CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – The No. 2 Lander wrestling team finished as the National Runners-Up at the 2023 NCAA Div. II National Wrestling Championships.
In just its fourth season as a program, the Bearcats finished with 78 points while Central Oklahoma took first place with 121 points. St. Cloud State finished third with 64.5 points.
Lander saw six wrestlers place in the top eight, with four finishing in the top five of their respective weight class.
JAMES JOPLIN (3-2)
James Joplin started the second day with an 8-4 loss by decision to Brendon Garcia, the No. 2 ranked wrestler at 125, of Adams State.
In the consolation semifinals, Joplin earned a narrow 3-2 win by decision over Christian Mejia, the No. 10 ranked wrestler at 125, of McKendree. Joplin got a takedown in the first period and got another point in the third from an escape while Mejia got both his points from escapes.
Joplin would finish fourth at 125 as he fell to Patrik Allis of Western Colorado, the No. 7 ranked wrestler at 125, 10-1
ELIJAH LUSK (2-3)
Elijah Lusk started his day with a 3-0 loss to Dylan Lucas, the No. 8 ranked wrestler at 133, of Central Oklahoma.
Lusk would finish eight at 133 after falling 10-3 to Reece Barnhardt, the No. 6 ranked wrestler at 133, from Mary.
ZETH BROWER (3-2)
Zeth Brower fell in the semifinals to Christian Small of Lake Erie by a score of 8-6 in his first match of the day.
Brower would fall again, this time with a 7-4 loss by decision to Nate Keim, the No. 6 ranked wrestler at 141, of Central Oklahoma in the consolation semifinals.
In the fifth-place match, Brower would come away with a 6-1 victory over John Carayiannis of Belmont Abbey. Brower started off with a takedown in the first period before adding an escape in the second and another takedown in the third. He'd add one last point from ridding time.
DAVID HUNSBERGER (3-2)
David Hunsberger began his day with a 10-6 loss by decision to Hunter Millin, the No. 8 ranked wrestler at 165, from Western Colorado in the semifinals.
Hunsberger bounced back with a 23-6 tech fall in the consolation semifinals over Alex Farenchak, the No. 2 ranked wrestler at 165, from Gannon. He'd begin with 16 points coming in the first period after three takedowns and a pair of four-point near falls. Hunsberger would score seven more points in the second period off of two takedowns, an escape and a two-point near fall to end the match.
Hunsberger would finish things off with a fourth-place finish where he'd fall in a tight 3-2 battle to Ty Lucas, the No. 7 wrestler at 165, of Central Oklahoma.
LOGAN HALL (3-1)
For the second straight year, Lander had a wrestler enter the championship match. Logan Hall battled his way to a 3-2 victory over Billy Higgins, the No.1 ranked wrestler at 184, of Nebraska-Kearney. Hall would get a takedown in the first while getting an escape in the third. Higgins would only manage an escape in the first and second periods.
Hall would finish in second place after falling 3-1 in sudden victory to Ty McGeary, the No. 3 ranked wrestler at 184, from West Liberty.
JUAN EDMOND-HOLMES (3-2)
In the third consolation round, Juan Edmond-Holmes would advance with a pin 58 seconds into his match with Jake Swirple of Minot State.
In the consolation semifinals, Edmond-Holmes would fall by pin to Cale Gray of Indianapolis.
Edmond-Holmes would finish in fifth as he fell 2-1 to Johnny Green, the No. 4 ranked wrestler at 285, from Ouachita Baptist.
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