ERIE, Pa. -- Mercyhurst College will honor its first individual national champion on Saturday, April 4th when sophomore wrestler Josh Shields throws the ceremonial first pitch of the Mercyhurst-Lake Erie baseball doubleheader.  

Mercyhurst College invites all students, faculty and staff to join the Lakers at Mercyhurst Field for the pre-game ceremony, which will begin at approximately 12:45 p.m. 

Shields claimed the 165-pound title at the 2009 NCAA II Wrestling National Championships in Houston, Texas, by defeating Nebraska-Omaha's Aaron Denson, 5-0, in the title match as he closed out the season with a 29-3 record and earned his second All-America certificate.

Along with teammates and fellow All-American placewinners Andy Lamancusa and Payne Lint , Shields helped the Lakers to a ninth-place showing out of 35 teams at the national tournament.  A junior, Lamancusa finished third at 157 for his third-straight All-America citation and Lint, a senior, earned his first career honor with an eighth-place finish.