NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships 2022: Schedule, predictions, top teams and individuals

CEDAR RAPIDS — A closer look at the 2022 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Alliant Energy PowerHouse.

NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships Schedule

At Alliant Energy PowerHouse, Cedar Rapids

Friday

11 a.m. — Session I: First and second round; first-round consolation.

6 p.m. — Session II: Championship quarterfinals; second- and third-round consolation

Saturday

10 a.m. — Session III: Championship semifinals; Consolation quarterfinals, semifinals and placing matches.

6:30 p.m. — Parade of All-Americans

7 p.m. — Championship matches

» Read more: NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships return to Cedar Rapids after 2 straight cancellations

Teams with the most qualifiers

7 — Augsburg, Baldwin-Wallace, Wabash, Wartburg

6 — Coe, College of New Jersey

5 — Ithaca, Johnson & Wales, North Central (Ill.), Coast Guard, Wisconsin-Eau Claire

American Rivers Conference qualifiers by team

7 — Wartburg

6 — Coe

4 — Loras

3 — Central

1 — Luther, Dubuque

2019 top 3 teams

1. Augsburg 130

2. Loras 66

3. Johnson & Wales 63

American Rivers Conference qualifiers

Central — Shandon Akeo (125), Rob Areyano (149), Gage Linahon (197)

Coe — Bryce Parke (133), Brock Henderson (141), Will Esmoil (165), Tristin Westphal (174), Ryan Schott (184), Kaleb Reeves (Hwt.)

Dubuque — Zarik Anderson (157)

Loras — Zeke Smith (157), Gabe Fiser (165), Jacob Krakow (174), Shane Liegel (184)

Luther — Donovan Corn (197)

Wartburg — Brady Kyner (125), Joe Pins (133), Zayren Terukina (141), Kristian Rumph (149), David Hollingsworth (157), Zane Mulder (174), Kyle Briggs (184)

Other qualifiers with Iowa ties

133 — Tyler Fleetwood, UW-Eau Claire, soph. (Wartburg), Zach Thompson, UW-Platteville, jr. (Perry/Loras)

141 — Jordin James, Mount Union, sr. (Iowa Lakes)

165 — Bradan Birt, Millikin, sr. (Wester Dubuque)

174 — Mike Ross, Johnson & Wales, sr. (Wartburg), Ben Sarasin, University of Chicago, sr. (Cedar Rapids Kennedy)

Unbeaten qualifiers

125 — Shandon Akeo, Central, sr., 18-0; Sam Braswell, Averett, sr., 38-0

133 — Robert Precin, North Central, jr., 34-0; Dalton Rohrbaugh, York, sr., 22-0

141 — Jordin James, Mount Union, sr., 18-0;

149 — Brett Kaliner, Stevens Institute of Technology, sr., 25-0; Tony Ulaszek, Coast Guard, soph., 18-0

157 — Nathan Lackman, Rhode Island College, soph., 31-0

165 — Bradan Birt, Millikin, sr., 37-0; Dominick Reyes, Johns Hopkins, sr., 24-0; Phil Rogers, Coast Guard, sr. 9-0

174 — Cornell Beacham Jr., Mount St. Joseph, jr., 18-0; Mike Ross, Johnson & Wales, sr., 34-0;

184 — Eze Chukwuezi, Ithaca, sr., 33-0, Paul Detwiler, Coast Guard, sr., 20-0

197 — Coy Spooner, Coast Guard, soph., 24-0; Jordan Wallace, Ithaca, sr., 15-0

Hwt. — Liridon Leka, Johnson & Wales, jr., 33-0, Kaleb Reeves, Coe, sr., 27-0

Top seeds

125 — Jacob Decatur, Baldwin-Wallace, jr.

133 — Robert Precin, North Central, jr.

141 — Jordin James, Mount Union, sr.

149 — Brett Kaliner, Stevens, sr.

157 — Kaidon Winters, Rochester Institute of Technology, sr.

165 — Bradan Birt, Millikin, sr.

174 — Cornell Beacham, Mount St. Joseph, jr.

184 — Shane Liegel, Loras, jr.

197 — Cody Baldridge, North Central, sr.

Hwt. — Maxwell Bishop, Wabash, sr.

Tournament outlook

Wartburg should be considered a big favorite to win its 15th national team title. The Knights won the Lower Midwest Regional, which is widely considered one of the toughest qualifiers, and are one of four teams with a tournament-high seven qualifiers. Among those seven qualifiers, four are legitimate title contenders, including Rumph, Hollingsworth, Mulder and Briggs. All seven are seeded fourth or better with four at No. 2 of their respective weights. The way Wartburg rolled through dual competition — handling highly-ranked foes like Coe, Loras and Augsburg — it should the frontrunner.

North Central has strong point scorers and five qualifiers. Baldwin-Wallace also has seven qualifiers and is led by Ohio State transfer Decatur. Baldwin-Wallace has the depth to make a trophy run as well.

The team race for third through fifth could be really interesting with Wabash and Coe in the mix. The Kohawks have six qualifiers, but face some tough draws. Reeves is unbeaten this season, using his Greco-Roman skills to stack up pins. Brock Henderson was a National Wrestling Coaches Association national champion last season. He will look to earn a spot on the podium. Ryan Schott and Tristin Westphal are experienced and have been ranked during the season. Bryce Parke and Will Esmoil have had strong campaigns. It could be enough for one of the team trophies to stay in Cedar Rapids.

Predictions

Team predictions: 1. Wartburg, 2. North Central, 3. Baldwin-Wallace

Individual champion predictions:

125 — Decatur, Baldwin-Wallace

133 — Precin, North Central

141 — James, Mount Union

149 — Kaliner, Stevens

157 — Hollingsworth, Wartburg

165 — Birt, Millikin

174 — Beacham, Mount St. Joseph

184 —— Briggs, Wartburg

197 – Baldridge, North Central

Hwt. — Liridon Leka, Johnson & Wales

Watch on YouTube

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com