Takedown Report

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
And …

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
And …

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
And …

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
And …

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
And …

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
And …

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

NCAA Division II Championships – 2024

Hixenbaugh Completes Historic Season, Wins 133-Pound National Championship
Hixenbaugh’s Win is the First Ever in Program History, and in NCAA Divison II history for all of Montevallo Athletics
PARK CITY, Kan. –  For the first time in the NCAA Division II era, the Falcons are National Champions.
Gabe Hixenbaugh won the 133-pound NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championship, 4-1, over No. 3 and defending National Champion Gavin Quiocho of Glenville State, Saturday, at Hartman Arena.
The win makes Hixenbaugh the first-ever National Champion of any sport in Division II history at Montevallo, doing so in the first year of the wrestling program.
In the championship match, Hixenbaugh weathered the storm early before recording a three-point takedown toward the end of the first period. Quiocho grabbed an escape point for the lone point of the second period as Hixenbaugh led 3-1 with two minutes to go.
In the final period, Hixenbaugh opened with an escape to go up 4-1. For the remaining 1:55, Hixenbaugh displayed exceptional defense while remaining aggressive, resulting in the 4-1 win and the national title.
Hixenbaugh’s historic season comes to an end with a 31-0 record, 14 ranked wins, and the National Championship. Throughout 31 matches, Hixenbaugh was only taken down twice.
The path to the finals for Hixenbaugh saw a tech fall win in the first round, a major decision in the quarterfinals, a buzzer-beating decision win in the semis, and a win by decision in the final. In addition to being the first National Champion in the history of the wrestling program and the entire athletic department, Hixenbaugh is also the first wrestling National Champion in the history of Conference Carolinas.  … story at … Montevallofalcons.com/Hixenbaugh-completes-historic-season-wins-133-pound-national-championship
And …

Josh Kenny Claims Wrestling National Championship At 174 Pounds
Kenny won by pin and tallied three bonus point wins in four matches
The Grand Valley State men’s wrestling program continued to check boxes in the first year of reinstatement. After a 32-year hiatus, the Lakers qualified four wrestlers for the 2024 NCAA DII National Championships, secured an All-American (actually two), claimed an individual National Champion and finished 13^th in the team standings with 31 points. Not a bad first year.
Josh Kenny secured an All-American honor Friday with a quarterfinal win, but that was not the final destination for the sophomore from Grandville, Michigan. Kenny dominated his semifinal match Saturday morning, claiming a 17-2 technical fall win over Brody Hemauer from Wisconsin Parkside. With the win Kenny became the first GVSU wrestler to reach the title match since 1988.
In the finale, Kenny and Central Oklahoma’s  Anthony Des Vigne wrestled to a scoreless first period. Des Vigne took down to start the second period and it proved to be a decision he would regret. After a solid mat return, Kenny dominated with two 4-point near falls, … story at … GVSulakers.com/Josh-kenny-claims-wrestling-national-championship-at-174-pounds
And …

Leija named All-American, writes history in NCAA Wrestling Championships
First Panther to receive All-American honors for DU wrestling
PARK CITY, Kansas – In a emphatic run in a Panther uniform, Manuel Leija set Davenport University wrestling history as the program’s first-ever All-American recipient. Leija competed in the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships between March 15-16 and secured a top-ten finish in eighth overall. Going into the tournament as a top-ranked wrestler for the 125-weight class, Leija showcased grit against top-ranked opponents in his respective bracket. Matched up against who would ultimately be the 125 title champion, Leija faced third-seeded Christian Meija (McKendree) and fell in an 8-1 decision to the national champion. Even so, Leija managed to shake off a less-than-desirable start to the tournament by piecing together a victory over Zach Schupp (Newberry) in an 11-4 decision and followed it up with an 8-5 sudden victory over Dayson Torgerson (Colorado Mesa). … story at … DUpanthers.com/Teija-named-all-american-writes-history-in-ncaa-wrestling-championships
And …

Parks picks up two more wins on Saturday to earn fourth place in Division II
PARK CITY, Kansas – La’Ron Parks won two more matches on Saturday to take fourth place in the country. Entering the NCAA Division II Tournament as an unranked wrestler, he finished the two-day event with a 5-2 record, upsetting three opponents who were ranked in the top-7 in the country. Parks also became an All-American for the first time in his career.
To read about Parks’ performance on Friday, click here.
Getting back on the mat Saturday morning, the Falcons’ heavyweight went up against No. 6 ranked Ryan Herman, from Maryville. Parks won the third round of the consolation bracket in a high scoring 12-5 decision. Herman was the third nationally-ranked wrestler that Parks defeated this weekend, to go along with No. 7 Luke Tweeton and No. 1 Francesco Borsellino.
Parks then moved past Zach Peterson, of Augustana, with a 5-1 decision … story at … Notredamefalcons.com/Parks-picks-up-two-more-wins-on-saturday-to-earn-fourth-place-in-division-ii
And …

Future is Bright as Lopers Finish Third; James Goes Out as National Runner Up
Kearney, Neb. – The fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team finished in third place and fifth-year senior Nick James was the 141-pound national runner up Saturday at the 2024 NCAA Division II Championships in Wichita. 
MIAA-member Central Oklahoma (110.0) defended its national title with Lander (S.C.) University tallying 86.5 points to come in ahead of the Lopers (77.5). This marks UNK’s 22^nd top eight finish at this tournament; that includes 13 top three efforts (four first, six second and three third).
The Lopers had a solid Saturday as they “upset” six-higher seeded opponents. James (Kearney) is UNK’s 22nd National Runner up and was joined as an All-American by Omaha fifth-year senior Billy Higgins (3rd/184 lbs.), Iowa redshirt sophomore Crew Howard (3rd/285 lbs.), … story at … Lopers.com/Future-is-bright-as-lopers-finish-third-james-goes-out-as-national-runner-up
And …

Hunsberger Wins National Title as Lander Takes Second at NCAA Championship
PARK CITY, Kan. – Sophomore, David Hunsberger, became the Lander Wrestling team’s second-ever national champion as he won the 165-pound National Championship and helped the Bearcats to their second consecutive National Runner-Up finish at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships inside Hartman Arena on Saturday. Lander finished with 86.5 points, 23.5 behind Central Oklahoma, who claimed their second consecutive National Title.
Session III:
James Joplin led off the session in the semifinals for the Bearcats against Jaxson Rohman, the national-runner up in 2023. Both wrestlers traded takedowns and escapes to end the first period. In the second period, Joplin secured an escape from bottom but was charged with the first of a series of controversial stalling calls. In the third, as he tried to see out the match he was hit for his second stalling call, tying the match and sending it to sudden victory where Joplin was hit with a third stall call, ending the match and sending him to the consolation bracket. Elijah Lusk was next on the mat and got a takedown in each of the first two periods … story at … Landerbearcats.com/Hunsberger-wins-national-title-as-lander-takes-second-at-ncaa-championship
And …

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS … AGAIN
WICHITA, Kan. – Back-to-back!
Dalton Abney moved into the 197-pound finals for the fourth straight year and was joined by a trio of teammates as top-ranked Central Oklahoma broke away from a tight team battle to wrap up its second consecutive NCAA Division II national championship Saturday afternoon. Gabe Johnson (157), Anthony DesVigne (174) and Shawn Streck (Hvy) will also wrestle in tonight’s 7 p.m. finals at Hartman Area, while 165 Hunter Jump placed third, 149 Dylan Brown fourth and 184 Garrett Wells sixth.  
The Bronchos finished the marathon third session with 102 points in clinching the 17th title in the program’s illustrious history. No. 2 Lander is second headed to the finals with 82.5 points, followed by No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney (76.5), No. 5 McKendree (69) and No. 3 St. Cloud State (64). “We’ve preached consistency in everything we do and it showed up this weekend,” head coach Todd Steidley said. “Every day we strive to get better and improve and I feel like we’ve done that. … story at … Bronchosports.com/National-champions-again
And …

Central Oklahoma Pulls Away To Win Second Straight NCAA D2 Wrestling Title
With seven All-Americans, four finalists and two champions, Central Oklahoma pulled away Saturday en route to its second straight Division II NCAA title.
Central Oklahoma entered the season as the prohibitive favorite in the Division II title chase.  The Bronchos finished the season as the clear front-runner, too.  Central Oklahoma pulled away Saturday to secure its second straight national title and ninth in program history. 
With seven All-Americans, four finalists and two champions, the Bronchos piled up 110 points to finish 23.5 ahead of second-place Lander. Nebraska-Kearney finished third with 77.5 points, followed by McKendree (73) and St. Cloud State (64).  Central Oklahoma entered Saturday with a five-point advantage over Lander, but the Bronchos stretched the lead when they went 4-2 in the semifinals.  Gabe Johnson and Shawn Streck won titles for Central Oklahoma. Johnson knocked off returning champion Nick Novak of St. Cloud State 10-7 in the finals at 157, while Streck scored a 7-4 win in the finals against Lander’s Juan Edmond-Holmes.  Streck was one of seven 2023 champions who reached the finals again Saturday, but only three repeated. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Central-oklahoma-pulls-away-to-win-second-straight-ncaa-d2-wrestling-title
And …

Johnson, Streck win individual titles, help Central Oklahoma to DII National team title
Mar. 17, 2024, 12:24 AM (ET) by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
The 2024 NCAA DII National Championships came to a close on Saturday night, as all ten champions were crowned and the Central Oklahoma Bronchos earned the team trophy.
Central Oklahoma captured its second-straight team title with 110.0 points, followed by Lander in second with 86.5 points, and Nebraska-Kearney in third with 77.5 points. McKendree and St. Cloud State trailed closely behind in fourth and fifth place with 73.0 and 64.0 points respectively.
In the final at 125 pounds, Rohman was all over the legs of Mejia, who received a stall warning with one minute left in the period. The first came to a close with no score, as it was Rohman that got to the legs of Mejia four times in the first few minutes. Rohman started the second on top, but Mejia worked to a quick escape to lead 1-0. The Bearcat was able to get Rohman to the mat for three to take a 4-0 lead. The lead was cut to two after an escape and Mejia was caught for stalling, giving Rohman another point. Mejia worked his way to over a minute of riding time after starting the third period on top, which proved to be the difference maker in the match as Christian Mejia was crowned the National Champion at 125 pounds. History was made at 133 pounds as Gabe Hixenbaugh of Montevallo became not only the first wrestling National Champion, but the first ever National Champion for Montevallo in any sport. Hixenbaugh initiated control after a single leg takedown, closing out the first period on top. Defending national champion Gavin Quiocho earned the one point escape after Hixenbaugh started on top for the second period. In the third, Hixenbaugh added an escape to lead 4-1 and ultimately get the victory. At 141 pounds, Zackary Donathan of Tiffin became a two-time national champion after defeating Nick James of Nebraska-Kearney. … story at … Themat.com/Johnson-streck-win-individual-titles-help-central-oklahoma-to-dii-national-team-title

March 18, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Division II dual records 2024 – TDR # 31-64

The following are the dual meet win loss records for all Division II 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 17, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Division I dual records 2024 – TDR # 31-63

The following are the dual meet win loss records for all Division I 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 16, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Appalachian State claims SoCon Championship

By Rich Caisse, TDR Reporter 9 March 2024
Heading into the championship finals, the 2024 field of contenders was narrowed to a two-horse
race between Campbell and App State. Boasting national rankings, both programs advanced six
grapplers into the finals. After the dust settled, it was #24 Appalachian State that came out ahead –
winning an impressive 5 of 6 finals matches – Ethan Oakley (133), Cody Bond (149), Tommy Askey
(157), Will Miller (165), and true freshman Tomas Brooker (184).
Ranked and regular season champions, Campbell, claimed 3 titles – Austin Murphy (174), Levi Hopkins (197), and Taye Ghadiali at (HWT). The Fighting Camels had two runner-up finishers in
Domenic Zaccone (133) and Dom Baker (165) who earned NCAA qualification berths, as there were
multiple allocations in their respective weight classes.
3rd Place Chattanooga was the only other school with a SoCon champion. The Mocs advanced 3
wrestlers to the finals and claimed individual championships in Brayden Palmer (125) and Isaiah
Powe (141). 5th Place The Citadel and 7 th place Virginia Military Institute (VMI) were the only other schools securing automatic bids. VMI’s Dyson Dunham finished 3rd at 133 – a weight class with three
automatic bids. Two allocations were granted at 149 where The Citadel’s Jeffrey Boyd lost 2-0 in the
finals to ASU’s Cody Bond. Boyd then he had to defend his automatic bid in a true-second match
with Gardner Webb’s Zach Price. It was a hard fought back and forth bout where Boyd prevailed
and retained his bid.
The biggest story lines came out of a talented 184-pound weight class. Due to a stringent three-
tiered qualifying criteria, the NCAA only allocated a head-scratching one automatic bid for this
weight. A deficiency in winning percentage prevented returning three-time SoCon champion and #1
seed Caleb Hopkins from securing a bid for the weight class. It was nationally ranked and returning
NCAA qualifier, Jha’Quan Anderson that secured the only bid after an impressive senior campaign for
Gardner-Webb.
In the opening round of the tournament, Jha’Quan Anderson ended up getting caught on his back
and falling victim to a flash pin against Presbyterian’s Caleb Roe. This set up an unanticipated
semifinal with Roe and #3 seed, Tomas Brooker, where Brooker won by fall in the 3 rd period. In the
finals, Brooker met Caleb Hopkins and found himself in behind late in the match. In the closing
minute of the third period, Hopkins was hit for stalling-twice and gave up a last second takedown to
give Brooker his first SoCon title.

Final Team Standings

1. Appalachian State – 114.0
2. Campbell – 97.5
3. Chattanooga – 63.5
4. Gardner-Webb – 49.5
5. The Citadel – 44.5
6. Davidson – 23.0
7. VMI – 18.0
8. Presbyterian – 5.5
   125
   1st Place Match: Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga) Sr. over Drew West (Gardner-Webb) RS Jr. (MD
   14-2)
   3rd Place Match: Anthony Molton (Campbell) RS Sr. over Chad Bellis (Appalachian State) Jr.
   (Dec 14-10)
   133
   1st Place Match: Ethan Oakley (Appalachian State) Sr. over Domenic Zaccone (Campbell) 24-8,
   RS Sr. (Dec 5-4)
   3rd Place Match: Dyson Dunham (VMI) So. over Tyson Lane (Gardner-Webb) 2-2, So. (Dec 8-5)
   141
   1st Place Match: Isaiah Powe (Chattanooga) Fr. over Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) Sr. (Dec 14-
   8)
   3rd Place Match: Jacob Silka (The Citadel) So. over Isaac Byers (Appalachian State) RS Fr. (Dec
   5-2)
   149
   1st Place Match: Cody Bond (Appalachian State) Sr. over Jeffrey Boyd (The Citadel) RS Jr. (Dec
   2-0)
   3rd Place Match: Zach Price (Gardner-Webb) Sr. over Justin Rivera (Campbell) Sr. (Dec 8-4)
   157
   1st Place Match: Tommy Askey (Appalachian State) Sr. over Tanner Peake (Davidson College)
   So. (Dec 9-2)
   3rd Place Match: Lincoln Heck (Chattanooga) RS Jr. over Hayden Watson (The Citadel) RS Fr.
   (MD 16-8)
   165
   1st Place Match: Will Miller (Appalachian State) Jr. over Domonic Baker (Campbell) So. (Dec 8-
   3)
   3rd Place Match: Kamdyn Munro (Chattanooga) So. over Bryce Sanderlin (Davidson College) Sr.
   (Fall 2:42)
   174
   1st Place Match: Austin Murphy (Campbell) RS So. over Sergio Desiante (Chattanooga) So. (Dec
   5-4)
   3rd Place Match: Lucas Uliano (Appalachian State) Jr. over Braxton Lewis (VMI) So. (Fall 5:22)
   184
   1st Place Match: Tomas Brooker (Appalachian State) Fr. over Caleb Hopkins (Campbell) RS So.
   (Dec 5-4)
   3rd Place Match: Jha`Quan Anderson (Gardner-Webb) RS Fr. over Caleb Roe (Presbyterian
   College) RS Fr. (MD 11-0)
   197
   1st Place Match: Levi Hopkins (Campbell) RS Fr. over Patrick Brophy (The Citadel) RS Fr. (Fall
   0:30)
   3rd Place Match: Carson Floyd (Appalachian State) So. over Josh Evans (VMI) Jr. (MD 12-3)

285
1st Place Match: Taye Ghadiali (Campbell) RS Fr. over Jacob Sartorio (Appalachian State) RS Sr.
(Fall 5:40)
3rd Place Match: Ben Stemmet (The Citadel) RS Jr. over Jake Fernicola (Davidson College) Sr.
(SV-1 4-1)
Coach of the Year : John Mark Bentley, App State  
Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler : Taye Ghadiali, 285, Campbell
Pinnacle Award (student-athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team)
Cody Bond, Sr., App State
Freshman of the Year : Isaiah Powe, 141, Chattanooga

March 15, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment