ROANOKE, VA – Wilkes University seniors Nicholas Racanelli (West Creek, NJ/Southern Regional) and Thomas Stokes (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) concluded their careers at the 2019 NCAA Championships hosted by Ferrum College at the Berglund Center on Friday. Stokes fell in his first two matches while Racanelli fell one bout short of earning All-American status in the consolations.
 
Racanelli, seeded third in the 165-pound bracket, began his tournament against Nicholas Bonomo of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Bonomo did not wrestle any matches at 165 this year until the regional where he placed second to the top seed Lucas Jeske of Augsburg.
 
Racanelli scored the bout's first points with a takedown 1:35 into the first period. Bonomo answered with an escape with :41 left in the period cutting the deficit in half. Bonomo choose bottom to start period two and tied the match with an escape point 1:23 into the frame. Both wrestlers finished the period with one stalling call each.
 
The third period went scoreless until the final forty seconds of action when Bonomo managed to send Racanelli down and to his back for a nearfall of two points. From there Bonomo rode the final :32 out on top collecting a stalling penalty point as the match concluded to seal the 5-2 decision.
 
Racanelli began his wrestle back in the consolations against Buena Vista's Brad Kerkhoff who fell in his opening round match by a 19-5 major decision. The senior made quick work of Kerhoff winning by technical fall 19-0 in the first period. He took Kerhoff down for two points within :30 of the start of the bout and never looked back collecting four sets of four-point nearfalls and added one point for riding time to advance in the tournament.
 
Racanelli's next match against Loras' Eddie Smith would guarantee All-American status (eighth place or better finish). Smith earned the bouts first points with a takedown 1:19 into the first period where he would ride out the rest of the frame. Racanelli chose bottom after Smith deferred and in 1:36 he broke free for the escape cutting the lead in half at 2-1. Smith chose bottom to start the third, and despite taking away riding time points, Racanelli was unable to score while on top and Smith held on for the 2-1 decision.
 
Racanelli, a three-time national qualifier, finished his final campaign with a 32-3 overall record and his first regional championship. For his career, he finished with a 112-34 overall record.
 
Stokes drew a tough assignment in his opening 141-pound match with a bout against the defending national champion in Ithaca's Ben Brisman. Brisman took a 2-0 lead with a takedown with :59 left in the opening period with Stokes being called for a stalling warning earlier in the frame. Brisman choose bottom to start the second period and earned the escape point in six seconds to push his lead to 3-0. Stokes then took an unnecessary roughness penalty giving Brisman his fourth point of the match as the second period finished.
 
Stokes choose bottom as the third period began and quickly escaped in six seconds cutting the deficit to 4-1. Brisman then responded with a late takedown with just :25 remaining and added riding time to secure the 7-1 decision.

Stokes then fell by major decision 11-3 to Wartburg's Brady Fritz in his second match of the day. The bout was tied at 1-1 after the first period, but three takedowns for Fritz over the final two frames pushed the match out of reach for Stokes.
 
Stokes earned his first trip to the NCAA Championships this season finishing with a 27-7 mark and a regional title. For his career, Stokes finished with a 53-17 overall record.