Chadron State's McKinney named D2Wrestle.com National Wrestler of the Week
D2Wrestle.com Release
NEWBERRY, S.C. – Chadron State’s Terrance McKinney was named the season’s first D2Wrestle.com National Wrestler of the Week on Wednesday.
McKinney, a 149 lbs. sophomore from Spokane, Wash., was named the Super Region IV and RMAC Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday and adds National Wrestler of the Week honors to his resume.
McKinney won the Elite Division at the Wyoming Cowboy Open. He is the first RMAC wrestler to win his weight class at that event since 2012.
McKinney announced his arrival on the NCAA Division II wrestling scene Saturday, winning the prestigious University of Wyoming Cowboy Open “Elite” Division. He is the first RMAC wrestler to do so since eventual national champs Jesse Hillhouse and Tyrell Fortune in 2012. McKinney went 5-0 through a bracket of the region’s top wrestlers from NCAA Division I and II and NAIA. He earned a major decision (14-3) over Nick Alspaugh of Division I Northern Colorado in the first round, and pinned Adams State’s Adam Ortivez in the second.
His quarterfinal win was a fall in 1:23 over Utah Valley’s Matt Ontiveros, who finished fourth at the 2015 NCAA DI Regionals. In the semifinals, McKinney faced Western State’s Tyler Adams, who had just completed a victory by fall against No. 1-ranked Destin McCauley of Nebraska-Kearney. McKinney scored a first period pin (2:29) against Adams, advancing to the tourney finals against Air Force’s Gerald McGinty, who took third at last year’s DI regional. McKinney recorded a victory by forfeit to claim the Open title. He had three pins, one major decision, and a forfeit among his five wins.