Three Wesleyan athletes competed in the NCAA Championships over spring break, with Dan Bloom ’10 and Greg Hurd ’10 competing in the NCAA Wrestling Championships and diver Dave Wilkinson ’09 participating in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

Bloom, the New England champion at 125 pounds, went 1-2 at the Wrestling Championships, which were hosted by Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 6-7, with both of his losses coming against All-Americans. Bloom, who entered the tournament with a 36-5 overall record, lost to eighth-seeded Tyler Erdman of Elizabethtown (who entered 29-4 overall), who finished seventh at the Championships. Bloom won his first consolation match against Shaun Farnham of Wilkes, who entered the bout 30-4 overall, by a 9-5 decision. He advanced to face seventh-seeded Mark Kist of Wartburg (22-11 overall); Kist took a 4-3 decision and ultimately emerged as the consolation bracket champion.

Hurd, who received an at-large berth, also fell to a pair of All-Americans. Hurd (34-3) opened the tournament against eighth-seeded Evan Brown (35-8) of Dubuque. Brown, the eventual national champion, advanced with a second-period pin. In the consolation bracket, Hurd wrestled Brian Thomason of York; Thomason advanced with a major decision, 8-0.

Wesleyan finished tied for 52nd among the 62 participants with 0.5 team points. Eight teams did not score, and the University of Chicago finished 62nd with -1 points.

Wilkinson became the second Wesleyan diver in the last seven years to compete at the NCAA Championships, which were hosted by the University of Minnesota March 18-21. The other was Abbott Willard ’02, who qualified in 2002. Wilkinson competed in the one- and three-meter events, scoring 392.25 and 417.35, respectively. Of the 22 participants, Wilkinson finished 19th in the one-meter and 13th in the three-meter, the latter of which earned him honorable-mention All-America honors and four team points. Wesleyan finished tied for 53rd of the 57 scoring teams.