November 19, 2006

OMAHA, Neb. - Virginia Tech's Steve Borja took third place at the prestigious Kaufman-Brand Open in the Elite Division at 184 pounds, Saturday at Sapp Field House on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Borja started the day with a pin at the 4:43 mark over Derek Nelson of Iowa State before beating Jacob Devlin of the Air Force, 10-3. In the semifinals, he dropped a 4-3 decision to Iowa's Phil Keddy. In the wrestlebacks, he first beat sixth-ranked Vince Jones of Nebraska, 6-4 before downing Jack Jenson of Oklahoma State, 3-2, to take third place.

Also competing was Steve Ratley, who went 3-2 in the 174-pound class. He opened with a pin of Lindenwood's Anthony Leon at the 1:22 mark. He then fell to sixth-ranked Brandon Mason of Oklahoma State, 1-0 to drop into the wrestlebacks. He then picked up technical fall of Air Force's AJ Harris at the 3:47 mark before pinning Bryan Bernal of Wyoming at the 3:34 mark. He was eliminated when he was beaten by Danny Burk of Northern Illinois, 3-1.

Other members of the Tech squad competed in the East Stroudsburg Open. Check back for results from that tournament.