Williamsport, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford wrestler D.J. Slovick was the only Panther back in action on day two of the NCAA Regional Qualifying meet on Sunday, as he looked to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship Tournament. Slovick fell shy of the 3rd and final qualifying spot, finishing in 5th place.

Slovick entered the day in the 174 lb. consolation bracket, needing three straight wins to qualify for nationals. On day 1, he won three matches, and lost in a 4-1 sudden victory decision.

He began his day with another tight bout, advancing to the consolation semi-final with a 3-1 decision victory. He jumped into the lead with a takedown after 1 minute of action, and then was able to limit his opponent to just 1 riding time point to win the match. 

In the semis, Slovick scored a takedown first, but ultimately fell by a 15-7 decision. Trailing 10-3 in the 2nd, Slovick was able to earn 2 points on a reversal, but could not turn it into a nearfall or pin and lost advantage 15 seconds later. He escaped twice in the third, but could not get a takedown to cut into the lead.

In his final placement match, Slovick secured his spot in 5th, winning by an 11-7 decision. He jumped ahead quickly, taking a 6-1 lead after the first period, registering a pair of takedowns. He picked up another in the second and then secured the victory with two escapes in the 3rd.

This marks the 2nd time Slovick has reached a podium position in his career, as he took 6th in the 165 lb. weight class last year. It is also the best qualifying finish for a Pitt-Bradford wrestler in the program's history. Slovick's podium position last season tied him with Sam Colebert, who also finished sixth in 2018-19. Mitchell Dowd is the final Panther to place at regionals, as he took 8th in 2019-20.

As a team, the Panthers tallied 20.5 points, the 16th best total at the event.