LOUISVILLE, KY. - Junior Austin Lamb and freshman Josh Harkless led RIT to victories over No. 8 Coe and No. 17 Averett by recording 2-0 records on the day in the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals, Thursday.

Eighth-seeded RIT (No. 18) started the day with a 33-12 win over Averett and then beat top-seeded Coe by a 27-16 score in the quarterfinal round. 

With the semifinal berth, RIT assured itself of a top-four finish for the first time in school history.

"Getting this tournament on the schedule for our guys was important for us," said RIT wrestling coach Jason Bovenzi.

"You cast your vision when you're recruiting and building a program and this was a group that bought in. When they come out, they compete and they love each other. There's a lot of energy in this environment. We came two years ago and we got a taste. There's no simulation for a national tournament like this. You've got the best in the country banging heads here and you want to use it as a measuring stick. The atmosphere is national tournament-like. Our guys were all-in and focused one match at a time." 

Winners by fall against Coe were seniors Kaidon Winters (157 pounds) and Shane Murphy (141 pounds). Winters took down his opponent in 3:45, while Murphy needed 4:49. Decision winners included sophomore Josh Post (133 pounds), Lamb (165 pounds) and Harkless (197 pounds). Freshman Robert Horan (125 pounds) received a forfeit win.

Winners by fall against Averett were Lamb, sophomore Michael Glynn III (149 pounds) and junior Nathan Parker (184 pounds). Lamb needed just 57 seconds, while Parker earned his fall in 1:55 and Glynn in 4:58. Junior Calik Kennedy (285 pounds) scored a technical fall with a 19-2 win, while decisions came from freshman Lee Rubin (125 pounds), senior Zach Stedeford (174 pounds) and Harkless.

The Tigers resume action Friday at 11 a.m. with a semifinal match against No. 5 Wabash. A semifinal victory would pit RIT against the winner of No. 1 North Central (Ill.) and No. 2 Wisconsin – La Crosse for the NWCA National Duals championship.