Wartburg sends 10 ranked wrestlers to NCAA qualifier

DUBUQUE — Wartburg is in position for another title run.

The Knights could make Coach Eric Keller a busy man when they wrestle at the NCAA Division III Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on March 11-12. The sights are set to the immediate task at hand, which is qualifying all 10 wrestlers.

Top-ranked Wartburg sends 10 nationally-ranked wrestlers the D-III Central Regional tournament Sunday at Five Flags Center, beginning at 9 a.m. The 13-team field includes Coe, Cornell, Luther and the rest of the Iowa Conference programs.

The Knights are in search of their 12th NCAA team championship and fifth in the last six years. To do that, they have to take care of business at the qualifier.

'Honestly, the goal (and) focus right now is on that first match,' Keller said. 'We talked about don't be looking ahead to anything. Don't be looking ahead to the semifinals. Don't look ahead. Worry about what is in front of you right now.

'I don't want any upsets. I don't want anything to happen that shouldn't happen.'

The regional has five ranked teams and 21 ranked wrestlers, including four at 165 pounds and three at heavyweight. Only the top three at each weight advance to the national meet. Any berths will be earned.

'There are some great guys at it,' Keller said. 'We're going to have to wrestle at our best, every single guy, and if we do that I feel good about what we have going.'

Wartburg went 19-0 in duals, won the IIAC again and captured its sixth straight and 10th overall National Duals title. The scary thought is Keller said they haven't had everyone at the top of their game all at once.

'We haven't seen every single guy wrestle their best at the same time, yet,' Keller said. 'They've won all these things but we haven't altogether connected at the same time. That is the goal (and) striving to do.'

Depth continues to be a strength for the Knights. Defending NCAA champion Kenny Martin will wrestle at 149, beating out Mark Pinero, who was ranked as high as second this season. At 165, third-ranked Nick Michael is getting his first crack at the postseason, replacing All-American Andrew Steiert, whose season ended early due to injury. Former Solon state champion Lance Evans has claimed the starting spot at heavyweight.

Evans transferred last year, spending a semester at the University of Iowa. Evans has beaten out Ben Nagle, who placed fifth at the 2015 NCAA Championships.

'He's a perfect example of development,' Keller said. 'It shows you that if you get in the right environment, around people that think at a really high level with high expectations and a support system that creates success then anything can happen. (Evans) has gotten better every single day and week. You've seen it through the course of the season.'

Augsburg snapped the Knights' title streak last year. Wartburg placed second after four straight crowns. Much of the off-season focus was on reclaiming the title, but Keller said this year's team has turned the page to the present goal.

'As the year has gone on, these guys have created their own path,' Keller said. 'I say that because they learned the lesson of last year that we're going to have to do more. We're going to have to be better. They've gotten to the point through the course of this season that they're thinking big. They are thinking of how good can we be and what they can accomplish.'

Luther has six ranked wrestlers in the field, including 141-pound NCAA finalist and top-ranked Drew Van Anrooy and All-American heavyweight and former Cedar Rapids Jefferson state champion Conner Herman.

Coe's defending NCAA champion Farai Sewera leads the Kohawks. He is ranked first at 165. Teammate Ryan Harrington is fourth at 174.

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