Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
Results
DECATUR, Ill. (Feb. 15, 2025)- The North Central College men's wrestling team has won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament for a third consecutive season in dominant fashion. The Cardinals took first place in six of the 10 weight classes and placed at least in the top three in the remaining four. North Central's coaching staff, led by
Grant Zamin, was named CCIW Co-Coaches of the Year with MSOE.
The Cardinals placed first, scoring 169 points. Millikin University followed with 122, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering finished third with 107 points. Aurora University scored 94 to place fourth, and Augustana College placed fifth with 72.
Now a two-time 125-pound CCIW Champion, second-ranked Christian Guzman improved to 27-0 this season, sweeping through the competition. He began his day with a pinfall (2:38) victory over Wheaton College's Matthew Au. Guzman then earned a pair of technical fall victories in the semifinal (18-3) and the first place match (21-6) to become a back-to-back 125-pound conference champion.
12th-ranked Bradley Rosen adds a third conference championship to his resume as, for a second straight season, he won the 141-pound CCIW Championship. Rosen started off in the quarterfinal match, getting his fastest pinfall victory of the season. He beat Christopher Khaosanga (Concordia-Wisconsin) in one minute and 17 seconds. Rosen got a 21-6 tech fall win in the semifinal over Cole Nelson (Carthage College) and finished the day off as a champion with a decision (8-6) over Jake Penzato from Aurora University.
Going four for four in his collegiate career, No. 12 Alex Villar is a conference champion yet again as he took home the 165-pound CCIW Championship. Villar scored his fastest pin of the season when he took out Taggart Kazmierczak (Wheaton) in 50 seconds. Villar followed this up in the semifinal with another pinfall, this time over Jake Patting (Augustana College) in three minutes and 21 seconds. Villar became a four-time conference champ, taking down Toren Vandenbush (MSOE) by a 7-3 decision.
Seventh-ranked Payton Geigner has become a two-time CCIW Champion with his 3-0 day at the tournament. Geigner earned a pair of pins to catapult himself into the 184-pound first place match. He pinned Jaxson Hicks (Augustana College) in two minutes and 56 seconds and Gavin Graham (MSOE) in four minutes and 25 seconds. Geinger became a two-time champion with a tech fall (16-0) over Alton Mullinax (Aurora).
Ninth-ranked Casey Aikman is now a CCIW Champion in the 197-pound weight class after going 3-0 today. Aikman began the day with a 27-11 tech fall over Elijah Osit (Aurora) and finished it with a pair of decisions. He defeated Mason Clem (Millikin) in the semifinal 7-5 and became a champion, defeating Jackson Punzel (Wheaton) 9-7.
Like Villar, No. 10 Robby Bates is a four-time CCIW Champion at 285-pounds, winning four conference championships in a row from 2022 to 2025. Bates went 3-0 at the tournament with two decisions and one major decision. He began the day with a 6-0 decision over Mason Kochersperger (Carthage) and a 4-0 decision on Cam'ron Harper (Aurora). In the championship round, Josh Woodrey (Augustana) fell to Bates via 8-0 major decision.
At 133-pounds No. 14 Ethan Spacht earned second place at the CCIW Championship. He took down Alex Armira (Wheaton) via pinfall in his first match. He earned a semifinal major decision (11-0) over Tyler Evitts (Aurora) before falling in the first place match to Coby Haney (Millikin) via sudden victory.
Kenny Siwicki got to the 149-pound first place match with a technical fall (18-1) against Mason Markham (Concordia) and a 13-4 major decision over Connor Nagela (MSOE). Siwicki fell to Chase Mirelez (Millikin) via a 17-10 decision in the championship round.
Losing his first match of the day, Luke Christie battled all the way back to take third place at 157-pounds. Christie fell to Michael Macias (Augustana) by a 7-2 decision before rattling off three wins in a row to take third. Christie defeated Michael Smith (MSOE) via 9-0 major decision before getting a tech fall (17-2) win shortly after over Aurora's Austin Abitua. Christie battled Michael Hutchison (Millikin) for third place and would come out on top with a 14-6 major decision.
PT Schoolman placed third in the 174-pound weight class, going 4-1 in the tournament. Schoolman kicked the day off with a pair of wins, defeating Emanuel Diaz (Aurora) via major decision (17-4) and moving on to face Jeremy Olson (Illinois Wesleyan) in the quarterfinal, where he would win with an 18-0 technical fall. Jackson Hughes (MSOE) pinned Schoolman in three minutes and 55 seconds in the semifinal. Schoolman bounced back to finish in third with a 5-1 decision over Emanuel Diaz and a medical forfeit by Collin Ruiz in the third-place match.
In addition to all 10 North Central wrestlers earning All-CCIW honors, Elijah Brockie was named the Cardinals' RESPECT Award winner.
North Central returns to action Friday, Feb. 28, for the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional Championships hosted by Wabash College.
Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.
