Kim Bernall

Wrestling 3/15/2026 12:07:00 AM Turner Kirby - Director of Athletic Communications

Hunsberger Finishes Career on Top as Bearcats Place Fifth at NCAAs

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – David Hunsberger capped off the most decorated career in Lander athletics history as he took a 9-4 decision over Nebraska-Kearney's Trenton Munoz to claim his third-straight 165-pound national title Saturday night inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center at the 2026 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.

Hunsberger finishes his career 123-9, earning four All-Conference honors, two Conference Wrestler of the Year awards, and soon-to-be a second Super Region Wrestler of the Year. He is also a four-time Super Region II Champion, national qualifier, and All-American, and now stands as the 25th three-time national champion in Division II history. He was also named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler, marking the first Lander and Conference Carolinas wrestler to earn that honor.

His title win helped Lander finish with 64.5 team points, good for a fifth-place finish in the country and the fourth-straight top-five finish for the Blue and Gold.

Lander has now had at least one wrestler compete in the final session of the tournament in every season except the first two in program history and now boasts four total national champions.

Session III

Lander entered Saturday morning with four wrestlers in the championship semifinals and another competing on the backside of the bracket.

At 133 pounds, James Joplin secured his first career national finals appearance with an 8-6 decision over St. Cloud State's Dominic Ducato. Joplin jumped out early with two takedowns in the opening period and maintained the lead throughout the match, earning redemption after falling in the semifinals in sudden victory at the 2024 championships.

At 141 pounds, Elijah Lusk fell just short of the championship match, dropping a narrow 4-3 decision to West Liberty's Khyvon Grace. Lusk battled back late in the match and came close to securing a takedown in the final seconds but was unable to finish the shot before time expired.

Hunsberger advanced to his third consecutive national final at 165 pounds with a strong semifinal performance against Sam Richardson. After escaping to take the lead in the third period, Hunsberger added a late takedown to secure a 7-4 victory.

At 174 pounds, Maxwell Kiel faced top-seeded Hunter Jump of Central Oklahoma in a defensive battle. Jump secured an escape early in the third period and held on for the 1-0 decision, sending Kiel to the consolation bracket.

At 197 pounds, Marvelous Rutledge saw his championship hopes end in the consolation rounds after a tight match with Gannon's Joey Lyons. Lyons secured the deciding riding-time point to earn the victory, sending Rutledge to the seventh-place match.

Lusk later returned to the mat in the consolation semifinals but fell to Minnesota State's Colton Hush, moving him to the fifth-place match.

Kiel also competed in the consolation semifinals but dropped a decision to St. Cloud State's Bryce Dagel, placing him in the fifth-place match.

In the placement matches later in the session, Kiel closed out his collegiate career in strong fashion with a 10-3 decision over San Francisco State's Lima to secure a fifth-place finish.

Lusk finished sixth at 141 pounds after falling to Nebraska-Kearney's Airola in the fifth-place match.

Rutledge capped his tournament with a dramatic finish in the seventh-place match. After tying the bout with an escape early in the third period, Rutledge countered a late shot and secured a takedown at the buzzer. The call was upheld following a challenge, giving Rutledge the victory and his second consecutive seventh-place finish at the national championships.

Session IV

Two Bearcats competed under the lights Saturday night with national titles on the line.

At 133 pounds, James Joplin squared off against Mary's Jacob Strausbaugh in the national championship match. Joplin struck first with a quick takedown to take an early 3-0 lead before Strausbaugh escaped to make it 3-1 heading into the second period.

The middle period saw several scrambles and shot attempts from both wrestlers, but neither was able to convert, keeping Joplin in front entering the final frame. Strausbaugh quickly escaped to cut the deficit to one before a lengthy scramble sequence resulted in the deciding moment of the match. Strausbaugh secured a takedown late in the third period to take the lead, and Joplin was unable to escape before time expired, falling 5-3 and finishing the tournament as the national runner-up.

At 165 pounds, David Hunsberger closed out his decorated career in dominant fashion against Nebraska-Kearney's Trenton Munoz. Hunsberger wasted little time getting on the board, scoring an early takedown before quickly cutting Munoz to keep the action neutral. He added another takedown midway through the opening period to build an early cushion.

Munoz battled back with an escape and attempted to generate offense from the front headlock position, but Hunsberger continued to control the pace of the match. After riding through the second period and maintaining his advantage, Hunsberger extended his lead in the third with a takedown on the edge of the mat that was confirmed following a Lander challenge.

Munoz managed an escape late, but Hunsberger controlled the remaining seconds to secure a 9-4 victory and his third career national championship.

The win made Hunsberger the first three-time national champion in program history, and he also became the program's first four-time All-American, capping one of the most accomplished careers in Lander wrestling history.

In six seasons, Lander Wrestling now has four national champions, seven national finalists, 22 All-Americans, and 41 national qualifiers. The 2026 season saw Lander win its third-straight Conference Carolinas West Division title, fifth-straight conference title, and fourth-straight NCAA Super Region II title.

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Players Mentioned

David Hunsberger: 165; Senior; 157

James Joplin: 133; Graduate Student; 125

Elijah Lusk: 141; Graduate Student; 141

Marvelous Rutledge: 197; Senior; 197

Maxwell Kiel: 174; Graduate Student; 174

Players Mentioned

David Hunsberger
: Senior; 157
: 165

James Joplin
: Graduate Student; 125
: 133

Elijah Lusk
: Graduate Student; 141
: 141

Marvelous Rutledge
: Senior; 197
: 197

Maxwell Kiel
: Graduate Student; 174
: 174