The No. 7 Lindenwood wrestling squad will send six wrestlers to the NCAA National Championships, after the Lions took third at the 2020 NCAA Division II Super Regional on Sunday in Hays, Kan.
Tanner Hitchcock,
Colby Smith,
Abner Romero, and
Courvoisier Morrow each took home the title in their respective weight classes.
Lindenwood finished with 114 points, while No. 2 McKendree took first place with 126 points. No. 5 Central Oklahoma earned a third place finish, just 3.5 points behind the Bearcats with 122.5 points.
Hitchcock advanced to the semifinal round in the 133-pound weight class with a 6-2 decision victory in his first match of the day. The Basehor, Kan. native took down No. 10 Tyler Lawley with a pin at the 6:29 mark, advancing to the finals. Hitchcock faced No. 8 Cody Krastetter of Central Oklahoma, defeating his counterpart in a 3-2 decision to earn his second-straight regional championship.
No. 4 Smith ran through his first two opponents, winning each match by a pin. The Wentzville, Mo. native shut out No. 2 Brandon Ball of Fort Hays State in a 5-0 victory, handing him just his third loss in the last two years. Ball was a two-time regional champion, and was named an All-American last season. Smith remains undefeated after sweeping his competition in the 141-pound weight class.
No. 7 Romero dominated his competition in the 174-pound weight class, starting with a pin to start his day. The Fresno, Calif. native handled his opponent in the quarterfinal round with a 16-0 tech fall. Romero cruised to the championship match, as he pinned his opponent in just 37 seconds. The 174-pound sophomore took home the title, after defeating his opponent in an 8-0 major decision.
No. 5 Morrow posted three points in each of his first two matches, advancing to the championship bout. After being tied 3-3 heading into the final round, Morrow tallied two takedowns and an escape, earning an 8-4 victory in the 285-pound championship match. Morrow won his second-consecutive regional championship with his three wins on Sunday.
The Lions will advance two others to the National Championship, as No. 2
Carlos Jacquez took third place at 125 pounds, while
Danny Swan took second in his 149-pound weight class. Jacquez picked up a 6-1 decision to start his day, but lost by a pin in the semifinal round. The Aurora, Ill. native posted a 16-1 tech fall, leading to a win or go home match for third place. Jacquez battled No. 4 Tanner Cole to a 6-3 decision to stay alive and advance to the National Championships. The defending national champion, Jacquez now has 100 career wins under his belt.
Swan started his day with a 6-2 decision, before posting an 8-0 major decision in the quarterfinal match. The Oak Forest, Ill. native took down No. 12 Anthony Scantlin of Fort Hays State by a 9-5 decision, advancing to the championship bout. Swan lost by just two points in the 149-pound championship match, but will have a chance to fight for the national title. Swan has now qualified for the national championships and three different weight classes in his career.
Lindenwood will head to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Lions will bring six wrestlers to compete for the national title on March 13-14.
