LA CROSSE, WI – Wilkes University wrestling standout Nicholas Racanelli (West Creek, NJ/Southern Regional) concluded his run in the NCAA Championship Tournament on Friday night. Racanelli fell in his opening preliminary match before posting a win in his second preliminary match. Racanelli's junior season then ended with a decision loss in his third match of the day in the consolation first round.

Final Brackets
 
Racanelli met Cole Sladek of Concordia-Moorhead in the preliminaries of the 157-pound bracket. An early takedown by Sladek was followed by an escape from Racanelli in the opening minute of the first period. After another takedown and escape, Sladek used a takedown in the final ten seconds of the first period to take a 6-2 lead heading into period two.
 
Racanelli chose down and escaped within the first twenty seconds to cut the deficit to 6-3. The bout would stay at 6-3 heading into the final period. Sladek choose down and escaped early to push his advantage to 7-3 with 1:35 remaining in the match. Sladek sealed the match with a takedown with :50 remaining in the third. Racanelli was able to escape with twenty seconds remaining, but Sladek held on the rest of the period to secure the win.
 
He then wrestled Quincy Kalkbrenner of Dubuque in his next match of the preliminaries. Kalkbrenner opened the match with a takedown in the first two minutes taking a 2-0 lead into the second period.
 
Racanelli chose down to start the second period riding out the entire time trailing 2-0 entering the final period. With 1:00 remaining, Racanelli served a reversal tying the match at 2-2 still remaining on top. A three-point near fall clinched the match with under :40 to lift Racanelli to a 6-2 decision win.
 
In the first round of the consolation, Racanelli ended his season with a 5-1 decision loss to Steve Bonsall of the University of Chicago.
 
Racanelli's appearance at the 2017 NCAA Championships marks the thirteenth straight season Wilkes has sent a wrestler to the national event. He finished his junior season with a 32-9 record and enters his final year on the mat for Wilkes with a 72-30 career mark.