FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
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Mar. 3, 2009 - Seedings for the 2009 NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships have been released, and both of North Central College's representatives are slated as favorites to repeat as All-Americans.

Ben Youel is seeded third in the 165-pound weight class, while Gabe Youel is seeded fourth at 184 pounds. Both were All-Americans at their respective weight classes at the 2008 championships.

Ben Youel (38-3) is ranked behind top-seeded Justin Hanson of Wartburg College (32-2) and Ben Hoover of Maranatha Baptist Bible College (20-2). Youel has wrestled both individuals twice this season. He lost to Hanson, 5-3, in the semifinals of the Concordia University (Wis.) Open on Nov. 22, then turned the tables with an 8-3 win at Wartburg's Dick Walker Invitational on Dec. 13.

He defeated Hoover, 12-2, in the championship match of the North Central College Invitational Jan. 17, but lost in the Great Lakes Regional Championship final, 9-7, on Feb. 21. Youel will face Vincent Renaut of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (19-2) in the opening round.

Gabe Youel (37-3) will open the tournament by facing Sam Leas of Lawrence University (24-7), who lost to Youel, 10-6, in the championship round of the North Central College Invitational. Michael Wilcox of Delaware Valley College (33-2) is the top seed at 184, while Romeo Djoumessi of Wartburg (9-1) is seeded second and Great Lakes Regional Champion Phil Moenkedick of Concordia College-Moorhead (32-0) is seeded third. Moenkedick defeated Youel, 10-9, to win the regional championship.

First-round action at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Friday. Third and fourth-round consolation matches will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, championship semifinals will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, and championship matches will get under way at 7 p.m. Saturday.