Three of Slippery Rock University's four representatives in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will receive first-round byes.

The tournament runs Thursday through Saturday at the Savvis Center in St. Louis.

The lone Rock wrestler with an opening-round match is junior 157-pounder Brad Cieleski (34-4), who will put his 24-match win streak on the line against Cornell's Scott Roth (26-8).

A two-time PSAC and East Region champion, Cieleski is making his third straight trip to nationals.

Ben Watson (10-23), SRU's freshman 125-pounder, will face either 12th-seeded Efren Ceballos (34-6) of Cal-Bakersfield or Jeff Sato (25-11) of Columbia in his first match.

Rock 149-pound freshman Ben Young (21-16) faces Anton Dietzen (18-7) of Illinois. Rock junior 171-pounder Jason Cardillo will face either Ralph Everett (33-3) of Hofstra or Zach Doll (21-7) of Pittsburgh.

SRU has sent 18 wrestlers to nationals over the past eight years. This year's group matches the 1991 school record of four in one season.

Seneca Valley graduate Jim Harshaw is in his second year as SRU's wrestling coach.

Sophomore sprint specialist Andi Rose earned All-America honors last weekend when she finished third in the women's 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.Rose had a time of 8.80 seconds in the finals. Nikkisha Maynard of Lincoln won the event in 8.67.SRU junior Kristen Jones placed 10th in the women's long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 9 inches.

After opening its season with 15 games in southern states, the women's softball team is scheduled to begin its home schedule at 1 p.m. Saturday against St. Vincent.SRU will host Mercyhurst at 3 p.m. Tuesday before opening PSAC play at home against Clarion at 3 p.m. March 26.The Rock (7-8) has lost seven games against teams currently ranked in the Division II Top 25 by the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association.