CLEVELAND – Derek Blubaugh (197) and Blake Mulkey (141) won their respective weight class on Sunday as the UIndy wrestling team competed at the Bob Del Rosa Ohio Intercollegiate Open – one of the largest wrestling tournaments in the country – hosted by Case Western University.
 
Wrestlers from 25 colleges and universities competed in nearly 600 matches at the open invitational.
 
INS & OUTS
To nobody's surprise, Blubaugh cruised to the 197 crown with four victories in the bracket. The redshirt junior faced his toughest test in round of 16, winning by a score of 8-3 over John Carroll's Sean McElhinny. Blubaugh then proceeded to earn a major decision, pin, and tech fall over the next three rounds for the win.
 
Blubaugh was named the Outstanding Wrestler award just eight days ago in the season opener at the Kaufman/Brand/Bayly Open at Maryville University.
 
Mulkey claimed the title at 141 by defeating two of his teammates, including Ray Rioux in the semifinals by a 6-4 decision. The graduate student preceded the win with a major decision in the round of 16 and tech fall in the quarterfinals. Mulkey earned the victory in the final via forfeit.
 
Owen Butler (174) finished runner-up, falling in the final after a pair of dominating tech falls that earned him a place in the title bout. Butler cruised in his first two matches en route to the final with a combined 32-0 score against his opponents from John Carroll and Glenville State. The Swan Point, Md., native dropped the final to Cooper Haase in a 14-3 major decision.
 
Other top finishes by UIndy wrestlers include: Brayden Lowery second at 141, Owen Zablocki second at 165, Trey Sizemore third at 174, Aidan Petersen fourth at 184, Rioux fourth at 141, and Shane Bates fifth at 165.
 
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds will compete at the Findlay Open next Saturday before heading to the Purdue Duals on Sunday against two DI opponents. Blubaugh and Phoenix Rodgers shared the 197 title in last season's event at Findlay.