CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Penn College sent three wrestlers to the NCAA Division III National Championships, and all three, although eliminated on Friday's first day, came away winners.
Carter Davis, at 165 pounds, was 3-2, Nick Woodruff, at 197, was 2-2, and Kaden Ware, at 141, finished 1-2.
Davis started his day with a 3-0 decision over Jashon Holmes, of VTSU Castleton, and then fell to third-seeded and eventual national champion, Tanner Gerber, of Wisconsin La Crosse, with a 16-1 technical fall in 6:27. In the consolation bracket, Davis met Tyler Roe, of Stevens Tech, and won with an 8-0 major decision, and then outdid Henry Forte, of Williams, with an 8-5 decision. In the consolation semifinals, against fourth-seeded Aiden Smith, of Adrian, Davis was pinned in 1:20 to complete a 31-6 season. Smith finished in eighth place on Saturday.
Woodruff opened with a 7-4 decision over AJ Frescura, of North Central, Illinois, and edged fourth-seeded Cal Dorota, of Wartburg, 1-0 in his second bout. Facing fifth-seeded Ethan Winkelman, of Augsburg, Woodruff was pinned in 5:14, and his day ended with a loss by fall in 4:39 to Gabe Monroe, of the Coast Guard, in the consolation semis to close out a 14-7 campaign. Winkleman finished third in the tournament on Saturday while Monroe was defeated by Dorota in the 7th-8th place match.
Ware scored a 14-4 major decision win over Dan Metzler, of Albright, in his first match, before a 19-2 technical fall loss in 6:46 to third-seed and eventual nation champion Kade Blume, of Wartburg, and a 7-2 decision loss to Ty Trickle, of Trinity, to finish 17-5 on the year.
Wartburg led the 68-team field with 61.5 points after Friday. Penn College was 39th with seven points.
