Takedown Report

NWCA Announces Jim Koch Division II Hall of Fame 2023 Class

MANHEIM, PA – Seven former NCAA Divisions II standouts will earn induction as a part of the 2023 class of the Jim Koch Division II Hall of Fame, announced by the NWCA Division II Coaches Friday.

The 2023 class includes a world silver medalist, a total of 13 NCAA Division II National Championships, a Division II Wrestler of the Year, a Most Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA Division II National Championships, and 25 total NCAA All-American finishes at the Division II and Division I levels.

Arsenia Barksdale of Adams State is the first inductee. Barksdale was a four-time NCAA Division II All-American, winning a national title at 125 for the Grizzlies as a junior in 2009. He finished third as both a freshman and a senior, and was fourth his sophomore year in 2008. He was also a three-time NCAA Division II Regional champion, and was also the Region Freshman of the Year in 2006. Since graduating from Adams State, Barksdale has coached at both the high school and college level. He coached 5 All-Americans, 2 national runners-up, and 1 national champion while assisting at his alma mater, and also helped coach 11 All-Americans and 3 national champions as an assistant at Northwest Kansas Junior College.

Two-time NCAA Division II National Champion Thad Benton of Pitt-Johnstown is the next inductee. The Mountain Cat was a three-time All-American in total, winning the national title at 141 in both 2005 and 2006 after taking fifth at 133 in 2003. He was a two-time NCAA Division II East Region champion, earned the most pins in shortest time at the 2003 NCAA Division II Championships, and was named WrestlingReport.com’s Pennsylvania Collegiate Wrestler of the Year in 2005. His 121 career wins still ranks 15^th-best in a UPJ career, while his .842 winning percentage is goof for eighth all-time at UPJ. Benton was the eighth wrestler to win a National Championship for Pitt.-Johnstown, and was just the third to win multiple national titles.

Jason Bingaman of Lake Superior State is the next inductee. A two-time NCAA Division II National Champion and four-time All-American, Bingaman won his first title at 285 as a sophomore in 1992 and followed it with another in 1993. He was national runner-up as a senior, and also placed 6^th as a freshman, earning him honors as the top collegiate freshman heavyweight by Amateur Wrestling News in 1991. The 1994 Regional Wrestler of the Year, Bingaman is the LSSU career leader in pins with 51, and posted a career record of 129-33-3. He was also a silver medalist in Greco Roman at the 1991 Espoir World Championships and the 1993 University Nationals and Olympic Sports Festival and was inducted into the Lake Superior State Hall of Fame in 2005.

Trevor Franklin of Upper Iowa is the next honoree. Franklin was a four-time NCAA Division II National Qualifier, winning a pair of National Championships. He was the 125 champion in 2011 and the 133 champion in 2012, earning honors as the NWCA Division II Wrestler of the Year in 2012 with his title capping a perfect 28-0 season. … rest of story and inductees at NWCAonline.com/nwca-announces-jim-koch-division-ii-hall-of-fame-2023-class

February 14, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized