McMillan Comes All The Way Back For 3rd; Hahn Battles Back For 4th

The UNC wrestling squad will boast of two All-Americans in freshman Jason McMillan and senior Marshall Hahn. Each wrestler was eliminated from the championship bracket on Friday but each battled back through the consolations to claim a high spot on the medal stand.

The Bears' McMillan was one of only three wrestlers to lose in the first round of competition and comeback to place third in the tournament. Central Oklahoma's Mark Dodgen and Augustana' Jacob Ramos were the other two to accomplish the feat.

McMillan was a perfect 3-0 in matches on Saturday. He first triumphed over Howard Bell of Pittsburgh-Johnstown) with a 5-3 victory in the consolation quarterfinals.

McMillan then pulled of the first of two major upsets. He pinned the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the nation, Luke Wren of St. Cloud State University in the first period to send the partisan UNC crowd into a frenzy.

After knocking off the No. 2-ranked wrestler, McMillan found himself up against an old nemesis in Nebraska-Omaha's Chad Wallace. Wallace was ranked No. 1 in the nation and had been beaten in the championship semifinals. McMillan and Wallace had faced each other earlier this season in Butler-Hancock Hall during the squad's dual meet. The previous match was a heated one with both wrestlers nearing brawling on the mat rather than wrestling. Wallace prevailed in February but when it came time to put it all on the line, McMillan would prove to be the victor.

McMillan jumped on Wallace early and had the top-ranked wrestler reeling. With McMillan on the verge of a huge upset the UNC crowd pulled him through and he claimed the 3rd-place prize with a 9-3 victory over Wallace.

UNC's other wrestler at the nationals was Marshall Hahn. Hahn was bumped into the consolation matches in the championship quarterfinals on Friday. So Hahn had his work cut out for him but he proved to be up to the task of returning to the medal stand. Hahn decisioned Chadron State's Jason Dye, 4-1, in the consolation quarterfinals.

Hahn then had quite a battle on his hands with the No. 5-ranked Joe Lloyd of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Hahn used his senior experience to pull out a 9-5 triumph and a spot in the 3rd-place match.

Hahn battled No. 2-ranked Aaron Veskrna in the 3rd-place match. Veskrna would prevail and end Hahn's career with a 4th-place finish at the National Championships with a 3-1 decision.