Women’s College Wrestling National News
2024 NCWWC National Championship Preview
Brackets are out for the 2024 Nation Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, and it is going to be an exciting one. With the addition of a seemingly unstoppable Iowa team in their inaugural run at the title, plus returning champs North Central also maxing out their lineup, it’s truly anyone’s game. And that is not even factoring in historically top talent from McKendree and King. You won’t want to miss the action this weekend, so here are a few things to keep an eye out for at each weight.
101 lbs: Top seed – Emilie Gonzalez, Iowa
Iowa is claiming the top 2 spots at this weight with Emilie Gonzalez as the 1 seed and Sterling Dias at 2. However, with how volatile these lower weights can be, I would not expect most seeds to hold. Keep an eye out for Avery Kibelbek of King, who receives a bye in her first round and will then likely see Genesis Ramirez of Aurora, whom she beat 8-0 in a dual earlier this year, before meeting up with Gonzalez. On the opposite side of the bracket, look out for Madison Avila to make a run where she’ll likely meet up with Jessica Corredor of King, which was a semifinal match last year that ended with a 9-0 win for Avila after putting Corredor on her back and working for the pin for the last 30 seconds of the match. If brackets do hold, Gonzalez does have the most recent win over Dias from regionals, but it could go either way.
109 lbs: Top seed – Kendra Ryan, North Central
Behind Kendra Ryan, is Ava Bayless of Iowa who has really shown out this season. I would be really curious to see which one could pull off the win if they were to meet in the finals. The two did face off at US Nationals last year with Ryan getting a dominant tech, but I do think Bayless could even the score especially if she has a dominant run in the rest of the tournament. Her first big obstacle should be Jaslynn Gallegos of North Central in the semis, which would be fireworks after the two met up at National Duals with Bayless winning the 5-5 decision on criteria. … story at … Intermatwrestle.com/2024-ncwwc-national-championship-preview
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How a small Illinois college became a women’s wrestling powerhouse
North Central College in Naperville — a small liberal arts school of fewer than 3,000 students — has become one of the premier women’s wrestling programs in the country. And the program only started five years ago.
Last spring, the North Central team took home their first national title. And three Cardinals wrestlers secured individual championships on top of that.
Yelena Makoyed won her third consecutivenational championship in 2023 AND was named the first-ever USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year.
She’s also one of at least six North Central women’s wrestlers who will compete at the Olympic Trialslater this spring with a shot to make it to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this July.
Makoyed andNCC head coach Joe Norton understand the significance of the opportunity. “That’s the pinnacle of our sport,” said Norton. “It’s not the NFL or the NBA or whatever. And you can go to a Division-3 school and qualify for the Olympic trials? There’s not a lot of dudes going D-3 and going to the NFL.” But, just a few years ago, when the program just began, there was no hardware Norton could point to during the recruiting process. No national titles. No Olympics. Just a small, Division-3 school in the Midwest with a good men’s program and without any scholarships to offer.
“We were just selling dreams back then,” he said. Makoyed remembers his pitch very well. “It was like, ‘I love wrestling. I want to coach, I want to start a woman’s program.’ And we kind of just had to have faith that he would follow through,” she said.
To make recruiting more complicated, girl’s wrestling wasn’t an official IHSA sport at the high school level in Illinois until just 3 years ago. So, there weren’t many local programs to pull from.
Makoyed is from California. She didn’t start wrestling until high school. Her school didn’t have enough girls for their own team, so they’d practice with the boys’ team and then compete against other girls in tournaments. “And I honestly liked it like that,” she said. “Because the coaches treated us equally, the same as the guys, and it was really challenging but it made us really strong.”
She says she wasn’t that heavily recruited, since she started so late. She didn’t really know about many programs with women’s teams until she got the call from coach Norton. … story at … Northernpublicradio.org/How-a-small-illinois-college-became-a-womens-wrestling-powerhouse
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Corrie Williams Claims First National Title in Program History
Seven Badgers Named All-Americans at NJCAA National Championship
Corrie Williams of the Snow College women’s wrestling team won the NJCAA National Championship in the 136-pound division over the weekend in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This is the first National Title for the Badgers women’s wrestling program in its brief two-year history.
“I went into the tournament knowing I had the capability of winning it all,” Williams said. “That is what I have been aiming for throughout the entire season. After being named an All-American last season, I didn’t want to settle for that again this year. I knew I could win the National Title, and I had a great support system that helped me reach that goal.”
Williams, a sophomore from Enterprise, Utah, entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the 136-pound division after a strong season that saw her go 12-5 throughout the 2023-24 campaign. After finishing in fourth place at the National Tournament last year as a three seed, Williams claimed the top spot in her division following her performance during the 2023-24 season.
“This is what I set my sights on during the year,” Williams said. “In women’s wrestling, anyone can win on any given day. I realized that if I wanted to be successful and reach my goal, I’d have to keep myself disciplined and do the things that would put me in a good position. I always wanted to work hard and earn everything and make sure nothing was given to me.”
As a No. 1 seed, Williams received a bye in the first round. She made quick work of her first two opponents winning each match via fall. She held a 2-0 lead in her semifinal matchup before her opponent was forced to bow out due to injury. Williams entered the championship bout against No. 2 seeded Malia Kehne of Carl Albert State College. … story at … Snowbadgers.com/Corrie-williams-claims-first-national-title-in-program-history
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Hall of Fame Displays “Women’s Wrestling Memorable Moments” at 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships
STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to announce that “Women’s Wrestling Memorable Moments” will be displayed at the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships on March 8 and 9 at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
This engaging and educational display is dedicated to showcasing the significant milestones and achievements that have shaped the history of women’s wrestling.
Spanning an impressive 10-feet by 10-feet, the vibrant, full-color exhibit is designed to celebrate and acknowledge the rich history and evolution of women’s wrestling. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a timeline of remarkable achievements and pivotal moments that highlight the progress and resilience of female wrestlers throughout the years.
“This exhibit showcases the exponential growth that women’s wrestling has achieved over the last several decades in the United States,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “Featuring pioneering World and Olympic champions and other significant milestones, this display celebrates the profound impact that women’s wrestling has had on our sport, both in our country and worldwide.”
The annual national championships for NCAA women’s wrestling programs, the NCWWC currently includes NCAA programs from the Division I, II and III levels. Athletes must qualify for the NCWWC through six Regional Qualifiers. This will be the fifth year for this national tournament. For more information and tickets visit ncwwc.com.
Women’s wrestling is currently an NCAA Emerging Sport. Earlier … story at … NWCAonline.com/NWCA-hall-of-fame-displays-womens-wrestling-memorable-moments-at-2024-national-collegiate-womens-wrestling-championships
Reevaluating What UNI Wrestling Needs: Women’s Wrestling
By Nic Ryder
As I sit here with a nearly two-year old on my lap trying to type this out, I have a few thoughts on Northern Iowa, including both the University, the athletic department, and the wrestling program. I only bring up the toddler part because if there are typos, I’m going to blame her.
Anyway, let’s talk about the last year for UNI wrestling. It’s been a journey. Last year saw a national runner-up, the program’s first ever three-time Big 12 Champion in Parker Keckeisen. It saw the starting 149 pounder take an Olympic Redshirt in Colin Realbuto to train for Paris this summer. It saw its university and athletic department fail them in the loss of a 100+ year old building, competition facility, and home. It saw the beginnings of a new building start to take shape.
Note: A Big 12 Conference tournament preview is coming, so I won’t get into it too much, other than to say that #1 Parker Keckeisen is rewriting the UNI history books. He is, perhaps, the most dominate wrestler that UNI has ever had in it’s 100 year history. And he’s not done yet.
The Panther Train rumbled into the season with one wheel off the track. I don’t know if it’s steam rolling into the post season now, but under new department leadership, it certainly has all its wheels rolling in the same direction. A new practice facility is on the horizon. It was moved to the University’s larger “Our Tomorrow” campaign because the previous athletic department (and, perhaps, university) leadership failed in its duty to aid its athletic programs. From football, to basketball, to volleyball, to tennis, to track and field. No program was spared.
I’d argue wrestling was hit hardest.
A building on campus that housed the only program to win team national championships (UNI wrestling has three. THREE.) was allowed to decay to the point where it must be torn down. One day fans, student-athletes, coaches, and staff were allowed to work there.
The next day, it’s closed forever.
Let me say it again, the athletic department FAILED its wrestling program. There was no foresight, no innovation, no basic maintenance. The only thing holding it together was Doug Schwab and his staff. So the wrestling program moved forward, if not at a quick pace. Practice facilities were found, equipment moved, and they prepared for their season. A new facility was drawn up, announced to the public, and moved to the larger University’s money-raising effort.
Then old leadership in the athletic department moved on, Bob Bowlsby was brought in, and now things are moving forward at a pace not seen since the early 2000’s. A new basketball and volleyball facility has been announced, under the leadership of the athletic department. They already have a major donor on board and rumors are that it could break ground as early as this summer.
The McLeod Center has seen changes for wrestling already (lights, atmosphere, concessions on the floor) to bring people in. Football added another game to it’s absolutely pathetic home schedule to boost its program. In just two months there are tangible changes to the way the department is being run. Hopefully that continues.
That is the point of this column. Department leadership is back. Things are happening that haven’t happened in years. Money is being raised for all programs. There are still things that need to happen, there will be pain, but that’s what happens when a department is rudderless for years.
Wrestling fans (and probably some internal folks) are upset that the basketball/volleyball facility will get started before the wrestling facility. I don’t blame them. It’s hard to see another program (even at the same university) get priority over another, especially with everything that’s happened. But basketball is a larger-money sport. Their new facility will house three programs. They have been dealing with not having a dedicated practice facility for…well, forever.
Basketball brings in more fans, more interest, and more money. It’s just the way of it. Funds were there before Bowlsby took over, but lack of leadership’s skills kept the money in people’s pockets. Now it’s available and ready to flow. There is foresight. There is innovation. The basics are back. For all sports. Now is the time to reevaluate what wrestling at UNI wants, and what it can contribute back to the athletic department. With Title IX always on a razors edge in Cedar Falls, why wouldn’t now be the time to consider adding women’s wrestling to the department? Considering the financial benefit to the University, considering the visibility that Division I women’s wrestling is about to get (the NCAA will have a women’s wrestling national championship in 2026) with only 4 other Division I wrestling programs, and considering that Iowa is becoming one of the fastest-growing states for high school girls wrestling, it is absolutely a no brainer. Get the men’s and new women’s program in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility. Spend some extra money. Incorporate the history of the past with the potential of the future and set everyone up for success. Continue to build your programs the right way and reap all the benefits that entails. … story at … IAWrestle.com/Reevaluating-what-uni-wrestling-needs-womens-wrestling
Army defeats Air Force, 25-17 to win Armed Forces men’s freestyle title
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – By stringing three straight technical falls late in the dual meet, the U.S. Army defeated the U.S. Air Force, 25-17, to win the men’s freestyle team title at the Armed Forces Championships on Sunday.
After the first five matches, host Air Force led the Army 11-9 in the team standings. Army stars SPC Kamal Bey (79 kg), SPC Ryan Epps (86 kg) and SPC Timothy Young (92 kg) blitzed their Air Force opponents with technical falls to blow the dual meet open.
Bey, a World Team member in Greco-Roman, defeated 2d Lt Vincent Dolce, 14-1. Epps, who did not compete in the first dual of the day to focus on this bout, put away Griffyn Broyles, 11-0. Young then stopped A1C Ronnie Caudill, 10-0.
The Air Force strong start included three victories in the first five bouts. 2d Lt Sidney Flores scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Greco-Roman Olympian SGT Ellis Coleman, 10-0 at 65 kg. SrA Mitch Brown edged PFC William Sullivan, 11-8 at 57 kg. Capt Gerald McGinty scored the only two takedowns to defeat Greco-Roman Olympian SPC Jesse Thielke, 4-0 at 74 kg.
After giving up an injury default at 97 kg, the Army did not clinch the win until the final bout at 125 kg, … story at … Themat.com/Army-defeats-air-force-25-17-to-win-armed-forces-men-s-freestyle-title
Brock Badgers Sweep Team Titles at 2024 Canadian Wrestling Championships
The Brock Badgers swept the men’s and women’s team titles at the 2024 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships, held on Saturday, March 1 in Guelph. The national championship event adopted a one-day format for the 2024 edition, with the University of Guelph serving as host of the U SPORTS Wrestling Championships for the sixth time in school history, and first time since 1999. The Brock Badgers men’s and women’s wrestlers combined to claim 16 medals on the day (8 gold, 6 silver, 2 bronze) en route to securing an 11th national title on the women’s side, and the 22nd national title in program history on the men’s side. For the Brock men, it marked a 9th consecutive U SPORTS title, while the Brock women have now claimed 10 of the last 11 U SPORTS banners.
The University of Alberta finished 2nd in both the men’s and women’s final team standings, while the McMaster men and Saskatchewan women rounded out the podium. In total, 158 student-athletes representing 17 different universities from across the country made their way to the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre for a full day of U SPORTS wrestling action. A pair of McMaster Marauders student-athletes swept the Outstanding Wrestler of the Year awards, with Serena Di Bennedetto (gold, women’s 53kg) and Gregor McNeil (gold, men’s 68kg) earning the national honours. See below for a full list of major award winners, … story at … U-sports-recap-brock-badgers-sweep-team-titles-at-2024-wrestling-championships
NCAA Division III Regional Results & News
Auggies win regional, advance all 10 to nationals
FULL RESULTS | AUGSBURG RESULTS
STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Qualifying individuals in all 10 weight classes to the upcoming national championships, the Augsburg University men’s wrestling team won its 21st straight regional championship, claiming top honors at the NCAA Division III Upper Midwest Regional, held Friday and Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
THE BASICS
TEAM SCORES: Augsburg 1st/19 (216.5)
LOCATION: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, Wis.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• For the fifth time since the 2002-03 season, Augsburg qualified wrestlers in all 10 weight classes to the NCAA Division III National Championships, which will be held March 15-16 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis. Augsburg has had seven or more national tournament qualifiers in 20 of the last 21 seasons. The last three times Augsburg has had 10 national qualifiers, it has won the team national title (2004-05, 2006-07 and 2014-15). Augsburg also had 10 qualifiers in 2002-03, where it finished second nationally. Defending national champion Augsburg entered the weekend ranked No. 2 behind perennial rival Wartburg (Iowa) in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings. Wartburg earned seven national tournament qualifiers in winning the Lower Midwest Regional title, held Thursday and Friday.
• Augsburg won the 19-team Upper Midwest Regional with 216.5 points, ahead of second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse’s 188.5 points. Augsburg has won the team title in its NCAA regional every year since starting regional competition in the 2002-03 season. … story at … Augsburg.edu/2024/3/2/mwr030224
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CHAMPIONS AGAIN! Wrestling Earns Fourth Straight Regional Championship; Five Ducks Headed to Nationals — Three win regional crowns
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (March 2, 2024) – Senior Luke Hoerle joined sophomore Ryan Smith and classmate Stefan Major in winning a regional championship Saturday to lead No. 10/12 Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling to its fourth straight regional championship Saturday at Lycoming College’s Lamade Gymnasium.
Graduate student Akhil Vega and senior Joel Martsinovsky will join the three regional champions in advancing to the NCAA Division III National Championships after posting top-three finishes in their respective weight classes. The top-three finishers in each of the 10 weight classes advance to the national championship.
Hoerle topped the field at 133, while Major and Smith finished first at 174 and 157, respectively. As a team, Stevens amassed 164.5 points to capture the Southeast Regional title, extending the program’s run of consecutive regional crowns. Dating back to the 2019-20 season when the dominant strech began, this season’s 164.5 points represents the squad’s second-highest winning total. The current stretch of consecutive regional titles surrounds the 2020-21 season, where NCAA regional events were not held. Averett totaled 146.5 points to finish second, with Roanoke (145.5), … story at … Stevensducks.com/Champions-again-wrestling-earns-fourth-straight-regional-championship-five-ducks-headed-to-nationals
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No. 6 Men’s Wrestling Qualifies Eight for Nationals, Wins NCAA Central Regional Championship
ADA, Ohio – The No. 6 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace men’s wrestlering team qualified eight wrestlers for the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships as the Ohio Athletic Conference Champion Yellow Jackets won the NCAA Division III Central Regional Championship hosted by Ohio Northern University inside the ONU Sports Center.
BW was the champion for the second straight year with 193 points. The Yellow Jackets have now won the regional championship in four of the last six years and have finished in the top two in eight straight seasons. The top three wrestlers in each weight class earn All-Central Region honors and qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships.
The eight BW qualifiers included four champions, two runner-up wrestlers and two third places finishers.
Senior All-American and No. 5 nationally ranked 125-pounder Jacob Decatur (Akron/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) – Champion
- Bye in first round
- Won by pinfall in 1:03 over Noah Houchins of Otterbein
- Won a 4-1 decision over Nasir Christion of Manchester (Ind.) … story at … BWyellowjackets.com/2023-24/releases/regionals
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TCNJ Wrestling Claims Fourth Straight Mideast Region Title
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The TCNJ wrestling team proved its dominance over the rest of the Mideast Region on Saturday as the Lions hoisted their fourth straight regional title. The Lions had four wrestlers punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships as well as several other place-winners.
Nick Sacco (165) and Mike Conklin (149) earned themselves individual championships while Peter Wersinger (285) and Matthew Griffin (125) finished second and third in their respective weight classes.
Nationally No. 2 ranked Sacco had two methodical decision wins to earn his way to the NCAA Championships. In the semifinal, he beat Ursinus’ Shawn Marchesano by a score of 2-1 and then shut out Elizabethtown’s Brian Schneider in a 2-0 Championship bout. This is the second consecutive individual Region title for Sacco at 165 lbs.
Previously an All-American in 2022, Conklin will get another crack at it in 2024 as he was masterful in his two bouts. After a pin in the semifinal, Conklin was ahead of RIT’s Mike Glynn by a score of 5-0 before Glynn forfeited the region title. … story at … TCNJathletics.com/Wrestling-claims-fourth-straight-mideast-region-title
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Coast Guard wins Division III Northeast Regional
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Coast Guard Academy wrestling team won the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championship Sunday with a score of 193.5, besting 2nd place Johnson & Wales by four points. They had scorers in all 10 weight classes with six finalists and four champions.
The four champions were Chase Randall(133), Nate Fitt(149), Coy Spooner(197), and Carl DiGiorgio(285). Randall went 4-0 in the tournament and defeated Gabriel Leo-Esparolini of JWU by major decision in the finals. Fitt went 5-0 and won his finals matchup by major decision over Zach Soda of New England College. Spooner went 4-0 and won his finals matchup vs Dylan Harr of JWU in dominating fashion. DiGiorgio went 4-0 in the tournament and defeated Reid Garrison of USMMA in the finals by major decision. The other finalists for CGA were Steven Rochard(165) and Joe Chapman(174).
Other scorers for the Bears were Nikko Beato(125) who placed 7th, Owen Woolcott(141) who placed 5th, Noah Caskey(157) who placed 6th, and Kenneth Marra(184) who placed 5th. Each of the 10 Coast Guard wrestlers who competed contributed to the team victory. After the championship, head coach Kevin Bratland was named the Regional Head Coach of the Year. … story at … Coastguardathletics.com/Coast-guard-wins-division-iii-northeast-regional
NCAA Division II Super Regional Results
Super Regional 1 champs: Coreno’s title, 8 national qualifiers highlight Gannon’s team championship
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Nick Coreno’s (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) title at 165 pounds and Gannon’s team championship highlighted a big day for the GU men’s wrestling team at Super Regional 1.
Coreno placed first to lead a group of eight national qualifiers who finished among the Top 3 in the super regional on Saturday at Kutztown’s Keystone Arena. Coreno will make the trip to the NCAA Division II Championships on March 15-16 in Park City, Kan., joined by teammates Jose Diaz (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) (second place at 125 pounds), Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) (third at 133), … story at … Gannonsports.com/Super-regional-1-champs-corenos-title-8-national-qualifiers
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Kings of the South: #2 Wrestling Claims Second Straight Super Regional Title on backs of Nine National Qualifiers
GREENWOOD – The second-ranked Lander Wrestling team showed why they were the top-ranked team in the region all season on Saturday as the Bearcats won their second straight NCAA Super Region II title inside Finis Horne Arena. Lander amassed 160.5 team points aided by nine of ten wrestlers qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championships in two weeks in Wichita, Kansas, as well as six wrestlers winning regional titles at their weight classes. The nine wrestlers that will wrestle for a national championship on March 15th and 16th are James Joplin (Greensboro, N.C.) (125), Elijah Lusk (Merritt Island, Fla.) (133), Isham Peace (Okatie, S.C.) (141), Zeth Brower (Medford, Ore.) (149), Jack Tangen (Glenview, Ill.) (157), David Hunsberger (Duncan, S.C.) (165), Brandon Matthews (Venetia, PA) (174), Anthony Yacovetti (Bridgeport, Pa.) (184), and Juan Edmond-Holmes (Goose Creek, S.C.) (285). The Bearcats earned 20 bonus point victories out of 27 total victories … story at … Landerbearcats.com/Kings-of-the-south-2-wrestling-claims-second-straight-super-regional-title
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Five AU Wrestlers Earn Nationals Spots, Eagles Win Regional Team Title
Ashland University’s wrestling team has been on some kind of roll over the last five weeks.
It started with winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship for the third time in four years. It continued with six straight dual victories.
And it kept going on Saturday (March 2), as the No. 14-ranked Eagles won the NCAA Division II Region 3 team championship at West Liberty, W.Va. – and saw five grapplers qualify for the 2024 NCAA Division II Championships in the process.
Team-wise, Ashland finished with 128.5 points, topping the 11-team field. The host Hilltoppers were second (125), and Glenville State third (122.5). This is the first time the Eagles have won a regional title since 2018. Individually, five Ashland wrestlers will go to nationals March 15-16 in Wichita, Kan.: … story at … Ashlandeagles.com/5-AU-wrestlers-earn-nationals-spots-eagles-win-regional-team-title
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Central Oklahoma – Regional Champs…Again!
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 2) – Garrett Wells scored a late takedown to secure the 184-pound title in leading a parade of seven individual champions that carried Central Oklahoma to its fourth straight NCAA Division II Super Regional IV Tournament crown Saturday.
The fifth-ranked Wells edged No. 6 Damon Ashworth of Central Missouri 4-1 on a takedown with eight seconds remaining and was joined atop the podium by 141 Dylan Lucas, 149 Dylan Brown, 157 Gabe Johnson, 165 Hunter Jump, 174 Anthony DesVigne and 197 Dalton Abney. It’s the second straight year UCO has crowned seven champions,
The Bronchos also got a runner-up showing from Hvy Shawn Streck in finishing with eight national qualifiers, while 125 Garrett Steidley and 133 Peter Rolle placed fourth to come up just short of the needed third-place finish. Central went 27-5 on the day with 12 bonus-point wins. Top-ranked UCO tallied 160 points to edge No. 5 McKendree by nine points in claiming its 23rd regional title and the fourth in a row. Maryville took third in the 10-team tourney with 93.5 points, one ahead of Central Missouri. The Bronchos go to Wichita, Kan. March 15-16 for the NCAA Division II Championships at Hartman Arena. “I’m really proud of the guys for the way they battled today,” head coach Todd Steidley said. “It was a total team effort and you don’t win championships without contributions from everybody in the room. … story at … Bronchosports.com/Regional-champs-again
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St. Cloud State Wrestling Captures 8th Consecutive Super Region V Championship
No. 5 ranked Huskies produce three champions, qualify eight for NCAA II Championship
Minot, N.D.- No. 5 St. Cloud State Wrestling earned their eighth consecutive NCAA Super Region V Championship while qualifying eight wrestlers- three of which are Super Region Champions- for the upcoming NCAA II Championship in Wichita, Kansas. Head coach Steve Costanzo captured his 11th Super Region Championship during his tenure with the program.
The Huskies got off to a strong start as eight wrestlers advanced to the semifinals including 125-pound Conor Knopick, 141-pound Alyeus Craig, 149-pound Colby Njos, 157-pound Nick Novak, 165-pound Anthony Herrera, 174-pound Cole Glazier, 184-pound Bryce Fitzpatrick, and 197-pound Dominic Murphy. Njos, Novak, Herrera, and Murphy all advanced to the finals in their respective weight classes while Knopick, Craig, Glazier, and Fitzpatrick suffered defeats and had to win two matches to qualify for the NCAA Championship. All four were able to earn victories in the consolation semifinals and … story at … SCSUhuskies.com/STcloud-state-wrestling-captures-8th-consecutive-super-region-v-championship
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UNK Wins Region Title Again, Sending Eight to NCAA’s
Kearney, Neb. – The ninth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team once again dominated NCAA Super Region VI, having eight top three finishers to rack up 143.50 points Saturday in Pueblo, Colo.
The 11-team event was hosted by Colorado State-Pueblo with the top three finishers in each of 10 weight classes advancing to the NCAA Championships March 15-16 in Wichita.
Winning its fifth region title in the last six years, UNK more importantly got most of its lineup to the national meet. Coming in first was fifth-ranked Crew Howard (285 lbs.), sixth-ranked Zach Ourada (125 lbs.), eighth-ranked Nick James (141 lbs.) and 10th-ranked Billy Higgins (184 lbs.). Finishing runner up were fourth-ranked Trenton Munoz (174 lbs.) and 10th-ranked Jackson Kinsella (197 lbs.) with senior John Burger (149 lbs.) and sophomore Kaden Hart (165 lbs.) battling back to finish third. This will be the first NCAA meet for Ourada, Munoz, Kinsella and Howard; Higgins and James are two-time All-Americans with both Hart and Burger being previous national qualifiers.
No. 14 Chadron State (109.5) and Colorado School of Mines (103.5) came in second and third place, respectively, with No. 24 Western Colorado fourth (90.0). … story at … Lopers.com/UNK-wins-region-title-again-sending-eight-to-ncaa
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Chadron State’s Campbell and Leake qualify for NCAA Championships
PUEBLO, Colo. — Quen Campbell was the regional champion at 133 pounds for the second consecutive season and Ethan Leake placed second at 141 pounds, qualifying for the NCAA Championships after competing at the NCAA DII Super Regional VI Tournament in Pueblo, Colorado on Saturday.
As always at regional tournaments, some experience success but many individuals experience heartbreak. Chadron State had its fair share of both sides on Saturday.
Every CSC wrestler who competed found a spot on the podium, leading Chadron State to a second-place finish in the team standings with 109.5 points, setting a new program high at the regional tournament for placing. Nebraska-Kearney was first with 143.5 points.
For the second consecutive year, Quen Campbell went undefeated on way to winning the region championship. Campbell, a senior from Tifton, Georgia, started his day with two tech falls on way to finishing 4-0. … story at … Chadroneagles.com/Campbell-and-leake-qualify-for-ncaa-championships
Terps Set To Host Big Ten Wrestling Championships For First Time In Program History
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland will host the illustrious Big Ten Wrestling Championships for the first time in program history on March 9-10 in the XFINITY Center. Previously, the Terps hosted the ACC Championships 15 times from 1954 to 2014, but this will be the first time hosting the tournament in the nation’s premier wrestling conference.
The Terps are led by a trio of standout redshirt sophomores in Jaxon Smith (197), Braxton Brown (133) and Ethen Miller (149, who are all top-seven seeds and were all NCAA Qualifiers last year. Smith is the second-seed at 197 pounds, the highest seed for a Maryland wrestler at the Big Ten Championships ever. Maryland is also powered by a graduate transfer heavyweight in Seth Nevills who earned the five-seed and will be competing in the Big Ten Championships for the first time since 2020. Kal Miller (141) and Dom Solis (174) are both former NCAA Qualifiers and both slot in as 11-seeds.
Last year in Ann Arbor, Smith finished in third-place at 197-pounds, the highest finish for a Maryland wrestler at Big Tens since 2019. Kal Miller entered the tournament as the 14th-seed but put together a remarkable run on the backside of the bracket to finish ninth and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Ethen Miller place eighth and Braxton Brown ninth. Maryland’s 24 team points were the most in a Big Ten Tournament since 2018.
Action will be feature on Big Ten Network throughout the weekend, but B1G+ will feature coverage of all four mats. Fans can also follow the action by following the program’s official Twitter account @TerpsWrestling. … story at … UMterps.com/Terps-set-to-host-b1g-wrestling-championships-for-first-time-in-program-history
NJCAA National Championships
Hartwell Taylor Becomes First National Champion in Program History
Western Wyoming repeats as NJCAA Men’s national champions, Iowa Central takes second
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Western Wyoming repeated as team champions at the NJCAA Men’s National Championships on Saturday.Western Wyoming had one individual champion, Cody Phelps (133), and finished with seven All-Americans. Phelps was dominant in his finals, scoring a 17-4 major decision over Cesar Avelar of Clackamas. Western Wyoming finished with 161 points, with runner-up Iowa Central at 139.5 points and third-place Pratt with 134.5 points. Clackamas was fourth with 134 points and Iowa Western finished fifth with 123.5 points.
Repeating as national champions were Matt Sarbo of Iowa Central (149) and Aziz Fayzullaev of Northwest (184). Fayzullaev won at 174 pounds last year. Sarbo beat Jaden Two Lance of Carl Albert State, 10-4 in the finals, while Fayzullaev stopped Darion Johnson of Western Wyoming, 7-3 in the finals. … story at … Themat.com/Western-wyoming-repeats-as-njcaa-men-s-national-champions-iowa-central-takes-second
And …
Indian Hills repeats as NJCAA Women’s Invitational champion with two titlists
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Indian Hills CC, led by two champions and 16 All-Americans, repeated as team champions at the NAIA Women’s National Invitational on Saturday.
Claiming national titles for Indian Hills were Genesis Gilmore of Indian Hills (155) and Eliana Bommarito (235). Bommarito repeated as national champion.
In the finals, Gilmore knocked off 2023 nationals champion Ferny Hernandez of Iowa Western by technical fall, 14-4 at 155 pounds. Bommarito pinned Indian Hills teammate Karla Padilla Zepeda in 1:29 in the finals. Indian Hills won the title with 307.5 points, with Iowa Central in second with 237 points and Umpqua in third with 204.5 points.
Repeating as NJCAA individual national champions were Alexis Miller of Carl Albert (109) and Victoriana Kim of Southwestern Oregon (123) … story at … Themat.com/Indian-hills-repeats-as-njcaa-women-s-invitational-champion-with-two-titlists
And …
Herlyn Becomes First SCC National Champ
Fr. Eve Herlyn became the schools first national champion with her win at Nationals over the weekend. Congratulations, Eve! Herlyn is from Kansas City, Missouri, where she wrestled for Park Hill and had 2- second place finishes at the prep level. She broke through with the championship at the next level. “This is a big deal for me. I fell short of a title in high school. To be a national champion and an all american at this level is well earned, and it shows anybody can do it.” Herlyn’s climb to the title was a long one filled with ups and downs. “It’s crazy, four to six months of work went into this. I had two concussions in January.”
Herlyn and the rest of the wrestlers at SCC this year … story at … SCCbobcats.com/Herlyn-becomes-first-scc-national-champ
NAIA Championships
Grand View (Iowa) Claims 12th Team Championship in 13 Years
PARK CITY, Kan. – Grand View (Iowa) claims the programs 12th Battle For The Red Banner as they win the 2024 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championship by 55.5 points. The 67th Annual event concluded Saturday Night inside Hartman Arena and was hosted by Visit Wichita from February 29th – March 2nd.
The Vikings have won the Red Banner in 12 of the last 13 years, which further extends the NAI Record for team titles. Former members Adams State (Colo.) and Central State (Okla.) are tied for second with eight each. In total, Grand View has 39 individual championships, which is now tied for first all-time with former member Simon Fraser (B.C.).
Saturday’s schedule included Session IV which saw the Sixth Round (Consolation Semifinals) and Placement Round (Third, Fifth and Seventh place) wrestled in the morning. After the midday break for the facility to be switched over and the Parade of All-Americans, Session VI saw the Championship Finals competed live on ESPN3. Click HERE to see the full schedule and results page. Click HERE for the final team scores of the 2024 championship. … story at … NAIA.org/sports/mwrest/2023-24/Releases/DayThree
And …
Grand View Clinches Their 12th All-Out Team Title in Program History
WICHITA, KANSAS – The Grand View University wrestling squad under the direction of program starter, Nick Mitchell, clinched the 2024 NAIA Championship in the final session of the 2024 67th Annual NAIA National Championship, in Wichita, Kansas. The Vikings clinched their 12th team title in the last 16 years of being a program. Along with the title, Alex Reynolds (174), Isaiah Luellen (184), and Garavous Kouekabakilaho (197) brought home individual gold in the three-day event in Hartman Arena in Wichita, KS. Grand View recorded a 58-16 tournament record at a 0.7838 winning percentage, nearly 20 more match wins than second place.
174-pounder Alex Reynolds claimed the first National Title of the evening. … story at … GVvikings.com/Grand-view-clinches-their-12th-all-out-team-title-in-program-history
And …
Men’s Wrestling Tabs Two Individual National Champions in Second Place Team Finish
WICHITA, Kan. —- The Life University men’s wrestling team finished the 2024 NAIA National Championships in second place overall with 154 total team points over the three day tournament. Brevin Balmeceda and Zane Lanham each captured individual national titles as seven Running Eagles earned All-American honors. Life U started the weekend as one of three teams to qualify 12 individuals for the championships. Seven Running Eagles were able to capture All-American honors and advance to Saturday. Brandon Orum (125 lbs.), Thaddeus Long (133 lbs.), Brevin Balmeceda (157 lbs.) Steven Villalobos (165 lbs.), Riley Smucker (174 lbs.), Kyle Homet (184 lbs.) and Zane Lanham at 285 lbs each battled their way through the brackets to earn All-American status. … story at … Liferunningeagles.com/Wrestling-tabs-two-individual-national-champions-in-second-place-team-finish
And …
National Champion Jovan Garcia Leads Menlo to Third Place Finish at NAIA National Championship Tournament
By: Ally Salzwedel
PARK CITY, KS. – Menlo Men’s Wrestling completed their 2023-24 season at the NAIA National Championship Tournament inside Hartman Arena on Saturday. After a grueling three-day tournament, 6 Oaks finished in the top 7 of their weight class to earn All-American status, including a National Champion at 133, Jovan Garcia, and a National runner-up at 125, Nicolas Aguilar. Rysan Leong (165) and Kanaipono Tapia (157) each placed 3rd with Maximus Zamora (174) and Antonio Dacosta (285) rounding out the group each taking 7th.
Head Coach Joey Martinez led the Oaks to a 3rd place finish as a team with 95.5 points in his 14th National Championship Tournament appearance at the helm. … story at … Menloathletics.com/National-champion-jovan-garcia-leads-menlo-to-third-place-finish
And …
Doane Men’s Wrestling Places Fifth at Nationals
Men’s Wrestling headed south to Park City, Kansas, to compete in the 2024 NAIA National Championships over a newly formatted event. Instead of the traditional two-day event, the wrestlers competed over three days. The Tigers placed fifth overall, tying the best finish in program history, and collected four NAIA All-American honors.
Kasten Grape placed fourth in the 197 bracket with a 4-2 record. After a bye to open action, he won by major decision, … story at … Doaneathletics.com/2023-24
ICAC Advocates for the Protection and Support of Olympic Sports
February 21, 2024 – The Intercollegiate Coaching Association Coalition (ICAC) has taken a significant step in advocating for the protection and support of Olympic sports within college athletics. In a formal submission to Congress’s Commission on the State of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports, the ICAC underscores the need to safeguard Olympic sports amid discussions surrounding protections for the NCAA.
Congress created the independent Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics to study the United States’s participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This commission is also known as the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020.
Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), highlighted the significance of addressing this issue in congressional discussions: “The ICAC’s letter rightly identifies a critical component of any support Congress mayextend to the NCAA. It suggests that any aid provided to collegiate athletics should be contingent upon the protection of Olympic sports through antitrust exemptions or equivalent measures.”
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, appointed four individuals to the Commission in April 2021, including her pick for co-chair. The appointees include: Co-Chair, Dionne Koller, a professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law; Jordyn Wieber, an American Olympic gold medalist gymnast and head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks; Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, a Track & Field Olympic Gold Medalist who served on the International Olympic Committee’s Active Society Commission; and Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a two-time Olympic swimmer, a civil rights lawyer and professor of sports law.
Rob Kehoe, former Director of College Programs for United Soccer Coaches, … story at … NWCAonline.com/NWCA-icac-advocates-for-the-protection-and-support-of-olympic-sports
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 