NCAA D-III wrestling: Coe’s battle-tested Cade Hornback ‘super pumped’ for national stage

CEDAR RAPIDS — Coe’s Cade Hornback ran the gauntlet just to face another.

A challenge he gladly accepts.

Hornback survived a regional field that included four wrestlers ranked in the top six nationally and advanced to his first NCAA Division III Championships at La Crosse, Wis., beginning Friday at 11 a.m.

Nothing comes easy at a national tournament but, he’s already endured a tough test just to get there.

“I’m super pumped and I’m really excited to get this chance, especially with the bracket I had,” said Hornback, who finished third at the Lower Midwest Regional to grab the last 125-pound NCAA berth. “I had to battle through some hard matches. It was really fun to go out there and compete. I am really looking forward to doing that this weekend.”

His daunting task was to unseat two of the four higher-ranked foes — North Central’s No. 2 Christian Guzman, Millikin’s No. 3 Zac Blasioli, Dubuque’s No. 4 Brady Koontz and Wartburg’s sixth-ranked James Levy. Guzman, Blasioli and Koontz were 2023 All-Americans.

Hornback, ranked 13th, scrapped and clawed to extend his season.

“My mindset going into every match was that I had to fight every second,” Hornback said. “I had to take what was available. Take one of those (berths) to La Crosse. I just had to go take it.”

Hornback competed for Dubuque his first two seasons, but needed a change. He was looking for a more team-centered environment after some changes to the Spartans coaching staff.

Hornback said he found it at Coe.

His first big win at the qualifier was against his former team, pinning Koontz in overtime of the quarterfinals. He also avenged a loss to Koontz in last year’s third-place bout that ended his season a win shy of the NCAA meet.

“What made it really sweet for me was beating a returning All-American,” Hornback said. “That made it sweeter for me because I’ve worked so hard for this. I wanted to prove that I could be up there on the podium this year.

“It gave me a little bit of confidence, going into my next couple matches, knowing that I’m going to have to beat another top-six guy in the country.”

After losing a two-point decision to Blasioli, he rebounded with two straight victories, including a first-period fall over Levy in the placing round.

“Cade really impressed me with how much confidence he competed with at the regional tournament,” Coe Coach John Oostendorp said. “He knew going into the tournament that there were four guys ranked in the top six in his bracket. He was confident, relaxed and wrestled the best he did the whole year.”

Hornback’s size is an asset. He subscribes to a strict regimen to manage his weight throughout the season. Oostendorp said that transfers to his approach in the postseason.

“He is a big 125-pounder,” Oostendorp said. “He puts in so much time and has to be so disciplined, keeping his weight under control that I think it hardens him mentally for the end of the year against the top competition.”

Hornback will face more top competition. Top-ranked competition, specifically. He opens against Johnson & Wales’ No. 1 seed and defending national champion Joziah Fry. Hornback is prepared to battle the only way he knows.

“Fight every second is what I do best,” Hornback said. “When I do that, guys tend to break. That is my mindset going into this tournament. I can’t think that I had a tough regional and I’m automatically going to be on that podium. I have to go out there and fight every second to earn getting on that podium.”

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NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships

When: Friday-Saturday

Where: La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis.

2023 team champion: Augsburg with 101 points

Qualifiers by team: 7 — Wartburg; 4 — Coe; 3 — Loras; 2 — Central, Cornell, Luther

Friday’s schedule

11 a.m. — Session I: Preliminary rounds 1 and 2; first-round consolations

6 p.m. — Session II: Quarterfinals and second- and third-round consolations

Saturday’s schedule

10 a.m. — Session 3: Semifinals; consolation quarterfinals and semifinals; placing matches for third, fifth and seventh.

7 p.m. — Session 4: Championship matches

How to watch: NCAA.com

American Rivers Conference qualifiers

Coe: Cade Hornback (125), Bryce Parke (133), Ty Koedam (149), Will Esmoil (165)

Cornell: Gabe Smith (157), Cael McLaren (184)

Luther: Clayton McDonough (157), Walter West (285)

Central: Pierre Baldwin (141), Gage Linahon (197)

Loras: Eric Kinkaid (149), Dustin Bohren (165), Zeb Gnida (174)

Wartburg: Joe Pins (133), Kyler Romero (141), Charlie Dojan (149), Zane Mulder (174), Kasey Ross (184), Massoma Endene (197), Mitch Williamson (285)

NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships

Upper Iowa’s Chase Luensman and Tate Murty will compete at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday in Park City, Kan. Both are making their fourth trip to the national tournament.

Luensman (23-5) is the defending 165-pound champion and is ranked No. 2 this year. The former Monticello prep is coming off a regional title and is vying for his third All-America honor. Luensman opens with Nebraska-Kearney’s Kaden Hart (15-6).

Murty, ranked seventh at 141, placed third at the regional to advance. He was eighth last season and finished sixth in 2021. Murty (21-7) faces the winner between Coker’s Omar Armengol and Chadron State’s Ethan Leake.

When: Friday-Saturday

Where: Hartman Arena in Wichita, Kan.

2023 team champion: Central Oklahoma with 121 points

Upper Iowa qualifiers: Tate Murty (141), Chase Luensman (165)

Friday’s schedule

10 a.m. — Session I: Preliminary and first rounds

5 p.m. — Session II: Quarterfinals and first- and second-round consolations

Saturday’s schedule

10 a.m. — Session 3: Semifinals and consolations; placing matches for third, fifth and seventh.

7 p.m. — Session 4: Championship matches

How to watch: FloWrestling

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com