Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Nov. 26, 2025)- Honoring the late Coach Al Carius and the men's cross country team, the North Central College men's wrestling team defeated the Augustana College Vikings (0-2, 0-2 CCIW) in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin dual by a score of 44-6 inside of Gregory Arena on Wednesday. The Cardinals (5-0, 4-0 CCIW) debuted candy-striped singlets, the iconic pattern of the cross country program, at the Al Carius Tribute dual.
The dual kicked off with a pair of North Central pinfalls by way of top-ranked Chip Guzman and eighth-ranked Ethan Spacht. Guzman, in the 125-pound match, picked up the pin over Jack Reina in two minutes and nine seconds. Spacht followed in the 133-pound bout, securing the pin in two minutes and one second over Tyson Bruce.
The Cardinals continued to have the upper hand in the dual as seventh-ranked 141-pound wrestler Joshua Robison took the mat. Robison dominated the match against his opponent Matt Lucansky with a 17-2 technical fall, gaining the final point after the match concluded due to riding time. 15th-ranked Tyler Starr picked up a major decision score of 18-8 after he and Trevion Gilford went the distance in the 149-pound bout.
With the Cardinals holding a 21-0 lead over Augustana, the Vikings took the 157-pound match, their only win of the dual. Daniel Ward faced off against Gianni Panozo, where Ward would ultimately suffer a pinfall defeat.
North Central took the remainder of the matches, with Mekhi Cave defeating Noah DeMarco at 165 pounds via major decision (13-4). The 174-pound match followed as Jake Luce and Jack Miller went to battle. Luce kept Miller off the board entirely, securing a 13-0 major decision. Henry Rydwelski finished the 184-pound bout, defeating Lamero Ceasar with a 20-5 technical fall in four minutes and 17 seconds.
At 197 pounds, AJ Frescura gave the Cardinals their third pin of the dual, pinning Conor Phelan in four minutes and 17 seconds. The final match of the afternoon was Luke Chrisse and Braiden Young in the 285-pound match. The match went seven minutes, with Chrisse coming out on top with a 16-7 major decision.
The Cardinals won nine of the 10 matches as they have extended their CCIW dual win streak to 61.
Men's wrestling returns to action on Friday, Dec. 5, for a weekend tournament, the New Standard Corporation Invitational, in York, Pa., at the M&T Bank Field House.
