LEBANON, Tenn. -- A dozen Notre Dame grapplers got in their last licks before the NAIA National Championships, and five earned individual titles, as the Falcons won the East-Region National Qualifying Tournament on Saturday. (Results)

NDC captured the individual regional titles at 141, 149, 157 and 174 pounds, as well the heavyweight division. #Derek Foore#, 2-0 before forfeiting the championship bout at 197 on Saturday, was named the Wrestler of the Year in the NAIA East Region, and #Frank Romano# was selected as the region's Coach of the Year.

The tournament was hosted by Cumberland University. It featured 10 teams from the NAIA's East Region and was one of four held by the NAIA on Saturday as a final chance at qualifying for the NAIA National Championships, which are slated to be held March 4-6 in Oklahoma City, Okla. Notre Dame came into Saturday looking to use the event as a tune-up for the national meet, as 15 Falcons had already qualified; NDC can take a maximum of 12 grapplers to Oklahoma City.

The Falcons' five champions in Tennessee were #Adam Koballa# at 141, #Jeff Pelton# at 149, #Thomas Straughn# at 157, #Cody Butzer# at 174 and #Orlando Scales# in the heavyweight division. Koballa, the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 141, earned his title with a 3-2 win over the NAIA's No. 1, Michael Davis of Cumberland University. Koballa, last year's NAIA champ at 141, went 3-0 on the day to run his season record to 27-2. He has won 19 bouts in a row.

Pelton's title at 149 included a 3-1 victory over teammate #Ashtin Primus# in the semifinals. Pelton then pinned sixth-ranked Ryan Jahn (McKendree-Ill.) to win the division. The Bellevue, Ohio, native is now 19-0 on the season. Joining Pelton in the ranks of undefeated NDC grapplers are Cody Butzer and Derek Foore.

Butzer ran his season record to 11-0 with four victories on Saturday, one of which came against McKendree's Josh Bryant who is ranked fifth at 174. Foore's two wins run his record this season to 22-0. He is the NAIA's top-ranked athlete at 197.

Foore was one of 11 placers for Notre Dame on Saturday. He finished second at 197. #Dante Rini# was second at 125 with #Tyler Savage# placing fourth, Primus was third at 149, #Kevin Hardy# placed third at 165 and #Alex Denman# did likewise at 184.

Notre Dame will now be idle until the National Championships in two weeks.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

TITLETOWN: With their win Saturday, Notre Dame has now won four team titles in 2009-10. The Falcons won the National Catholic Invitational in November, the RIT Tournament in December and the NAIA National Duals in January. The Blue & White also dominated two open events, winning a combined 12 weight classes at events hosted by Ashland and Cleveland State. … Notre Dame, then the No. 7 team in the nation, placed second at last year's East-Region tournament. 

TWELVE SET FOR NATIONAL STAGE: Sans any medical or special waivers, athletes were required to compete Saturday in Tennessee in order to be eligible for a seed at the upcoming NAIA National Championships. So, Saturday's 12-man Falcon contingent will likely be the group that heads to Oklahoma City the first weekend in March. NDC's team on Saturday: Dante Rini and #Tyler Savage# at 125, Adam Koballa at 141, Jeffrey Pelton and Ashtin Primus at 149, Thomas Straughn at 157, Kevin Hardy at 165, #John Bittenger# and Cody Butzer at 174, Alex Denman at 184, Derek Foore at 197, and Orlando Scales at 285.