Billy Greene and John Christian Head to NCAA Division I Wrestling
Championships
March 14, 2000
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - For the first time in school history, Campbell
University will send two qualifiers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling
Championships. When the events begin on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the Kiel
Center in St. Louis, Mo., John Christian and Billy Greene will represent the
Orange and Black among college wrestling's best.
"For anybody in college wrestling, the NCAA Division I tournament is
where it's at," said Christian, a junior from Tallmadge, Ohio, who won the
184-pound weight division at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships
on Mar. 4 and gained an automatic berth into this week's nationals against
31 other individuals in his class.
Greene, a senior from Lewiston, Idaho, is supposed to be at the
Nationals this year. He has not lost a bout since the Carolina Open on Nov.
27 and carries a 25-3 record into Thursday's action. Among his feats this
year was a weight class championship at the Millersville Belles tournament.
He was unbeaten in six CAA matches during the regular season, earned the top
seed at the 157-pound division in the league championships, and downed Jake
Cairns of Old Dominion 3-1 in sudden death overtime in the final.
"I feel like I'm dealing with a lot of natural things for someone
going into a national tournament," said Greene. "I don't want to get caught
up with the hype, just try and treat it as an extension to the season,
another match. That's the best way for me to deal with this."
For Greene, his championship victory at the CAAs came with his
parents in attendance for the first time since his sophomore year. He views
his title - one that included a celebratory back flip after the bout was
over - was the progression he viewed when he arrived four years ago from
Lewiston High School.
"One of my goals this year was specifically to win a Colonial
championship," said Greene, a Presidential Academic Scholarship recipient
who place third at the 1999 CAAs. "When it actually happened and I had the
chance to let it sink in, I was excited, but also was at the place that I
wanted to be my senior year. It was almost surreal."
Greene, like Christian, is the first wrestler from his high school
to qualify for the NCAA Division I National Tournament. They are the third
and fourth Camels to reach the national event since Campbell wrestling moved
to the top level of competition in 1986-87.
Christian, a 1997 graduate of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy,
carried the second seed into the CAA Championships in the 184-pound class
and defeated third-seeded Sam Maltese of James Madison 5-4 in the final.
Ironically, Christian considered wrestling in the 197-pound event during the
CAAs, but was convinced by second-year CU head coach Dave Auble and
assistant Andrey Brener to stay at 184.
"John has been really a pleasant surprise for us this season," said
Coach Auble. "He is the guy who probably most closely follows the strategy
and techniques that I've tried to implement. He is a guy who might not be
as talented physically as some of the guys he has beaten, but I see him
continuing to improve dramatically over the next season."
The Camel duo of Greene and Christian are the first Campbell
wrestlers to qualify for the national tourney since 190-pounder Jerry Brooks
advanced in 1995. Anthony Cox was the first Camel to wrestle at the NCAA
Championships in 1988.
"This season is the most satisfying one I've had in my coaching
career," said Auble, an Olympian in 1960 and 1964 who has guided grapplers
to national championships at both the Division I and Division III levels as
well as coaching the 1977 United States Pan American Games Gold Medal team.
"I feel like we have come the farthest with our talent in the shortest
amount of time. For that, I've got to credit the kids for their work ethic
and dedication."
Auble credited his first-year assistant Brener, a four-time Ukranian
National champion at 150 pounds and a Division III All-American at Western
Maryland, for helping to push the pair in practice.
"Andrey is a world class competitor who is developing as a coach,"
said Auble. "He's really in the best situation as a coach, one where you
can still get in there in spar, and then tell an athlete what to do."
Both Greene and Christian echo Auble's sentiments regarding their
first-year assistant coach. "I've got to admit that I wouldn't be going to
St. Louis without Coach Auble and Andre," said Greene.
But St. Louis is the destination. How far either advances will be
revealed over a three-day tourney.
"Everybody starts with a 0-0 record at the nationals," said Greene.
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