The University of Findlay, hosting the 2006 NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships this weekend, will hold a press conference on Thursday, March 9, 2006. The event will take place at 1:00 p.m. inside the Koehler Fitness and Recreation Center.

Featured at the press conference with be Findlay’s head coach Shawn Nelson and individual performers Andy Uhl, Antonio Guerra, Craig Fechko and Clint Salisbury. Also in attendance will be Ashland head coach Ray Kowatch and individual performers Josh Ohl and Mike Compton. Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Denney, Nebraska-Kearney head coach Marc Bauer and Central Oklahoma head coach David James will also be in attendance.

Nelson, in his ninth season as head coach of the Roughnecks, guided his squad to a third place finish at the Midwest regional and has four athletes competing in the championships. Currently, he has his Roughnecks ranked 13th in the nation.

Last season, Nelson guided Findlay to a fifth place finish at the championships.

Uhl, a junior and returning national champion in the 133 pound bracket from Avilla, Indiana, is ranked second in the nation entering this weekend’s championship event. Uhl won the 133 pound weight class at the Midwest regional and is one of the top candidates to repeat as national champion.

Guerra, from Toledo, Ohio, is currently ranked third in the nation in the 149 pound weight class. He is coming off of a regional championship and is a strong contender to be crowned national champion this season.

Fechko, a freshman from Brunswick, Ohio, will be making his first appearance at nationals. He will compete in the 125 pound weight class.

Salisbury, a senior from Temperance, Michigan, will be competing in the 184 pound weight. He finished second at the regional.

Kowatch currently has Ashland ranked 11th in the nation. In 2002, he was named the national coach of the year in NCAA Division II.

Ohl, a freshman heavyweight from Ontario, Ohio, finished third at the Midwest regional.

Compton, a sophomore from Willard, Ohio, will compete in the 125 pound class after claiming a regional championship in 2006.

Denney will be looking for his third straight national title this weekend in Findlay. He returns three national champions, Patrick Albione (157), J.D. Naig (174) and Les Sigman (285) and is the only coach to have a grappler compete in all ten weight classes during the 2006 championships.

Nebraska-Omaha is currently ranked first in the nation.

Bauer, who has his squad ranked second in the nation, will be looking to dethrone Nebraska-Omaha this weekend by sending nine wrestlers into action. Last season, Bauer was tabbed the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.

James, who has Central Oklahoma ranked fourth in the nation, will be sending eight wrestlers into competition this weekend. He has won national championships at the NCAA Division II level in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002 and 2003.