Takedown Report

Big 12 Championships

Iowa State Wins First Big 12 Title Since 2009
TULSA, Okla. – Iowa State clinched its first Big 12 title since 2009 Sunday night inside the BOK Center. The Cyclones crowned two champions and finished the weekend with 152.5 team points, the fourth-most in a tournament in league history and the most ever by an ISU team in the Big 12 era.
The team title marked ISU’s 18^th conference championship in program history and snapped Missouri’s two-year winning streak in the tournament. The Cyclones prevailed in a tight team race throughout the entire weekend and bested Oklahoma State’s 141.5 points.
Anthony Echemendia won his first individual Big 12 title courtesy of a 4-2 decision over UNI’s Cael Happel at 141 pounds. He is the fifth Cyclone to win a conference title at 141 pounds and the first since Ian Parker did so in 2020.
Yonger Bastida was victorious in one of the most anticipate matches of the season against Air Force’s Wyatt Henrickson. Bastida hit a crafty counter while Hendrickson was in on a leg for a six-point move which proved to be the difference in a 10-7 decision. Bonus points were key for Iowa State throughout the tournament as the Cyclones registered six falls, six tech falls and seven major decisions for 28 extra points. The Cyclones’ bonus-point tally was the difference in the team race as the Cowboys finished with just 13 bonus points.
Head coach Kevin Dresser was named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second time in his seven-year stint at Iowa State. Three other Cyclones were unsuccessful in their title bids. At 133 pounds, Evan Frost was outmatched against Oklahoma State’s No. 1 Daton Fix. Frost secured a late takedown to cut his deficit to 8-5 but it wasn’t enough to dethrone the four-time defending conference champion … story at … Cyclones.com/Iowa-state-wins-first-big-12-title-since-2009
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Daton Fix Becomes First Five-Time Champion in Big 12 History
Cowboys finish second as a team with the highest runner-up point total in tournament history.
Final Brackets
TULSA, Okla. – Oklahoma State 133-pounder Daton Fix became the first and only wrestler in Big 12 history to claim five individual conference titles Sunday night, defeating second-seeded Evan Frost of Iowa State, 8-5, in front of a hometown crowd at the BOK Center. Already holding the 133-pound titles from 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, Fix took advantage of an extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to add a fifth and final conference championship in 2024.
The top-seeded Fix made it look easy, too. He jumped out to a 7-1 lead with a takedown in each of the first two periods and then cruised to an 8-5 win to move to 17-0 on the year.
He was already just the 10th wrestler in Oklahoma State history to win four conference titles, and now he is the only one to win five. With the addition of the title, OSU now has 121 Big 12 individual championships and 296 conference individual championships in its wrestling history.
As a team, the Cowboys finished in second place with 141.5 points to mark the highest score for a runner-up team in the history of the Big 12 Championships and the seventh-highest total for any team in tournament history. Iowa State claimed the team title with 152.5 points. “By no means did we lose the tournament – Iowa State won it,” coach John Smith said. “We score a lot of points. If you told me we were going to score in the 140’s, I would have told you we won the tournament.” In addition to Fix, three other Cowboys reached Sunday night’s finals, including Troy Spratley at 125 pounds, Jordan Williams at 149 pounds and Dustin Plott at 184 pounds. … story at … OKstate.com/Cowboy-wrestling-daton-fix-becomes-first-five-time-champion-in-big-12-history
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Five Thoughts on the Big 12 Wrestling Championships
On a disappointing night, reassuring afternoon and more.
TULSA — Oklahoma State finished the Big 12 Wrestling Championships in second place with one champion in Daton Fix, who I wrote about here. The Cowboys were in a tight team race with Iowa State until an overall disappointing Sunday night at the BOK Center.
Here are five thoughts on the final day of the Big 12 Wrestling Championship.
1. Worst Way to End
It was an intense team race all weekend and OSU 149-pounder Jordan Williams was in the midst of capping a dramatic turnaround season, but these two storylines had a Game of Thrones-esque ending Sunday night.
After losing his starting job and winning it back this season as a redshirt freshman, Jordan Williams made a run to the finals in his first Big 12 Wrestling Championships. Williams upset top seed Casey Swiderski of Iowa State 8-7 in the semis to get to the finals, but near the end of the match he injured his shoulder. With an obviously injured Williams down 7-0 the next night, West Virginia’s Ty Watters slammed Williams to the mat. That ultimately ended his tournament, as he injury defaulted in the second period of that bout. The injury not only ripped an individual Big 12 championship from Williams, but also ended OSU’s chances at ending its two-year drought without a team title. With Troy Spratley losing OSU’s first finals appearance at 125 and Daton Fix winning at 133, the Cowboys needed both Williams and Dustin Plott to win to have any chance of surpassing Iowa State in the team standings. But the loss clinched the team title for the Cyclones instead. … story at … Pistolsfiringblog.com/Five-thoughts-on-the-big-12-wrestling-championships

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A.C.C. Championship Results

Wolfpack Win Sixth Straight ACC Championship Title
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (theACC.com)– NC State placed eight wrestlers in the finals and claimed seven individual gold medals to run away with the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Championship title for the sixth consecutive year on Sunday, March 10, in front of 3,251 fans in attendance at Carmichael Arena on the campus of the University of North Carolina.
With their sixth consecutive title, the Wolfpack are just the second wrestling program to capture at least six consecutive ACC titles and the first since former conference member Maryland won 20 in a row from 1954 through 1973.
This year’s league wrestling championship is the 21st overall for NC State, the most among current ACC programs, and the seventh overall under head coach Pat Popolizio. NC State finished with 116.0 points, the most by an ACC wrestling champion since Virginia totaled 124 points on its way to the championship in 1974. Virginia Tech placed second with 86.5 points, while host North Carolina took third with 54. Pitt took fourth place with 47.0 points, followed by Virginia (35) and Duke (4). Virginia’s Nick Hamilton was selected as the Championship’s Most Outstanding Wrestler in a vote of the six head coaches and the media in attendance. Hamilton, who entered as the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds, posted a 14-2 major decision win … story at … ACC.com/Wolfpack-win-sixth-straight-acc-championship-title
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N.C. State Wrestling Tallies Its Sixth Consecutive ACC Championship Title
Chapel Hill, N.C. – The NC State wrestling team made history by dominating the 2024 ACC Championships with a new school record of seven individual champions to secure its sixth-straight conference title Sunday evening. 
The Wolfpack finished its conference season perfect with full ownership over both the regular season title and tournament title. The highest team score in the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1994 and new program record of 116 points was carried by pure authority across the 10 weight classes. Seven members of the Pack were were crowned individual champions in addition to second and third place podium spots.  Ed Scott at 157 pounds, Trent Hidlay at 197 pounds, Owen Trephan at heavyweight, Jakob Camacho at 125 pounds, Kai Orine at 133 pounds, Ryan Jack at 141 pounds, and Jackson Arrington at 149 pounds ensured that NC State would be adding another trophy to their case.  
Hidlay was inducted into the four-time ACC Champions club at NC State, making him the sixth member in program history to do so, his older brother Hayden is also a part of this exclusive group. After missing last year due to injury, Camacho secured his third career conference title at 125 pounds. Orine and Trephan picked up their second career trophies after both winning last year as well.   By successfully avenging losses to their opponents from earlier in the season, Jack and Arrington entered the victor squad, each winning their first-ever individual conference crowns. … story at … GOpack.com/Wrestling-tallies-its-sixth-consecutive-acc-championship-title

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Big Ten Championships Results & News

Penn State Wins Big Ten Wrestling Title
Nittany Lions capture second-straight Big Ten crown
FINAL RESULTS
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Penn State won the 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships title on Sunday with a team score of 170.5. The Nittany Lions earned their eighth Big Ten Championship crown overall and second consecutive title. Penn State won five individual titles from Braeden Davis (125), Levi Haines (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Aaron Brooks (197) and Greg Kerkvliet (285).
Michigan finished in second place with 123.5 points, followed by third-place Nebraska with 118 points. Iowa claimed fourth place with 110.5 points and Ohio State rounded out the top five with 89 points.  Penn State’s Aaron Brooks was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships, while teammate Mitchell Mesenbrink received the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor. Cael Sanderson was named Big Ten coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and eighth overall.  Penn State freshman Braeden Davis claimed the Big Ten Championship at 125 pounds, following an 8-1 decision over Minnesota’s Patrick McKee. At 133 pounds, Rutgers’ Dylan Shawver earned his first-ever Championship with a 23-8 tech fall win over Michigan’s Dylan Ragusin. 
At 141 pounds, Jesse Mendez claimed first place with a 4-1 decision over Penn State’s Beau Bartlett. Nebraska’s Ridge Lovett topped Michigan’s Austin Gomez, 5-4, to win the 149-pound title. At 157, Levi Haines earned a 4-1 sudden victory vs. Michigan’s Will Lewan for his second-straight 157-pound title.  Mesenbrink earned the title at 165 in a 13-11 comeback victory over reigning Big Ten Champion Dean Hamiti of Wisconsin. Edmond Ruth of Illinois earned the Big Ten title at 174 pounds.  At 184, Isaiah Salazar of Minnesota earned an 8-1 sudden victory over Penn State’s Bernie Truax, Salazar’s first title of his career. 
Now a four-time Big Ten Champion, Brooks earned a 19-3 tech fall win over Iowa’s Zach Glazier to win the title at 197. The Nittany Lions capped the evening with a win from Greg Kerkvliet at 285 over Ohio State’s Nick Feldman.  The complete list of Big Ten individual awards and All-Big Ten honorees can be found below, while the full results are in the link above. 
BIG TEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS INDIVIDUAL AWARDS  
Wrestler of the Year: Aaron Brooks, Penn State
Freshman of the Year: Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State
Coach of the Year: Cael Sanderson, Penn State
Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships: … story at … https://bigten.org/news/2024/3/10/penn-state-wins-big-ten-wrestling-title.aspx
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Wrestling Roars to 2024 Big Ten Championship
Nittany Lions claim 8th conference crown under Sanderson, crown five champions
COLLEGE PARK, MD.–  The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (12-0, 8-0 B1G) won the 2024 Big Ten Championship, winning the team’s eighth conference crown since the arrival of head coach Cael Sanderson. Five Nittany Lion wrestlers won individual Big Ten titles as well. Penn State won the team race with a school record 170.5 points, far outdistancing second place Michigan’s 123.5.  
Penn State has qualified nine individuals for the 2024 NCAA Championships in Kansas City on March 21-23 with the tenth in the mix or an at-large bid, announced Tuesday by the NCAA selection committee. All rankings listed are InterMat as of Feb. 27, 2024.
This is Penn State’s eighth conference championship, having also won in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2023. Penn State now has 64 Big Ten Champions spread among 35 individuals. Penn State’s five champions ties the school record, also set in 2011. Penn State swept the Big Ten post-season awards as well. Cael Sanderson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the eight time. Mitchell Mesenbrink was named … story at … GOpsusports.com/Penn-state-wrestling-roars-to-2024-big-ten-championship
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Penn State wins 2024 Big Ten wrestling championships
Dominant. That’s the only way to describe the Penn State wrestling team’s performance this weekend at the 2024 Big Ten championships. The Nittany Lions put seven of their ten athletes in the conference finals and won five of those bouts. They outscored second place Michigan by over 40 points and likely qualified all ten wrestlers for the NCAA tournament (pending an at-large bid decision for three-time NCAA Carter Starocci who injury defaulted out). This is a program with historic talent, and that talent was on full display in College Park. 
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Davis kicked things for Penn State off with a strong victory in the 125-pound finals match against McKee in which he scored three back points, a takedown, an escape and a riding time point. Levi Haines, Mitchell Mesenbrink, Aaron Brooks and Greg Kerkvliet followed with titles of their own at 157, 165, 197 and 285 pounds. Nittany Lion All-Americans Beau Bartlett and Aaron Nagao picked up a silver and bronze respectively while true freshman Tyler Kasak secured bronze at 149 pounds. 
FINAL RESULTS: Brackets | Team Score 
Rutgers, Ohio State, Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota … story at … NCAA.com/Penn-state-wins-2024-big-ten-wrestling-championships
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Penn State’s Haines keeps cool under pressure to win second Big Ten title
By Clay Sauertieg For the Gettysburg Times
Biglerville High School product Levi Haines has wrestled in plenty of big matches. From PIAA state finals to Big Ten and NCAA championship finals, Haines has seen it all. So when his 2024 Big Ten wrestling finals match with Michigan’s Will Lewan went to sudden victory overtime on Sunday in Maryland, Haines remained poise en route to a 4-1 victory. “I was just kind of doing my thing,” Haines said of the situation. “Sometimes wrestling matches are closer than we want them to be. But that’s just the way it is sometimes, you’ve got to wrestle your way out of those positions.”
It was the third time Haines and the notoriously stingy Lewan have wrestled in Haines two seasons at Penn State. The first was a 3-1 sudden victory win at the Bryce Jordan Center in 2023. While the second saw Haines take a narrow 2-1 win on a stalling call … story at … Gettysburgtimes.com/sports/article
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Cael Sanderson Discusses Carter Starocci Injury Default Decision
Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson discussed the decision for three-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci to injury default from the Big Ten Championships.
Mar 10, 2024 by David Bray
Penn State three-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci went 0-2 at the 2024 Big Ten Championships after a reported leg injury forced him to injury default from both of his matches. Starocci had apparently hoped to compete at this weekend’s event.
Nittany Lion head coach Cael Sanderson spoke with Nate Cobler of the Centre Daily Times. “He wanted to wrestle the whole tournament and was planning on wrestling the tournament. It is really tough for him. He’s having a hard time about this. He’d wrestle if both of his legs were hurt,” Sanderson said. “He’s just so competitive. He’s pretty upset, but there’s just no reason, when he meets the criteria to get an at-large (bid), to put himself in a position to set himself back.  “He’s not happy, with me, but that’s why he’s Carter Starocci.” Read Cobler’s full Centre Daily Times Article here.
Starocci, along with 197 lbs teammate Aaron Brooks, has the opportunity to become a four-time NCAA champion in two weeks, something only five previous wrestlers haver accomplished. Starocci is also the only wrestler with the opportunity to compete next season for a fifth NCAA title, assuming he wins his fourth in Kansas City. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Cael-sanderson-discusses-carter-starocci-injury-default-decision
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Wolverines Claim Runner-Up Finish at Big Ten Championships Behind Nine Placewinners
By: Leah Howard
» Michigan took second place at the Big Ten Championships with 123.5 points and nine total placewinners, including eight top-four finishers; it was the second-highest Big Ten point total in program history.
» Dylan Ragusin (133 pounds), Austin Gomez (149), Will Lewan (157) and Shane Griffith (174) all dropped their championship matches, including one in overtime and another by one point.
» Nine Wolverines earned automatic qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Site: College Park, Md. (XFINITY Center)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Standing: 2nd Place of 14 Teams (123.5 points) … story at … Mgoblue.com/Wolverines-claim-runner-up-finish-at-big-ten-championships-behind-nine-placewinners

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NAIA Women’s National Championships previews & results

2024 NAIA Women’s National Championship Preview

This weekend will be the 2nd annual NAIA Women’s Freestyle Championships. Here are some previews for each weight.
101 lbs: Top seed – Erin Hikiji, Providence
Erin Hikiji is hoping to cap off a tremendous season with a redemption finals result to end up on top. Standing in her way will be a few tough wrestlers that Hikiji has previously beaten on that side of the bracket with Alyssa Quezaire of Missouri Baptist, whom Hikiji teched at the Warrior Open, and Esther Walker of Midland, whom Hikiji teched at the North Central Open. However, 2-seed Stefana Jalacic of Lourdes will certainly press Hikiji in the finals, if she can make it past a tough Kayla McKinley-Johnson of Menlo. There is also an unseeded but tough Devyn Gomez here who could certainly shake things up.
109 lbs: Top seed – Mia Palumbo, William Penn
Mia Palumbo has already teched the 2-seed Alexsys Jacquez of St. Mary earlier this season, but there are plenty of ways this finals match could shape up. I would keep an eye on Providence’s Paige Morales at the 4 seed and Tehani Soares of Indiana Tech to make things interesting in their respective halves of the bracket. Regardless, I think Palumbo is on her way to an individual championship here as a leader on this William Penn team.
116 lbs: Top seed – Juliana Diaz, Missouri Baptist
Diaz got the win over Avery Ashley of Oklahoma City at conferences to claim the top spot, but I wouldn’t guarantee you’d see the same result if they were to meet up again. … story at … Intermatwrestle.com/NAIA-womens-national-championship-preview
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The Complete NAIA Women’s Championship Preview
The NAIA Women’s Championships begin Friday in Jamestown, North Dakota. Get ready for all the action with our comprehensive preview.
Mar 6, 2024 by Derek Levendusky
The 2024 NAIA Women’s Championships are almost here.  On Friday and Saturday, the top NAIA women’s wrestlers in the country will converge in Jamestown, North Dakota, for the second sanctioned women’s championship. Southern Oregon will look to defend its title while other top-ranked NAIA programs bring their firepower to make a run at the top spots.
Wrestlers to Watch
Providence’s Erin Hikiji (101 pounds) 
Except for a loss to high school U17 world medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis at the Warrior Women’s Open, Providence’s Erin Hikiji went undefeated this year. A returning finalist, she was oh-so-close last season, falling in the finals to teammate Ira Navarro 2-1. She and #2 seed Jelacic haven’t hit in college, but if the final happens, it will be one to watch.
Doane’s Cristelle Rodriguez (123 pounds)
Cristelle Rodriguez took third last year at 130, but the 2019 Cadet World silver medalist has the stuff to win this weight and goes in as the favorite. She went undefeated this season at 18-0, winning every match by pin or technical fall except for her match against #4 seed Sophia Smith, an 8-4 win in a dual against Oklahoma City.
Southern Oregon’s Carolina Moreno (130 pounds)  
Carolina Moreno, one of the anchors of last year’s national championship team, returns as a two-time national champion, seeking her third title to keep her hopes of being a four-timer alive. Life’s #2 seeded Sarah Savidge, a finalist last year at this weight, looks to be her greatest obstacle. Moreno moved up a weight this season, setting up the potential final against Savidge in Jamestown.
William Penn’s Adaugo Nwanchukwu (136 pounds)  
William Penn’s Adaugo Nwachukwu heads to nationals with two titles already under her belt, which she secured while wrestling … story at … Flowrestling.org/NAIA-womens-championship-preview
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Menlo, Life top contenders for NAIA Women’s Nationals title in Jamestown, N.D., March 8-9
Mar. 6, 2024, 4:27 PM (ET) by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
NAIA Women’s preliminary brackets
NAIA Women’s coverage page on FloWrestling
FloWrestling live broadcast
The 2023 season was historic for women’s wrestling within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). It was the first year that women’s wrestling was an official NAIA championship sport. In previous seasons, it was considered a national invitational. The NAIA was the first college organization with an official women’s wrestling championships.
Southern Oregon won the initial NAIA Women’s Nationals in Jamestown, N.D., making history for their coach Gabrielle Weyhrich the first female head coach to lead a women’s college wrestling team to a national team championships. Another NAIA head coach, Ashley Flavin of Life, was the first to lead a women’s college team to a National Duals title.
The 2024 NAIA Women’s Nationals returns to Jamestown, March 8-9. No. 4 Southern Oregon is a contender to repeat as team champions, but the clear top favorites for the team title are No. 1 Menlo and No. 2 Life. The NAIA uses a similar system that Div. I men’s wrestling uses, … story at … Themat.com/Menlo-life-top-contenders-for-naia-women-s-nationals-title-in-jamestown
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Menlo Women’s Wrestling Claim NAIA National Championship with Ten All-Americans Placed
By: Ally Salzwedel
JAMESTOWN, ND. – Menlo Women’s Wrestling completed their season inside Harold Newman Arena on Saturday where 10 Oaks placed at the National Championships to take home 1st place and the Red Banner! Menlo led the tournament with 172 team points which included a National Champion, four 3rd place finishers, a 4th place finisher, a 6th place finisher, and three 7th place finishers. Across the two day tournament, Menlo was able to total up 16 pins and 8 tech falls to earn bonus points and clinch the Championship title before the Championship rounds even began. Tavia Heidelberg-Tilltoson becomes Menlo College’s most star-studded athlete after winning the 191-National Champion to suitably send a farewell to her college Wrestling career. 
 Head Coach Michael Ayala led the Women’s program to their second ever National title in his first year at the helm. After the Championship celebration, Coach Mike said, “today is a special day. I have never taken home a red banner before, I have never been a part of a team to take home a red banner, so this is a first for me. I have a young group so to get it done and bring it back to the Bay, it’s special”. After his first season, Ayala was named Cascade Collegiate Conference, NWCA, and NAIA Coach of the year for his unconditional leadership. What a way to begin a legacy! … story at … Menloathletics.com/Menlo-womens-wrestling-claim-naia-national-championship-with-ten-all-americans
And …       

Heidelberg-Tillitson punctuates NAIA team title for Menlo College, Moreno and Nwachukwu become three-timers, Rodriguez named OW
Mar. 10, 2024, 12:42 AM (ET) by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Entering Saturday evening’s championship session with the team trophy in hand, Menlo College saw Tavia Heidelberg-Tillitson take the top spot at 191 pounds to put an exclamation mark on the Oaks historic run at the 2024 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championships.
The fifth-year heavyweight from Sacramento, Calif., finally broke through for a college national title with a gutsy 4-3 win over No. 2 seed Joanna Hendricks of Waldorf. It is the fifth All-America honor for Heidelberg-Tillitson, who now holds three at the NAIA level with Menlo, plus two NCWWC finals appearances from her time at King University.  
Four Menlo athletes battled back for third place honors— Mayla Mckinley-Johnson at 101 pounds, Alana Vivas at 123 pounds, Shannon Workinger at 155 pounds and Kalila Shrive at 170 pounds. The Oaks tacked on a fourth-place finisher, a sixth-place finisher and three seventh-place finishers to round out the All-America rounds on Saturday morning.
Head coach Michael Ayala helped guide Menlo to its first NAIA national title in his first season at the helm of the program and was named NWCA/NAIA National Coach of the Year. The Oaks outdistanced second place … story at … Themat.com/Heidelberg-tillitson-punctuates-naia-team-title-for-menlo-college-moreno-and-nwachukwu-become-three-timers-rodriguez-named-ow
And …

Moreno wins 3rd NAIA title, Davis tacks on another for SOU
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
SOU ALL-AMERICANS
1ST PLACE |Carolina Moreno (130), Caitlyn Davis (155)
3RD PLACE | Emma Baertlein (109), Bella Amaro (143)
4TH PLACE | Shenita Lawson (170)
5TH PLACE |Lia Ferreira (101)
7TH PLACE |Marissa Kurtz (116)
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Southern Oregon’s Carolina Moreno and Cailtyn Davis left the NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championships the same way they came into them: utterly untouchable. Moreno, a junior at 130 pounds, and Davis, a sophomore at 155, topped off their undefeated seasons with individual titles Saturday at Newman Arena, boosting the Raiders to third place in the final team standings. Moreno was never scored on in her third consecutive championship run and Davis beat up her opponents 38-3 combined, both proving worthy of their No. 1 seeds. SOU went 6-1 in its placing matches, … story at … SOUraiders.com/Moreno-wins-3rd-naia-title-davis-tacks-on-another-for-sou
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Vikings Place 5th at 2nd Annual NAIA National Championship
JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA – The Vikings took the mat for the final time this weekend. The Vikings would see two wrestlers eyeing a spot at the program’s first Individual National Championship title. Grand View University finished the weekend with a fifth place, adding 7 All-Americans and two runner-ups to the record books. 
The Vikings sent two for the first time to the finals. Maya Davis would lose by a TF to her opponent in the finals, resulting in a runner-up placing, bettering her mark from last season. In a rematch from Heart action, Abby McIntyre would drop a heartbreaker in the final seconds against Lekas.
Grand View finished the team race with 106 points, earning them fifth place. They finished their tournament with 7 All-Americans and 7 placers. The top spots in the finishes were Menlo in first with 172 points, Life University with 138, Southern Oregon with 134, and William Penn in fourth with 111.5 points.
TEAM SCORES 

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships

The Complete National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships Preview
Get ready for this weekend’s National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships by checking wrestlers and weights to watch and a look at the team race.
Mar 6, 2024 by Derek Levendusky
The moment wrestling fans have been waiting for is here. For the first time in the history of NCAA women’s wrestling, Iowa will compete at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.  On Friday and Saturday, the best NCAA women will converge upon the Alliant Energy PowerHouse Arena in Cedar Rapids with team trophies and national titles on the line.
North Central not only looks to defend its first national title, the Cardinals look to flip the script on their 21-20 loss in the finals of National Duals against Iowa. Here’s a closer look at this weekend’s competition.
Wrestlers to Watch
McKendree’s Shelby Moore (123 pounds) 
Since the calendar turned to 2024, McKendree freshman Shelby Moore has beaten a collection of high-caliber opponents, including North Central’s Amani Jones, the #2 seed heading into Cedar Rapids. After a remarkable high school career, where she doubled up at Fargo in 2021, the freshman has put herself in a prime spot to win her first college national title.
North Central’s Yele Aycock (136 pounds) 
North Central’s returning national finalist is seeded #1 and is the heavy favorite heading to Nationals. It would be her first title in her third trip to the event. She did not place in 2022 and lost in the finals last year to King’s Ana Luciano.
North Central’s Alara Boyd and Iowa’s Reese Larramendy (143 pounds) 
Upsets happen, but if seeds hold, top-seeded Boyd of McKendree and #2-seeded Larramendy of Iowa are on a collision course to meet in the national finals this weekend. Two-time national champion Emma Bruntil’s return was short-lived, as she lost in the regional final to Larramendy and scratched from the NCWWC. That leaves Iowa’s Ella Schmit … story at … Flowrestling.org/Complete-national-collegiate-womens-wrestling-championships-preview
And …

HAWKEYES CROWN 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AND TAKE HOME THE TEAM TITLE
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The second-ranked University of Iowa women’s wrestling team finished the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Tournament with six champions and 12 All-Americans. The Hawkeyes brought home the team title with 204 total points. At 101, the Hawkeye pair of No. 1 Emilie Gonzalez and No. 2 Sterling Dias faced off in the championship bout. The two fought all the way to the end, keeping it a close matchup the whole six minutes. In the end, Gonzalez came out on top with a 4-0 decision, earning the first national title for the program.
Second-ranked Ava Bayless followed, also keeping a close match against Lock Haven’s No. 4 Kaelani Shufeldt. The redshirt freshman brought home her first title after defeating Shufeldt via decision, 2-, at 109. Hawkeyes met again for an all-Iowa finals match at 116, with No. 3 Brianna Gonzalez facing No. 4 Felicity Taylor. With a tough battle back and forth, Taylor capped off her senior season with the title, defeating Gonzalez via decision, 9-2. At 143, second-ranked Reese Larramendy came out hot in her match against King’s No. 6 Aine Drury, picking up the first pin for Iowa in the finals. After running through the tournament finishing every match with a tech. fall, the redshirt freshman decided to finish her season with a fall in 4:10 over Drury. Defending National Champion, Marlynne Deede captured her second title, and first as a Hawkeye. At 155, the top-ranked senior took the, 9-3, decision over No. 2 Cheyenne Bowman of King. … story at … Hawkeyesports.com/Hawkeyes-crown-6-national-champions-take-home-the-team-title
And …

Welker beats Makoyed in last match, as Iowa edges North Central to win its first NCWWC team title
Mar. 9, 2024, 11:58 PM (ET) by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – In its first national championship as a varsity program, with its top star winning in the final match of the evening, the University of Iowa won its first National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships team title, edging returning champion North Central before a loud and excited local crowd. Trailing by 17 points going into the finals round, Coach Clarissa Chun’s Hawkeyes needed nearly a perfect final round to make up the difference.
Organizers decided to make the 170-pound finals the last match of the finals, where Iowa star Kylie Welker, the No. 1 seed, battled second seeded Yelena Makoyed of North Central, a three-time NCWWC champion and the USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year. As if in a movie script, the team title went down to that last match. The winner would also clinch the team title for their school. Welker got on a roll early, jumping to a 6-0 lead, putting Makoyed in danger of being pinned. In the second period, Welker popped a hip toss for four points and held Makoyed on her back for most of the period. Makoyed battled herself free, but Welker had secured a 10-0 technical fall. A North Central challenge was denied, making the final score 11-0. With the win by Welker, Iowa won the team title with 204 points, … story at … Themat.com/Welker-beats-makoyed-in-last-match-as-iowa-edges-north-central-to-win-its-first-ncwwc-team-title
And …

Iowa Wrestling Clinches Women’s Title During Final Match
Iowa narrowly defeated North Central in the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.
Mar 9, 2024 by Kyle Klingman
It wasn’t easy, but the University of Iowa won the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships during its inaugural year. North Central, a Division III team from Naperville, Illinois, almost beat one of the world’s most legendary college wrestling programs in a team battle for the ages.
The Cardinals had a 17.5-point lead entering the finals, but Iowa had nine finalists compared to North Central’s three, with two matches being Hawkeye vs. Hawkeye. New Jersey City’s Sandy Guerrero secured a “win” for North Central by pinning Iowa’s Jaycee Foeller in the first period.
Then Iowa started to roll. 
101: Emilie Gonzelez defeated teammate Sterling Dias, 4-0. 
109: Ava Bayless won a war of attrition over Kaelani Shufeldt of Lock Haven, 2-1.
116: Spillville, Iowa, native Felicity Taylor bested teammate Brianna Gonzalez, 9-2, to go out on top during her senior campaign.
North Central got one back at 123 when Amani Jones defeated King’s Virginia Foard, but Jones’s teammate, Yele Aycock, lost in the 136-pound finals.
Iowa concluded the tournament with a fall from Resse Larremendy at 143 and a 9-3 decision by returning champion Marlynne Deede at 155.
The thrilling finale was everything that fans had hoped for. It featured Kylie Welker from Iowa and Yelena Makoyed from North Central — the two best college wrestlers in the country representing their respective teams. The final match was the deciding factor for the team championship.
Makoyed was the returning three-time NCWWC champion at 170 pounds who used her COVID year. Welker is a freshman phenom who reached the 2020 Olympic Trials final as a teenager. Both have qualified for the final Olympic Trials in April. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Iowa-wrestling-clinches-womens-title-during-final-match

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Division III dual records 2024 – TDR # 31-65

The following are the dual meet win loss records for all Division III schools for the 2023-2024 season. We may have missed a school or have an incomplete records. If so, please send in the information to martinkfleming@gmail.com
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March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Queens University Announces Athletics Update

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens University of Charlotte announced today that after careful consideration, the university will discontinue the sport of wrestling. This change will take effect immediately.   
“This was an extremely difficult decision,” said Cherie Swarthout, director of athletics. “We care deeply for our student-athletes and staff who are impacted.”   
The decision was made after careful consideration of a variety of factors, including the department’s ongoing review of sustainability and the ability to provide a high-level student-athlete experience. 
“This decision – in no way – reflects a diminished commitment to athletics,” Swarthout said. “In fact, it’s just the opposite. At Queens, we have an extremely strong history of success, and this decision will allow us to better focus our efforts and resources while continuing to evolve as a competitive Division I program,” Swarthout said.  … story at … Queensathletics.com/Queens-university-announces-athletics-update

March 19, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment