Takedown Report

Other National Championships

TDR Editor’s Notes; Yes, these articles are news from over a week ago but these champions also deserve recognition along with the more widely publicized Division I National Champions.
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VIKINGS CAPTURE 11TH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Wichita, KS – No. 1 Grand View wrestling claims their 11th NAIA National Championship team title in program history. Along with the team title, Grand View had three individual national champions that were crowned at 141, 197, and 285. 

The phenomenal run by 141-pounder Shea Ruffridge (SR/Pocahontas, IA ) will go down in Grand View Wrestling history. The underdog all year would hold a 6th-ranked position, and heading into the last few weeks of the season Ruffridge would land at No. 4. After following his tremendous last-second win, Ruffridge proved it to be no fluke, and he would win by decision over Life University’s Julian Hernandez, 8-1 to take home his first ever Individual National Championship. 

The Vikings would get their 2nd National Championship from the 197-pounder Owen Braungardt. Braungardt went on an absolute tear during his National Championship tenture – Braungardt started the majority of his season sidelined by an injury. During his final match, Braungardt won by a decision, 6-1 to be crowned a National Champion. 

The final cherry on top for the Vikings would be the final match of the evening between former DI wrestlers Greg Hagan, and Austin Harris of Life University. Hagan wouldn’t waste any time and he would get a pin in the first period to end a whirlwind of a National Tournament for the Vikings.  Grand View amassed a record of 52-13 through the entirety of the tournament. … rest of story at GVvikings.com/article/8027=Wrestling+News

Men’s Wrestling Records Program High Three Champions on Way to Second Place Finish at Nationals
WICHITA, Kan.— The weekend saw multiple program bests for the Life University men’s wrestling program at the NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championships, the team placing six guys in championship bouts with three of them earning the highest honors as the Running Eagles recorded a second place finish in Hartman Arena.

Despite being down two wrestlers, Life U amassed 157.5 team points, creating nearly 70 points of separation with the third placed team Southeastern, 90 points, but came up short of champions Grand View who won their 11th title in 12 years with 206 points. 

Brandon Orum made his way to the 125 lbs title match for the third straight year, pulling off his second championship. The redshirt senior was the second highest scorer for the team with 23.0 points. His first day saw a pair of victories that came in the bonus, starting the day with a first period pin and ending the day in the quarterfinals with a 10-1 major decision over the 7-seed. Orum’s ability to force his opponent into his own pace could not have been more clear on the second day, earning a 1-0 decision victory over the 14-seed in the semis to secure a spot in the title bout. In his final match Saturday night, a late escape and riding time secured the Camden County native his second title in a 5-4 decision.

The second title of the night came from Brevin Balmeceda at 149 lbs. … rest of story at Liferunningeagles.com/news/2023/3/5/mens-wrestling-records-program-high-three-champions-on-way-to-second-place-finish-at-nationals

2023 NJCAA Wrestling Championships

Western Wyoming claims first National Championship

Council Bluffs, IA – Western Wyoming claimed its first NJCAA Wrestling Championship title Saturday in Council Bluffs. The Mustangs finished with a team score of 134 . Darion Johnson was the lone Western Wyoming wrestler to wrestle for an individual national title but fell Northwest Kansas Tech’s Jameel Coles in the 184 weight class. … rest of story at NJCAA.org/sports/wrest/2022-23/national_championship/championship_recap

INDIAN HILLS WINS FIRST NJCAA WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL, AHEAD OF RUNNER-UP UMPQUA

NJCAA WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL
At Council Bluffs, Iowa, March 3-4

101
1st Dutchess King (Indian Hills) VSU Nicole Montojo (Iowa Western), 10-0 4:11
3rd Chiara Barbieri (Niacc) VSU1 Chelsey Mendoza (Northwest Kansas Tech), 14-3 3:44
5th Mailien Tran (Southwestern Oregon) VFO Tenley Jones (Carl Albert State), 0-0

109
1st Lexi Miller (Carl Albert State) VPO1 Ryasia Mcdougle (Northwest Kansas Tech), 14-7
3rd Malachite Chunn (Indian Hills) VPO1 Dianna Pineda (Iowa Central), 9-9
5th Leila Sidhu (Umpqua) VSU1 Tatiana Hernandez (Niacc), 11-1 4:04

116
1st Shammilka Miranda Diaz (Indian Hills) VSU1 Flavia Nagatani (Iowa Western), 14-4 4:24
3rd Kailyn Younger (Iowa Central) VSU Lorelei Wydra (Iowa Western), 10-0 5:23
5th Javanica Mickens (Indian Hills) VFA Kendall Martin (Southwestern Oregon), 0-0 3:00 … rest of story at Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/March/05/NJCAA-Womens-Invitational

NORTH CENTRAL WOMEN CLAIM FIRST NCWWC NATIONAL TEAM TITLE; SHILSON AND KIMBER BECOME FOUR-TIME CHAMPIONS
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Led by three individual champions and 15 All-Americans, North Central, a Div. III school in Illinois, won its first National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships with an amazing team effort at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse.

North Central, ranked No. 2 coming in, scored 198 points, ahead of No. 1 King with 163 points. Rounding out the top five were McKendree with 147.5, Colorado Mesa with 108 and Augsburg with 87.5.

North Central becomes only the second school to ever win this event, which features only NCAA varsity programs. McKendree was the team champion for the first three years of the competition.

Two stars from McKendree became the first four-time NCWWC champions, Emily Shilson (109) and Sydnee Kimber (191).

No. 1 seed Shilson, who won her first three NCWWC titles for Augsburg before transferring this semester, fell behind early in her match against No. 2 Sage Mortimer of King, after Mortimer tossed her for four points in the first period. Shilson battled back to close the gap, and when the athletes got into a seatbelt position, Shilson threw Mortimer to her back to secure a fall at 3:46. … rest of story at … rest of story at Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/March/04/NCWWC

March 29, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized