Three Pitt wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships this weekend as a result of top… Three Pitt wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships this weekend as a result of top performances in the Eastern Wrestling League Championships.

Redshirt senior Carl Fronhofer, senior Justin Giovinco and redshirt freshman Justin Nestor all placed in the top three in their weight class qualifying them for the NCAA Championships.

The Panthers placed fifth over all at the EWLs, scoring 75 team points behind Edinboro, West Virginia, Cleveland State and Lock Haven universities. Pitt was without Josh Birt, Mike Croyle and Mike May.

“I thought that the team performed well under the circumstances. We just need to get more of our horses to the finish line next year,” head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. “We are never pleased to be fifth.”

Fronhofer qualifies for the tournament for the fourth time becoming the ninth Panther to accomplish this feat. In his semifinal match, Fronhofer defeated Bloomsburg’s Hunter Guenot, 3-1. With the victory, he passed former Panther Scott Hovan for fourth on the all-time victories list with 118.

In the finals, Fronhofer, at 174 pounds, lost 6-4 to the nation’s No. 1 wrestler, Greg Jones, of West Virginia. This was the second time Fronhofer had dropped a decision to Jones in three weeks.

“He wrestled his heart out,” Stottlemyer said. “I’m not sure that Jones has been taken down this year and Carl took him down with nine seconds left in the first period.”

At 149 pounds, Giovinco defeated Virginia Tech’s Reed Carpenter by an 8-0 major decision in the semifinals, which earned him his third trip to the NCAA Championships.

The finals were a rematch of Giovinco’s semifinal opponent in last year’s EWL semifinals. Giovinco faced off against Virginia’s Billy Smith whom he defeated earlier in the season. This time, Smith defeated Giovinco 3-1 in overtime.

Nestor battled back in the consolation rounds to earn a spot in the match for third place at 157 pounds. In the consolation semifinals, Nestor scored a late takedown for a 5-3 victory over Clarion’s Jeremy Reitz.

For third place, Nestor wrestled Edinboro’s Eric Ring. Nestor pinned ring at the 4:03 mark to earn his trip to the NCAA Championships.

Jordan Sianni lost to Edinboro’s Jacob Gray 5-4 in the semifinals at 125 pounds. He then upset No. 5 seed Peter Derstine in the consolation semifinals 6-3. Sianni finished the tournament with a 19-11 major decision for fifth place.

Ronald Tarquinio placed fourth at 141 pounds, but he lost 2-1 in overtime to West Virginia’s Shane Cunanan. Tarquinio lost 4-1 to No .1 seed Mike Maney of Lock Haven in the semifinals and earned a spot to wrestle for third place with a 12-4 major decision over Bloomsburg’s Mark Piermattei.

Sianni and Tarquinio received wild card invites to the NCAA Championships.

The NCAA Championships will be held March 20 to 22 in Kansas City, Mo.

“The goal is to stand on the podium, which is to be an All-American,” Stottlemyer said. “We want to get in some hard work and we want to be healthy. Any five of these guys can stand on the podium.”