March 10, 2010

2010 NCAA Brackets in PDF Format

DEKALB, Ill. - Junior Bryan Deutsch (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) will represent Northern Illinois University at the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Omaha, Neb. March 18-20 as he earned an at-large selection in the 157-pound weight class. The NCAA released the 2010 brackets for the national championships Wednesday.

"Bryan is one of the guys we counted on all year," NIU head coach Dave Grant said. "He's won big matches, and he deserves to go to the national tournament. He has a lot of wins and has beaten some ranked opponents.

"We're excited to go to Omaha. He's been here [NCAAs] before and he has high goals for himself."

Deutsch's selection marks the 39th consecutive season Northern Illinois has sent a grappler to the NCAAs, and the second-straight appearance for Deutsch.

One of 33 wrestlers to qualify at 157, the unseeded Deutsch will take on the No. 4 seed Cyler Sanderson of Penn State in the first round. Sanderson is a familiar opponent to Deutsch as the two faced off in a first round match at the 2009 NCAA Championships. Sanderson, who was wrestling for Iowa State last season, scored a 9-6 victory.

Deutsch, who placed second at the 2010 Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships this past weekend, has amassed a team-leading 20-6 record in 2010. The 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be held at Qwest Center and will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 18.

-NIU-