Takedown Report

NCAA Division II News (2021) – # 6

TDR Editor’s Notes ; The Division II teams demonstated their flexibility in scheduling as the number of duals were greatly reduced and the championships were moved to another city at short notice. The following stories share the awards and achievements of the wrestlers, the teams and the sport. Keep on Wrestling!
E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – Maryville head coach Mike Denney – OTM630
Maryville head wrestling coach Mike Denney reflects on the UNO series on Trackwrestling and the 10-year anniversary of the program being dropped after winning a third straight NCAA Division II championship. Denney shares some stories about the process before, during and after.Join Kyle Klingman and Andy Hamilton as they talk about the world of wrestling on the flagship podcast of Trackwrestling.com. 
Show Segments
0:35 – Andy is the Maverick. Let’s talk UNO. 
2:30 – The steps of why leadership failed at UNO.
4:30 – The school changed the locks before they even got home.
6:30 – Trev Alberts couldn’t even deliver the bad news face-to-face. … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/trackwrestling/on-the-mat/maryville-head-coach-mike-denney-otm630/?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – St. Cloud State to celebrate national championship performances
ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University athletics department will honor its national champion wrestling team along with the winter sport All-Americans in a short celebration on Tuesday, March 30.
The Championship Celebration will take place at 1 p.m. at the Husky Plaza outside the Atwood Mall on St. Cloud State’s campus. Fans are allowed to attend and are asked to follow social distancing guidelines throughout the event. Refreshments, including lemonade and cookies, will be available.
The celebration will recognize the Huskies wrestling team, which won their third consecutive national championship on March 20, 2021. Additionally, student-athletes who received All-America honors during the winter sports NCAA Championships will be recognized at the event, … rest of story at https://theguillotine.com/2021/03/st-cloud-state-to-celebrate-national-championship-performances/?mc_cid=1bb3332bd3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Wimer Named G-MAC Wrestler of the Year
Senior James Wimer was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Wrestler of the Year for the 2020-21 campaign. Wimer went 14-0 on the year and won a NCAA Division II national championship in the 157-pound weight class after winning a regional title earlier in the year. He also won a league title and was voted the G-MAC Wrestler of the Meet. “James did a really good job of buckling down and we put a little pressure on him to see how he would respond,” said Nelson. “We just said that we needed to approach this year as if it was not going to affect us. We had to really refine things and get back to our philosophy of what we have available time wise.”  
Wimer was an NCAA Championship semifinalist in 2019 and rolled the dice by sitting out the 2019-20 season. That move paid dividends as Wimer was able to start his master’s of education programming and will be returning next season to defend his national title. … rest of story at https://findlay.prestosports.com/sports/wrest/2020-21/releases/20210322mj190g?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Wimer Earns Region 3 Wrestler of the Year Honor
Senior James Wimer was named the NCAA Division II Super Region 3 Wrestler of the Year on March 29 for his performance during the 2020-21 campaign. Wimer went 14-0 on the year and won a NCAA Division II national championship in the 157-pound weight class after winning a regional title earlier in the year. He also won a league title and was voted … rest of story at https://findlay.prestosports.com/sports/wrest/2020-21/releases/20210329hrwrdd?mc_cid=a2abe03ca2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – De La Cerda named RMAC Wrestler of the Year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference released their all-conference teams for wrestling this morning (Mar. 24). Adams State had four wrestlers named to the team including the conference’s top honor.
Isaiah De La Cerda was honored and he was joined by Jonathan Andreatta, Noah Hermosillo and Manuelito Casias.  
“They have all put in time offseason and in the classroom and it is good to see their hard work pay off,” said Grizzly Head Wrestling Coach Jason Ramstetter after hearing of the awards.  
Adams State redshirt junior Isaiah De La Cerda was named the RMAC Wrestler of the Year after he earned All-American honors at last week’s NCAA Division II Championships. De La Cerda finished in seventh place in the tournament. In addition, De La Cerda was the 125-pound Super Region Champion. De La Cerda finished the 2020-21 season with an 9-3 overall record with two technical falls and two falls. … rest of story at https://asugrizzlies.com/news/2021/3/24/wrestling-wres-de-la-cerda-named-rmac-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=3727c6a762&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Gray Earns Top MIAA Honor
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 25) – Central Oklahoma 184-pounder Heath Gray has been named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Wrestler of the Year and was joined on the first-team All-MIAA squad by four teammates, the league office announced Thursday.  
Also making the first-team unit were fellow All-Americans Paxton Rosen (125), Tanner Cole (133), Ty Lucas (157) and Dalton Abney (197). Nate Keim (141), Gabe Johnson (149) and Wyatt Jordan (174) were second-team picks.  
The Bronchos finished 5-0 in duals in 2021, though they weren’t able to complete their MIAA schedule for health and safety reasons. UCO also won the Super Regional IV team title and came in sixth at the NCAA Division II Championships.  
It’s the second straight season for Gray to win the top MIAA award and he was also named the league’s Most Dominant Wrestler after collecting nine bonus-point wins in finishing 13-0.  
Gray captured the NCAA Division II national championship March 13 in St. Louis, Mo. in becoming a three-time All-American. He has a 78-3 career record in three years with the Bronchos with a 41-match winning streak and is eligible to return in 2021-22 … rest of story at https://bronchosports.com/news/2021/3/25/wrestling-gray-earns-top-miaa-honor.aspx?mc_cid=e6e4e842ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – West Liberty Sweeps MEC Wrestling Honors
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – After rolling to Mountain East Conference and NCAA Regional championships and bringing a team trophy back from the NCAA Division II Nationals, the West Liberty University wrestling team made a clean sweep of the MEC Wresting Awards when they were announced on Thursday.
    Irwin was voted MEC Coach of the Year with 125-pound national champion Cole Laya chosen as the MEC Wrestler of the Year. Ty McGeary, West Liberty’s fast-rising 174-pounder, received MEC Freshman of the Year honors.
    In his second season at the WLU helm, Irwin led the Hilltoppers to one of the best seasons in more than a half-century of wrestling on the hilltop. Irwin’s wrestlers dominated the MEC Tournament, winning six individual titles and earning All-MEC honors in nine of the 10 weight classes in an impressive sprint to the team championship.
    The Black and Gold built on that momentum at the Super Region 3 championships, rolling to the first regional title of West Liberty’s NCAA era behind a trio of regional champions and six national qualifiers. Irwin was voted Super Region 3 Coach of the Year and was once again a finalist for the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year Award.
    With four All-Americans, two national champions and a national runner-up, Irwin’s Hilltoppers also made history at the NCAA D2 Nationals in St. Louis. West Liberty’s fourth-place finish was the school’s best since transitioning from NAIA to NCAA affiliation during the mid-1990s. Back-to-back individual national championships from Laya and 133-pounder Tyler Warner – Nos. 9 and 10 in school history – marked the first time WLU had multiple national champions in the same year. … rest of story at https://hilltoppersports.com/news/2021/3/25/west-liberty-sweeps-mec-wrestling-honors.aspx?mc_cid=e6e4e842ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Vasbinder, Peterson Receive NWCA Regional 4 Postseason Honors
McKendree University’s senior Ryan Vasbinder and sophomore Cory Peterson received postseason honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) in Region 4. Vasbinder was named Wrestler of the year, while Peterson was named Rookie of the year.
No.1 Ryan Vasbinder concluded the 2020-21 season with his first NCAA Division II National Championship title. In addition to his 12-0 overall record, Vasbinder was crowned NCAA Division II Super Region 4 Champion, named Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Wrestler of the year, made First Team All-GLVC, and All-American status. Cory Peterson concluded the 2020-21 season with a third place finish in the NCAA Division II National Championship. In addition … rest of story at https://mckbearcats.com/news/2021/3/29/mens-wrestling-vasbinder-peterson-receive-nwca-regional-4-postseason-honors.aspx?mc_cid=a2abe03ca2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Isiah Royal Named Super Region II Wrestler of the Year
Third straight year that Royal has won this honor
NEWBERRY, S.C. — Newberry wrestling senior Isiah Royal has been named Super Region II Wrestler of the Year for the third straight season. The announcement was made Monday afternoon by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Voting for the award was conducted by coaches in the region.
Royal won the national championship at 141 pounds this season, earning a 7-6 decision in the national championship match against Joey Bianchini of St. Cloud State. Royal finished the season with a 13-1 record, with a perfect 5-0 record in South Atlantic Conference Carolinas action. He picked up four wins via fall this season, including a 47-second fall Feb. 27 in the first round of the Super Region II tournament. … rest of story at https://newberrywolves.com/news/2021/3/30/wrestling-isiah-royal-named-super-region-ii-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – From one win to national runnerup, former Pueblo West wrestler Weston Hunt has been molded by the sport
When Weston Hunt first stepped into the halls of Pueblo West High School, he had no idea he would find passion in a sport that he had yet to consider. Then, with the help of coach Ryan Schumann, Hunt joined the school’s wrestling team his freshman year. “I was playing football and Ryan Schumann, convinced me,” Hunt said. “I never would have done it if he pretty much didn’t tell me to do it.”
Hunt not only found a passion for the sport, but success too as he was the 2017 state Class 4A state champion in the 220-pound bracket following a finish as runner-up at 182 pounds in 2016. That success wasn’t without trial as Hunt only won one of his 20 matches in his … rest of story at https://www.chieftain.com/story/sports/2021/03/30/pueblo-wests-weston-hunt-wrestles-colorado-school-mines-national-championships/7052716002/?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Martin Named Super Region 1 Wrestler of the Year
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Lukas Martin, the 2021 NCAA Division II National Champion at 149 pounds, has been named the Super Region 1 Wrestler of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).  
Martin made history earlier this month by becoming the first NCAA National Champion and All-American in program history. Martin finished the season with a 14-0 record and went 4-0 at the NCAA Division II National Championships in St. Louis to bring home the national title. He won the national title bout with a 12-5 decision over Garrett Aldrich of St. Cloud State. During his four bouts in St. Louis, Martin won three by decision and one by major decision. 
As a result of his 4-0 performance while in St. Louis, Martin was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship event. The NWCA Regional Wrestler of the Year awards are voted on by coaches … rest of story at https://fightingfalcons.com/news/2021/3/31/wrestling-martin-named-super-region-1-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=8b7957ea1f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – NWCA Releases 2021 Division II Scholar All-America Awards
Manheim, PA – For the fourth straight year, the Maryville Saints posted the highest team GPA in NCAA Division II, taking top honors in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II Scholar All-America ranking for the 2020-21 year, released Monday.
LINK: Top 20 Scholar All-American Teams
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
The Saints posted a GPA of 3.650, just the second GPA of higher than 3.6 ever posted in the history of the Scholar All-America program. Maryville’s 3.650 is second to only their team GPA of 3.695 a season ago. Emmanuel College is this year’s team runner up with a 3.416, … rest of story at https://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-releases-2021-scholar-all-america-awards/?mc_cid=3018ac16e0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – NWCA ANNOUNCES 2021 DIVISION II WRESTLER AWARDS
Manheim, PA – On Monday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the winners of both the Division II Wrestler of the Year and Rookie Wrestler of the Year awards. “It is an honor on behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors to recognize these two wonderful student-athletes.  Under difficult conditions as a result of COVID-19, these young men demonstrated a tremendous amount of grit and not only persevered but excelled” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director.
The NWCA is proud to announce the NWCA Division II Wrestler of the Year is Kameron Teacher from St. Cloud State University. Teacher, a Redshirt Senior from Grove City, Ohio, who competes at 285 pounds, completed his season with a perfect 13-0 record and was named one of six NWCA Division II Super Regional Wrestlers of the Year. Teacher’s impressive 2021 season was highlighted by  … rest of story at https://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-announces-2021-division-ii-wrestler-awards/?mc_cid=a167ed32cf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 21, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized