LOUISVILLE, Ky - Despite a short turnaround, Bellarmine wrestling capitalized on its hometown opportunity Thursday night, taking home multiple top-flight finishes at the NUWAY College Combat Open.  The competition lasted all day at the Kentucky Exposition Center with 76 teams competing and 13 individuals wrestling for the Knights.
 
As a team, BU led the pack with 46 wins and was second in pins with 13.
 
Bellarmine excelled with two first place finishes from Devan Hendricks (165) and Eric Beck (174).  These mark the first championship victories for Bellarmine wrestlers in the Division I era.  Beck went 4-0 in dominant fashion with every win coming by fall or technical fall.  Hendricks (5-0) provided much of the same, winning both his semifinal and championship bouts by fall. 
 
Alongside Beck and Hendricks, the Knights boasted three second-place finishes from Zac Cowan (149), Sam Schroeder (184), and Bryant Wilkinson (197).  Cowan went 4-1, picking up his first wins of the season, Schroeder posted a 4-1 record with three falls, while Wilkinson tallied three falls going 3-1 in his weight class.
 
The other three Knights that placed were Cole Nance (157) corralling third, Alex Rivera (157) earning fourth, and Max Dansereau (133) placing fourth.  Nance bested Rivera in a hard-fought third place match by a 7-6 decision.
 
Other Bellarmine wrestlers who scored for the team were Jack Parker (125), Alex Rhine (157), and Samuel Woolf (184).

Hendricks and Nance are now tied for the team lead with ten wins each this season.  Beck is not far behind at eight victories.
 
Bellarmine is scheduled to compete next in a tri-meet at Presbyterian on Sunday Jan. 9.  The Knights will first take on Campbell and then face Presbyterian in a pair of SoCon duals.