Shippensburg University graduate Avery Shay picked up three wins on the first day of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships to clinch a top-8 place in the 157-pound bracket and All-American status Friday at the Alliant Energy Power House in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Shay, now 16-3 on the season, will wrestle King University's Trent Mahoney in the consolation bracket semifinals Saturday. The afternoon session is slated to begin at 11 a.m.
 
Shay's journey began in the preliminary round with a 4-0 decision over Lander's Gage Bernall. He then advanced to the quarterfinals of the championship bracket with a tense 1-0 victory over No. 7 seed Jamar Williams of West Liberty.
 
He was matched up against No. 2 seeded Nick Novak of St. Cloud St. in the quarterfinals, with Novak winning an 8-1 decision.
 
In wrestlebacks, Shay scored a third period takedown to get some breathing room against Colorado School of Mines' Carter Noehre, sealing a 5-2 decision and a place on the NCAA podium.
 
Redshirt-junior Danny Scheib represented Shippensburg in the heavyweight bracket, and was matched up against the returning national champion, No. 6 seed Darrell Mason of Minnesota State in the opening round.
 
Scheib took Mason to overtime with the score tied at 1-1. Scheib bear-hugged his opponent for the first 20 seconds of sudden victory. Looking to score, he rotated as Mason was falling, but it was Mason that landed on top for a pin.

The close, heartbreaking defeat was followed by a 4-0 loss to Jake Swirple of Minot State (N.D.) in the consolation bracket.
 
Scheib wraps up his outstanding 2022-23 season with a 16-6 record.