Last week, the Elizabethtown College wrestling team traveled to La Crosse, Wis. for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. The team took to the La Crosse Center for their matches on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16, looking to cap off their strong seasons in a positive way.
Fourth-year Dylan Waller did just that for the Blue Jays. He came away with a sixth-place finish in the 285 weight class by the weekend’s end, earning All-American honors for Etown. His run through the bracket saw him win two matchups to advance to the semifinals.
As the eight seed going into the day, Waller took down his opening round opponent in nail biting fashion. He’d earn a takedown in the waning seconds to win the match 4-3 and move on to face the top seed in his weight class. There, he’d earn the upset victory by way of pinfall, clinching a top six finish and a semifinal match. Unfortunately, Waller’s run ended there. He would lose 4-2 in his semifinal matchup and in a match for fifth place, he’d lose 6-4. Still, Waller showed out in an impressive showing, proving to be one of the top wrestlers in his weight class.
There were a few other student athletes that had the opportunity to make some noise in this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships. Graduate student Brian Schneider, second-year Ganon Smith and fourth-year Ethan Liptzin also competed in the tournament for the Blue Jays.
Schneider booked a trip to the quarterfinals in the 165 weight class, following a close win in the opening round that saw him taking the victory by a 10-9 decision. However, he’d fall in the quarterfinals 2-0 by decision.
For Smith, it was his first chance to compete in the NCAA Championships. After making the trip last year, the second-year was unable to compete due to an injury he suffered. This year, he notched a 10-6 win in the 174 weight class, also making it to the quarterfinals. However, his run would also end there by way of a 6-4 loss.
This was the first year Liptzin qualified for the Championships. While he was unable to capture a win, the wrestler for the 125 weight class had a successful season.
The NCAA Championships culminated a fantastic season for the Blue Jays. The team finished with an 11-1 record and added two wins in the Blue Jay Classic and Ken Ober Memorial Tournament. They’ve without a doubt proved to be one of the top teams in NCAA Division III wrestling this season.
