Takedown Report

Lake Mills three-time state qualifier Burling signs to wrestle at Division 1 Gardner-Webb University

LAKE MILLS — Owen Burling absolutely loves wrestling, the sport he started in first grade that is now at the forefront of his life.
Burling, a polished 190-pound standout from Lake Mills High School, signed to wrestle recently at Gardner-Webb University, an NCAA Division 1 school in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. “This is super exciting,” Burling said. “I trust the Gardner-Webb coaches. I know assistant coach Keaton Kluever, (who has Wisconsin ties and has been a coach for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation since 2020). One of my former teammates and practice partners, Isaiah Guerrero, is a freshman at Gardner-Webb too.”
Burling is the L-Cats’ first Division 1 wrestler since 1989, when Dan Flood went to the University of Wisconsin (where he was an All-American in 1992 after a seventh place NCAA finish). Tim Braund has been Burling’s high school coach the past four seasons, but their relationship far predates that. “Owen is an incredible young man,” Braund said. “He’s incredibly smart and incredibly is already a three-time first team Academic Wrestling All-State winner, soon to be four-time.
“Owen started wrestling in first grade, the same year my son Aric started wrestling as a kindergartener. It’s been an incredible journey over the last 12 years. Owen is a first-generation wrestler in his family. “His dad Nick knew nothing about wrestling when Owen first started but could see the desire that his son had for the sport and did everything he could to help fuel that desire, which led to me and Nick … more at … https://www.wdtimes.com/sports/local_sports/lake-mills-three-time-state-qualifier-burling-signs-to-wrestle-at-division-1-gardner-webb/article_704a23be-3a88-445e-8da5-8bc5d694418a.html

January 12, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized