Friday, March 10
Birmingham, Ala.
8:00 AM
California Baptist University
vs
NCAA Division II Championships
Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Magnificent Seven Head to Nationals
3/9/2017 1:49:00 PM | Wrestling
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A historic run at the NCAA Division II regional round has California Baptist University in position to make more history at the Division II Championships this weekend.
After winning the program's first NCAA Super Region IV title, the Lancers shot up from 13th to sixth in the final NCAA D-II poll and third in the Power Rankings headed into nationals. CBU is in position to surpass those rankings, as it is tied for the third most national qualifiers, with seven, this weekend at the Birmingham Crossplex.
"It's a mix of being excited and a little stress going into the tournament," Coach Lennie Zalesky said. "To get seven here, you have to say that was a success.
"We have done things right, we kind of start slow and picked things up at the right time. These guys won a lot of battles inside."
St. Cloud State qualified a tournament-high nine, followed by Notre Dame (Ohio)'s eight, while Ashland is tied with CBU for third with seven. The Lancers finished sixth in Division II in 2016, with five national qualifiers and four All-Americans, including the heavyweight champion in graduate Joe Fagiano.
"My expectations is they wrestle like they did at regionals," Zalesky said. "Obviously, with how they did, you would have to say they performed at their peak two weeks ago."
Jacob Waste and Nolan Kistler are back looking to repeat as All-Americans, but each have higher hopes than a top-eight finish, along with Nick Fiegener, after the trio won their regional championships. Peter Cunningham, Christian Smith and Paul Head advanced after taking third in the region, while Daxton Gordon qualified as a fourth-place finisher.
"At the end of the day, we each have a job," Waste said. "As long as we go out and perform to the best of our abilities and as hard as we can, the stars will align for us. It's a matter of work and a little bit of grit at the national tournament."
Waste has been the top-ranked 197-pounder in Division II for most of the season and has had his eyes on a national championship for his final season. The senior finished fifth and third as a 184 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. After winning the individual Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Regional titles, he brings in a 28-3 record and 21-match winning streak into nationals. He will face Mercyhurst's Wes Phipps in the first round.
"We can do it, if we wrestle to the best of our abilities, I genuinely think we can do it," Waste said. "A national title is obviously on the line, but individual national titles are first – we start there. I am excited for the opportunity to wrestle with these guys."
Fiegener quickly made himself into a legitimate contender for the 184 crown, and comes in ranked second in D-II, with a 32-2 record and 22-straight victories that led to RMAC and Regional championships. The redshirt sophomore has never competed at the D-II Championships but wrestled at the Division I Nationals in 2015 with Cal Poly. Fiegener will face Jared Chambers of Tiffin in the first round.
Kistler went into the Regionals with a low seed after taking third in the RMAC, but overcame that for a convincing run to the Super Region title. The junior qualified for the D-II Championships the last two years and took seventh at 165 in 2016. The Riverside native holds a 25-9 record and has not lost a match since Feb. 4th, giving him eight-straight wins. Kistler will take on Central Missouri's Cody Carson in the first round.
"This is a moment where we can expel everything that we've worked for this year," Kistler said. "We get to go out there and show all the work we've put in this year, there's one last tournament to put it all on the stage in a big arena."
Head qualified for nationals for the second time in his career, this time as a heavyweight. The senior brings a 26-10 record and runner-up finish in the RMAC into this week. He squares off with Augustana's Michael Lowman in the first round.
Cunningham, a first time national qualifier, enters ranked 12th at 141 pounds, with a 19-4 record in that weight class. The junior will scrap with Notre Dame (Ohio)'s Cobey Fehr to start out NCAAs.
Gordon could go on a long nationals run, as the redshirt freshman has a 19-5 record and won the RMAC's 149 champion. He will face Northern State's Tyler Stenberg in round one.
Smith looks to keep his incredible run going, with an 11-4 record and 8-3 mark at 165. The junior will go up against Mercyhurst's Francis Mizia in the first round.
NCAA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKETS
After winning the program's first NCAA Super Region IV title, the Lancers shot up from 13th to sixth in the final NCAA D-II poll and third in the Power Rankings headed into nationals. CBU is in position to surpass those rankings, as it is tied for the third most national qualifiers, with seven, this weekend at the Birmingham Crossplex.
"It's a mix of being excited and a little stress going into the tournament," Coach Lennie Zalesky said. "To get seven here, you have to say that was a success.
"We have done things right, we kind of start slow and picked things up at the right time. These guys won a lot of battles inside."
St. Cloud State qualified a tournament-high nine, followed by Notre Dame (Ohio)'s eight, while Ashland is tied with CBU for third with seven. The Lancers finished sixth in Division II in 2016, with five national qualifiers and four All-Americans, including the heavyweight champion in graduate Joe Fagiano.
"My expectations is they wrestle like they did at regionals," Zalesky said. "Obviously, with how they did, you would have to say they performed at their peak two weeks ago."
Jacob Waste and Nolan Kistler are back looking to repeat as All-Americans, but each have higher hopes than a top-eight finish, along with Nick Fiegener, after the trio won their regional championships. Peter Cunningham, Christian Smith and Paul Head advanced after taking third in the region, while Daxton Gordon qualified as a fourth-place finisher.
"At the end of the day, we each have a job," Waste said. "As long as we go out and perform to the best of our abilities and as hard as we can, the stars will align for us. It's a matter of work and a little bit of grit at the national tournament."
Waste has been the top-ranked 197-pounder in Division II for most of the season and has had his eyes on a national championship for his final season. The senior finished fifth and third as a 184 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. After winning the individual Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Regional titles, he brings in a 28-3 record and 21-match winning streak into nationals. He will face Mercyhurst's Wes Phipps in the first round.
"We can do it, if we wrestle to the best of our abilities, I genuinely think we can do it," Waste said. "A national title is obviously on the line, but individual national titles are first – we start there. I am excited for the opportunity to wrestle with these guys."
Fiegener quickly made himself into a legitimate contender for the 184 crown, and comes in ranked second in D-II, with a 32-2 record and 22-straight victories that led to RMAC and Regional championships. The redshirt sophomore has never competed at the D-II Championships but wrestled at the Division I Nationals in 2015 with Cal Poly. Fiegener will face Jared Chambers of Tiffin in the first round.
Kistler went into the Regionals with a low seed after taking third in the RMAC, but overcame that for a convincing run to the Super Region title. The junior qualified for the D-II Championships the last two years and took seventh at 165 in 2016. The Riverside native holds a 25-9 record and has not lost a match since Feb. 4th, giving him eight-straight wins. Kistler will take on Central Missouri's Cody Carson in the first round.
"This is a moment where we can expel everything that we've worked for this year," Kistler said. "We get to go out there and show all the work we've put in this year, there's one last tournament to put it all on the stage in a big arena."
Head qualified for nationals for the second time in his career, this time as a heavyweight. The senior brings a 26-10 record and runner-up finish in the RMAC into this week. He squares off with Augustana's Michael Lowman in the first round.
Cunningham, a first time national qualifier, enters ranked 12th at 141 pounds, with a 19-4 record in that weight class. The junior will scrap with Notre Dame (Ohio)'s Cobey Fehr to start out NCAAs.
Gordon could go on a long nationals run, as the redshirt freshman has a 19-5 record and won the RMAC's 149 champion. He will face Northern State's Tyler Stenberg in round one.
Smith looks to keep his incredible run going, with an 11-4 record and 8-3 mark at 165. The junior will go up against Mercyhurst's Francis Mizia in the first round.
NCAA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKETS
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