Cedar Falls, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team placed third at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/U.S. Marine Corps Multi-Divisional National Duals Saturday at the University of Northern Iowa UNI-Dome. The duals are presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction and Defense Soap.
UWL, the second-seed for the tournament, fell 25-9 to third-seeded Augsburg University (Minn.) in Saturday's semifinals before coming back to finish third with a 28-19 victory over fourth-seeded Johnson & Wales University (R.I.).
UWL went 3-1 in the two-day tournament. The Eagles earned a pair of victories on Friday, including 49-3 over Albion College (Mich.) in their first match and 20-14 over eighth-ranked The College of New Jersey in the quarterfinals.
The Eagles captured its national duals crown in 2022 with a 31-9 victory over Wabash College (Ind.) in the championship match. UWL has now finished at least fifth in 10 of the last 14 NWCA Duals. Along with the team title in 2022, the Eagles were second in 2011 and third in 2012 and 2024. UWL placed fourth in 2023 and fifth in 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Quintin Wolbert, ranked 14th in the NWCA at 125-pounds, gave UWL a 3-0 lead over Augsburg (Minn.) with a decision (9-8) over Wyatt Kaczrowski. The Auggies took a 4-3 lead at 133-pounds with 15th-ranked Chance Suddeth winning by major decision (11-1) over
Teague Holzer.
UWL led 6-4 as 15th-ranked
Sam Lorenz won by decision (9-5) over Cade Willis at 141-pounds. Augsburg (Minn.) took the next four matches for a 16-6 lead. Matt Randolph, ranked 11th at 149, won by decision (5-3) over
Josh Cherba.
In a match-up of top-seven ranked wrestlers at 157-pounds, the Auggies' seventh-ranked Karsen Otis won by decision (6-4) over the Eagles' second-ranked
Tyler Goebel. Goebel is ranked second at 165-pounds. Third-ranked Cooper Willis for Augsburg (Minn.) at 165-pounds earned a win by decision (2-0) over
Tate Flege. Sixth-ranked Seth Goetzinger won by sudden victory (9-6) over
Leo Draveling at 174-pounds.
UWL's
Marcus Orlandoni won by decision (4-2) over Brandt Bomard at 184-pounds to cut the lead to 16-9. Orlandoni is ranked eighth and Bomard fourth in the NWCA. Augsburg (Minn.) took the final two matches. Second-ranked Parker Venz won by disqualification over third-ranked
Ben Kawczynski at 197-pounds. Jagger Schack won by decision (9-2) over
Gabe Carter at 285-pounds.
In the third-place match with Johnson & Wales (R.I.), the Wildcats took a 5-0 lead with top-ranked Joziah Fry at 125-pounds earning a technical fall victory (22-6) over
Ino Garcia. Johnson & Wales (R.I.) extended its lead to 10-0 as third-ranked Peyton Ellis won by technical fall (19-4) over
Wyatt Magolski at 133-pounds.
Lorenz got UWL on the scoreboard at 141-pounds with a fall (3:42) over Jake Eckerle at 141-pounds to cut the lead to 10-6. Johnson & Wales (R.I.) followed with a win by fall of its own at 149-pounds with fourth-ranked Hayden Brown defeating
Joe Penchi (4:37) to make it 16-6.
The Eagles won four consecutive matches to take the lead. Goebel won by major decision (14-5) over Vincent Faldetta at 157-pounds to cut the deficit to 16-10. Flege followed with a win by decision (9-5) over 10th-ranked Jack Richardson at 165-pounds to make it 16-13.
Eddie Simes, ranked seventh at 174-pounds for UWL, tied the dual with a decision (9-3) over Michael Schliem.
UWL took its first lead at 184-pounds as
Kasey Gish won by fall (2:25) over Zachary Miller to make it 22-16.
The Wildcats cut the lead to 22-19 with Dylan Harr winning by decision (9-7) over
Tyler Dormanen at 197-pounds. The Eagles clinched the dual victory as top-ranked
Michael Douglas at 285-pounds won by fall (2:44) over Cameron Bailey.
UWL returns to action Saturday, January 18 at the Cornell College (Iowa) Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invitational.
