Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Results
Team Scores
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Mar. 1, 2024) - The North Central College men's wrestling team claimed second place at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional while
Christian Guzman, Robert Precin, and Robby Bates won Regional Titles with Alex Villar and Cole Cervantes earning National Qualifier status by finishing in the top three of their respective weight class.
Wartburg College won the Lower Midwest Regional Team Title with 195.5 points followed by the Cardinals in second with 165.5 team points. Coe College (153 points), Loras College (118.5) and Cornell College (112.5) rounded out the top five. The top three finishers at each weight class punch their ticket to the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championships.
Guzman (125-pounds), now a two-time regional champion, opened up competition with a pin before cruising to an 18-3 tech fall over Carter Anderson of Loras. In the quarterfinals, Guzman claimed another tech fall to move into the semifinals. There, he earned a 12-1 major decision to clinch his spot in the championship match. Guzman won by forfeit to claim the title.
At 133 pounds, Precin became a four-time regional champion in dominating fashion. He picked up two pins to advance to the quarterfinals. Against Aiden Evans of Loras, Precin won via an 11-0 major decision. In the semifinals, he earned a hard-fought 5-0 decision over the No. 5 ranked wrestler in the region, Coby Haney of Millikin University. Taking on No. 2 Joe Pins of Wartburg, Precin battled to a 7-3 decision in the championship match to win the regional title.
Bradley Rosen (141) stormed through his first two rounds to move into the quarterfinal where he lost and moved into the consolation bracket. There, he defeated Jayden Bustillos (Schreiner College) with a 22-6 tech fall before beating the No. 7 regionally ranked wrestler, Ryan Cripe of Luther College with a tight 12-10 decision. After falling in the consolation semifinals, Rosen picked up a tight 10-8 decision over Dresden Grimm (Coe) to finish in fifth-place.
Kenny Siwicki (149) lost his first match of the day but bounced back with a 9-6 decision victory over Chase Mirelez (Millikin) before bowing out of the tournament with a loss in the consolation bracket.
Following an early loss for Javen Estrada (157), the top-ranked wrestler in the region, he stayed alive for his chance at a National Championship bid by rattling off back-to-back pins followed by a 19-4 tech fall to move into the third place match. After falling behind early in the match, Estrada fell to take fourth-place in the Regional.
In the 165-pound division, Alex Villar pinned his opening round opponent in 2:15. After a tech fall and a major decision, he captured a 5-2 decision over Dustin Bohren of Loras to advance to the championship match where Villare fell to Will Esmoil of Coe to take second-place.
Payton Geigner (174) picked up a major decision victory before moving to the consolation bracket in the quarterfinals. There, he pinned his next opponent, followed by a key 8-7 win over Nick Kendrick of Huntingdon University, 8-7. In the consolation semifinals, Geigner lost as he moved to the fifth-place match. He rolled to a 6-0 decision to finish in fifth place for the event.
Cervantes, the Cardinals' competitor in the 184-pound weight class, pinned his first two opponents before beating Austen Wetzel (Westminster) in the quarterfinals. Following a loss in the semifinals, Cervantes rebounded with a 13-2 major decision to move into the third place match to take on Wetzel for the second time in the event. With a trip to Nationals on the line, Cervantes put together a thrilling 19-15 victory to take third-place.
At the 197-pound division, Elijah Brockie opened the tournament with a pin over Ryan Lofgren of Schreiner in just one minute of action. Brockie fell in his next two matches to end his day.
Bates rattled off three straight wins via decision to advance to the 285-pound Regional Final match. Taking on the third-ranked wrestler in the region, Bates pinned Mitch Williamson if Wartburg to win his first career Regional Championship.
The five national qualifiers will head to the NCAA Division III National Championships which will be held in La Crosse, Wis. on Mar. 15-16. Click HERE for more information.
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