2022 Lower Midwest Region Preview
Friday & Saturday, February 25 & 26
Five Flags Center – Dubuque, Iowa
Teams (18): Augustana, Buena Vista, Central, Coe, Cornell, Dubuque, Fontbonne, Huntingdon, Loras, Luther, Millikin, Nebraska Wesleyan, North Central, Schreiner, Simpson, University of the Ozarks, Wartburg, Westminster
NWCA Ranked Tournament Teams
1. Wartburg
2. North Central
7. Loras
10. Coe
20. Millikin
Top Ten Ranked Wrestlers – February 4th Ranking
125: #3 Akeo (Central), #4 Rankin (Ozarks), #5 Friddle (Coe), #6 Kyner (Wartburg)
133: #1 Precin (North Central), #2 Pins (Wartburg), #9 Parke (Coe)
141: #3 Estrada (North Central), #6 Terukina (Wartburg)
149: #2 Rumph (Wartburg), #5 Villar (North Central), #6 Areyano (Central)
157: #4 Smith (Loras), #5 Hollingsworth (Wartburg)
165: #1 Birt (Millikin)
174: #2 Mulder (Wartburg), #5 Krakow (Loras), #9 Westphal (Coe)
184: #1 Briggs (Wartburg), #2 Liegel (Loras), #10 Schott (Coe)
197: #1 Baldridge (North Central), #5 Woods (Wartburg), #6 Corn (Luther)
285: #2 Reeves (Coe), #6 Brandon (Wartburg), #8 Vogel (Loras)
With four top ten teams, four #1 ranked wrestlers, and five #2 ranked wrestlers, the Lower Midwest is as tough as ever. Wartburg holds the number one spot, but the title is far from assured with #2 North Central right on their heels and with a dual meet win over the Knights this season. Loras and Coe also have wrestlers throughout the individual rankings. Wrestlers in the top ten (or NWCA top 15) will be left home after this weekend.
Seven of the champions (and 5 runners-up) from last year’s NWCA DIII tournament are expected to compete this weekend in the Lower Midwest. Bradan Birt of Millikin was the Outstanding Wrestler of that tournament and is undefeated this season at 165. He is the only top-ten ranked wrestler at his weight in the region, though as of this writing, 2019 NCAA runner-up at 157 Antwon Pugh is registered for Wartburg. Pugh last stepped on the mat at the 2020 regional for Mount Union and will make his season debut this weekend if he competes.
#3 Shandon Akeo of Central dropped to 125 this season and will tangle with #5 Alex Friddle and #6 Brady Kyner, the finalists at 125 last season. Add #4 Nathaniel Rankin to the mix, and the three spots will be hotly contested with Hensley (Loras), McChesney (Simpson), and Russell (Millikin) adding to the dogfight at the lowest weight.
As of the February 4th rankings, Wartburg had 10 wrestlers appear somewhere on the list, Coe and Loras had 9, and North Central had 8. Seven weights had at least three ranked wrestlers. Just getting to Saturday will be an accomplishment this year, and if one of these teams hopes to win the NCAA championship two weeks later, they will need to have a great performance to make sure they have enough guys left to score in Cedar Rapids.