Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, mreaker@noctrl.edu 

Team Scores
Brackets 
Results

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Feb. 25, 2023) - Competing in day two of the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional Championships in Springfield, Ill, the North Central College men's wrestling team saw six wrestlers qualify for the National Championship while Christian Guzman, Robert Precin and Bradley Rosen all claimed titles in their respective weight classes. 

Top-ranked Wartburg College claimed the crown with 181 points while seven wrestlers qualified for the National Championships. The Cardinals turned in a second place finish, their best finish since 2007, with 157 points and six wrestlers qualifying. Loras College (138) followed the Cardinals in third while Coe College (119) was in fourth  and the University of Dubuque (87) rounded out the top-five. College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin foe Millikin University (65) finished in eighth while Augustana College (44) turned in a tenth place finish. 

Guzman was looking to lock in his spot at the National Tournament with a win over fifth-ranked Brady Koontz of Dubuque in the semifinals. Guzman and Koontz would battle through all three periods with Guzman upsetting Koontz 4-3 to qualify for Nationals. Guzman would face yet another top-five opponent as he squared off with second-ranked Zac Blasioli of Millikin. Guzman and Blasioli went the full three periods and Guzman walked away with  another top-five win, defeating Blasioli 5-2 to claim the 125-pound regional title. Top-ranked Precin punched his ticket to the championship bout with a 7-2 decision win over Alex  Friddle of Coe College. In the championship match, Precin would square off against  seventh-ranked Dylan Koontz of Dubuque and Precin would claim his third-straight regional title, defeating Koontz 5-2. Precin will defend his 133-pound National Title at Nationals on March 11 and 12. 

Tenth-ranked Rosen picked up his third-straight major decision win in the semifinals, defeating seventh-ranked Eric Kinkaid of Loras 13-4 and would win the 141-pound regional title for the first time in his career after winning via medical forfeit. Fourth-ranked Javen Estrada found himself in the 149-pound championship bout after pinning Clayton McDonough of Luther. In the championship match, Estrada would face seventh-ranked Kristian Rumph of Wartburg and would fall to Rumph to finish second and punch his ticket to the National Tournament for the second-straight year. 

Sixth-ranked Alex Villar would square off with third-ranked David Hollingsworth of Wartburg in the 157-pound semifinals and would fall by an 8-3 decision to put him on the backside of the bracket. In the consolation semifinals, Villar defeated Bryce McDonough of Luther by a 6-2 decision to put him in the third place match against eighth-ranked Nathan Callaway of Millikin. In the win or go home match, Villar would dominate Callaway by a 6-0 decision to claim third place and punch his ticket to the National Tournament for the second-straight year. Cole Cervantes kicked off day two by pinning 14th-ranked Marcus Mandler of Luther in the semifinals match. Cervantes would face Gabe Fiser of Loras in the championship match  but would fall to Fiser by a 9-2 decision to take home second place and punch his ticket to Nationals. 

Joseph Jens kicked off the day with a 9-4 decision win over Shyler Langley of Simpson College in the 174-pound consolation third round. Jens kept his hopes alive in the consolation semifinals as he defeated 12th-ranked Zeb Gnida of Loras 5-3 in sudden victory. However, Jens would fall to Jacob Sherzer by a 4-2 decision in the third place match to take home fourth place. Jens finishes his season with an 18-7 record. Payton Geigner needed a win to keep the National Tournament dreams alive but in the consolation third round, Geigner would fall  to Nicholas Brashear of Huntingdon by a 7-4 decision to put him in the seventh place match. Geinger would finish in seventh place as he defeated Peyton Hammerich of Central College (Iowa) by a 10-6 decision. Geigner finishes the season with a 25-13 record

Robby Bates kept his National Tournament dreams alive as he defeated Jack Haury of Huntingdon by a 5-2 decision to move into the consolation semifinals. Bates would find himself on the wrong side of a tightly contested match, falling to Wyatt Wriedt of Loras by a 3-2 decision. In the fifth place match, Bates would defeat 14th-ranked Damari Dancy by a 3-1 to take home fifth place. Bates finishes the season with a 34-9 record. 

Following the tournament, Guzman was awarded the Most Outstanding Wrestler which is voted upon by all 19 coaches in attendance. Guzman claimed the 125-pound title while taking down two top-five opponents. Head coach Zach Cook was also awarded the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Lower Midwest Coach of the Year. This is the first regional award of his young head coaching career, he was named CCIW Coach of the Year this season as well. 

The sixth-ranked Cardinals will head to Roanoke, VA. for the NCAA Division III National Championships on March 11 and 12 and will look to claim their first national title inside the Berglund Center. 

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