4-0 record in the ACC. At the ACC Championships, Smith topped Drew Forshey (North Carolina), 12-7, in the semifinals before claiming the ACC title with a pin (6:05) of Jeremy Hartrum (N.C. State). Smith currently has a seven-match win streak and has won 10 of his last 11 bouts. The freshman 125-pounder was selected as the ACC Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 16 after posting a 2-0 record in dual meet action. Smith's 30 wins this season is the most by a Duke freshman in school history. Dan Covatta holds the single season wins record in with 33 victories in 1997 when he was an NCAA qualifier at 142-lbs.
Connor Barket Post ACC Championship
Monday, March 10
Season Opener Video
Friday, November 01
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
Welcome to Duke
Saturday, October 19
