Hunsberger Wins National Title as Lander Takes Second at NCAA Championship

PARK CITY, Kan. - Sophomore, David Hunsberger, became the Lander Wrestling team's second-ever national champion as he won the 165-pound National Championship and helped the Bearcats to their second consecutive National Runner-Up finish at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships inside Hartman Arena on Saturday.

Lander finished with 86.5 points, 23.5 behind Central Oklahoma, who claimed their second consecutive National Title.

Session III:
James Joplin led off the session in the semifinals for the Bearcats against Jaxson Rohman, the national-runner up in 2023. Both wrestlers traded takedowns and escapes to end the first period. In the second period, Joplin secured an escape from bottom but was charged with the first of a series of controversial stalling calls. In the third, as he tried to see out the match he was hit for his second stalling call, tying the match and sending it to sudden victory where Joplin was hit with a third stall call, ending the match and sending him to the consolation bracket.

Elijah Lusk was next on the mat and got a takedown in each of the first two periods before scoring eight points in the third to grab what ended up being a big major decision in the team race, 14-4.

Zeth Brower was next in his semifinal and led 5-2 after one but a six-point play by Cody Thompson of Colorado Mines proved the difference as Brower fell 9-5 sending him into the consolation semifinals.

David Hunsberger was the next semifinalist for Lander at 165 and finished the first period tied with Hunter Jump of Central Oklahoma, 5-5. But Hunsberger took control with a 4-1 second period and was able to secure an escape after giving up a reversal in the third period to secure his ticket in the National Championship match later that night.

Anthony Yacovetti was next on the mat in his consolation quarterfinal. He trailed 7-2 to Garrett Wells of Central Oklahoma going into the third but proceeded to mount a comeback that saw him only trail by two after an escape from Wells. However, Yacovetti could not secure another takedown and was sent to the seventh-place match at the end of the session.

Juan Edmond-Holmes was Lander's final semifinalist and jumped out to a 10-2 lead over Zach Peterson of Augustana then got a takedown in the third period and was able to secure a pin to propel him to his first-ever NCAA final.

Joplin was back on the mat in his consolation semifinal and used a pair of 3-1 periods in the first and third to get a bounce-back win and send him to the third-place match.

Lusk was next for the Bearcats in the consol semis and was tied 1-1 late with Barnhardt of UMary but a late stall call with under a minute left gave Barnhardt the lead and Lusk could not get a takedown and would wrestle for fifth.

In Brower's consolation semi, he wasn't able to get offensive footing and gell 8-1 to Njos of St. Cloud State.

Joplin started the placement matches for Lander in the 125-pound third-place match and Joplin was able to get an early takedown in the first and an escape in the third to hold on for a 4-3 win over Isaiah Gamez of Adams State.

Lusk was next in his fifth-place match at 133 and a 5-0 first period and a 6-1 third period was too much to overcome as he fell to Jeremiah Echevarria of Gannon, 13-2.

Zeth Brower took to the mat for the final bout of his career in the fifth place match at 149 and after trailing 4-3 after one, he outscored Jalen Spuhler of Wisconsin-Parkside 14-1 the rest of the way, including coming very close to a pin in the second, to come away with a 17-5 major decision.

In the final match of his career, got a takedown in each of the first two periods and a reversal in the third period to come away with an 8-2 win over Bryce Fitzpatrick of St. Cloud State to place seventh.

Session IV:
Hunsberger faced the defending national champion in Chase Luensman in the final and wasted no time to take a lead as he got a takedown in the first period and led 3-1 after three minutes of wrestling. In the second, both wrestlers got banged for a stall before another takedown by Hunsberger made it 6-2 heading into the final period. In that final period, Hunsberger escaped from bottom but Luensman got a takedown to make it 7-5. He quickly cut Hunsberger and attempted to get another takedown to tie the match, however, David was able to avert any shots the rest of the way and secured his first national title of his career.

Edmond-Holmes jumped out to a quick lead with a takedown less than a minute in but was outscored 5-0 the rest of the period by Shawn Streck of Central Oklahoma to see Debo down 5-3 after one. Streck's escape was the only scoring in the second period and he was able to keep Edmond-Holmes from securing any good shots to take the championship.

In the five years that the Lander Wrestling team has existed, the program has won three conference championships, two super region titles, has had two national champions, and has finished as national runner-up twice.

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Players Mentioned

Zeth Brower: Redshirt Senior; 141

Juan Edmond-Holmes: Graduate Student; 285

David Hunsberger: Sophomore; 157

James Joplin: Junior; 125

Elijah Lusk: Junior; 133

Anthony Yacovetti: Senior; 197

Players Mentioned

Zeth Brower
: Redshirt Senior; 141

Juan Edmond-Holmes
: Graduate Student; 285

David Hunsberger
: Sophomore; 157

James Joplin
: Junior; 125

Elijah Lusk
: Junior; 133

Anthony Yacovetti
: Senior; 197