Lindenwood wrestlers Tanner Hitchcock, Colby Smith, Gavin Londoff and Abner Romero each won Super Regional IV Championships Sunday evening in Edmond, Okla. Lindenwood qualified five wrestlers for the 2021 NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships, as all four winners plus Ronnie Gentile earned automatic invitations to the championships to be held at America's Center in St. Louis, Mo on March 12-13.  There are five "wild card" qualifiers that will be announced at a later date.

The team trophy was not awarded following the championship due to some scoring issues and the team scoring is being recalculated.  The four regional champions are tied for the most regional champions in school history.  Last season, the Lions also had four champions including Hitchcock, Smith and Romero who also won the regional championship before the season was cut short.

Ranked No. 6 nationally, Hitchcock, won his third-straight 133lb Regional Championship by virtue of 6-3 decision over No. 7 ranked Tyler Krieth (Maryville).  Hitchcock, a redshirt junior, went 4-0 on the day including a tech fall in the opening round and a 5-3 sudden victory in the quarterfinals before winning a 3-2 decision over Tanner Cole (UCO) to earn a berth in the finals.

Coming into regionals ranked No. 2 in the nation at 141lb, Smith proved his ranking by dominating the Super Regional IV field by winning his early matches by fall over Caleb Craig (Ky. Wesleyan) and a major decision over Nate Keim (UCO).  In the finals Smith pinned No. 8 Devin Schwatzkopf (McKendree) in the finals to win back-to-back Super Regional IV championships.

It took overtime in the finals, but Londoff, who entered the regional at top ranked 149lb wrestling in Division II, defeated Gabe Johnson (UCO) by earning a 3-1 sudden victory to win his second Super Regional IV Championship. Londoff won his first match by fall over Alex Thyes (Ouachita Baptist) and his second match with a 14-0 major decision over Baylor Smith (Newman).

One of the several matches on the day that featured nationally ranked competition, in the finals at 174lb, No. 1 ranked Romero defeated No. 4 Josh Jones (McKendree) 3-2 in the finals to earn his second Super Regional Championship. Romero earned bonus points in each of his earlier matches, his opening match was won by technical fall and his semifinal match was a major decision.

No. 3 ranked Ronnie Gentile overcame a loss in the semifinals to eventual winner and No 9 Ty Lucas (UCO), but won his next three matches including a true second place victory over Anthony Scanlin (Fort Hays) to finish in second place at 157lb. Like Gentile, at 125lb Cevion Severado also lost a tough overtime match in the semifinals, and eventually finished in third place on the day.    

Nate Trepanier, who started his day by pinning of Emmett Kuntz (UCM) dropped a 4-2 sudden victory decision to Cory Patterson (McKendree) in the championship match.  Treprainer was forced to wrestle for a true second place finish and fell to No. 2 ranked 165lb Kameron Frame (Newman) 3-1.

Kyle Dickhaus went 2-2 at 184lb  on the day for Lions, including a 15-3 decision over Clink Herrick (Fort Hays State) in the consolation semifinals and finished 4^th.  For Lindenwood at 285lb, Michael Kramer continued his streak of six first round pins, as he beat Johnny Green (Ouachita Baptist) but ended the day 1-2.  At 197lb, after winning his opening round match, Colton Clingenpeel had to injury default the remainder of his matches.