GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Redshirt freshman
Ryan Wheeler helped pace the Colorado Mesa Mavericks to a third-place team finish at the NCAA Super Region VI Tournament on Saturday (Feb. 26) in Brownson Arena.
The Mavericks finished the tournament in third place with 93.5 points but finished with the second most NCAA National Qualifiers (5) in the field of teams. Overall team champion Nebraska-Kearney accumulated 175.5 points and had the most NCAA National Qualifiers with nine.
University Place, Wash. product
Ryan Wheeler was the Mavericks lone regional champion as he earned an injury default win over Adams State's Josiah Rider at 157 pounds. Wheeler was leading Rider 4-1 and had riding time when Rider came down with an apparent ankle injury. Wheeler has handed Rider both of his losses on the season.
Wheeler defeated Western Colorado's Ryan Wilson 6-2 in the quarterfinals before earning a 6-5 decision over Mason Boutain of San Francisco State to reach the finals match.
It will be Wheeler's first appearance at the NCAA Championships after going 0-2 in last season's tournament at 149 pounds.
197-pounder
Donnie Negus will be making his second consecutive trip to the tournament despite falling in the championship bout to Nebraska-Kearney's Hayden Prince 6-2 in the finals bout. Negus defeated New Mexico Highlands' Luke Allan 11-3 in the quarters before an 11-6 decision over Western Colorado's Porter Fox in the semifinals to confirm his return trip to nationals.
Dawson Collins (125) and
Collin Metzgar (133) each finished in third place after reaching the semifinals at their respective weights. Both rebounded with two wins in the consolation bracket. Collins defeated CSU Pueblo's Parker McBride 6-1 to punch his ticket while Metzgar earned a 2-0 decision over Western Colorado's Alex Alvarez to earn his trip.
Grand Junction product
Seth Latham will be making his second trip to the national tournament after a 14-4 major decision victory over Western Colorado's Cole Hernandez in the third-place match. Latham reached the semifinals at 174 pounds before falling but came back with an 11-2 win over Adams State's Cody Lewis in the consolation semifinal.
Nolan Krone finished in fourth at 184 pounds while freshman
Alex Holguin placed sixth at 165 pounds.
Prior to the finals, Colorado Mesa head coach
Chuck Pipher was awarded the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Super Region VI Coach of the Year after leading the Mavericks to the RMAC Championship and a sixth-place finish at the NWCA National Duals.
The five qualifiers will head to St. Louis in two weeks for the NCAA National Championships.
