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Liberty dominates NCWA Nationals with seven men’s champions; Big Bend CC wins women’s title
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photo of Liberty wrestler celebrating by Jim Thrall, Mat Focus.
ALLEN, Texas – In one of the most dominating performances in the 25 year history of the NCWA Nationals, Liberty won the team title with seven individual champions, winning all but one of its finals matches in the men’s division.
Liberty’s men’s champions, with their seeds, were: No. 2 Dante Mininno (125), No. 2 Logan Robertson (133), No. 8 Ian Mcilhenny (157), No. 2 Blake Barrick (184), No. 2 Josiah Murphy (197), No. 1 Jeffrey Allen (235) and No. 1 Frederick Weaver (285).
Liberty scored 239 points, an impressive 95.5 points ahead of runner-up Apprentice with 133.5 points. Placing third was Grays Harbor with 127 points.
There was no NCWA Nationals in 2021 due to the pandemic. Two of the 2020 champions were champions again, Liberty’s Allen at 235 and No. 1 seed Ty’rae Carter of Texas A&M at 149. For Carter, it was a third NCWA National title.
Other individual men’s champions were Thomas Mccane of Florida (141), Antonino Tranchida of Macomb CC (165) and Luke Lardarello (Penn State Mont Alto (174).
Big Bend CC won the women’s division, scoring 115.5 points, followed by Ottawa-Arizona with 73.5 points and Grays Harbor with 72.5 points.
Big Bend champions were Miranda Dibenedetto (109) and Michelle Kamyshin (170). Grays Harbor had the most individual champions with three: Tatum Pine (130), Grace Miller (136) and Jocelyn Fierro (143).
Other individual women’s champions were Hermelinda Mendoza of Ottawa-Arizona (101), Brenna Andres of Winona State (116), Lauren Stone of Florida (123), Maggie Palmore of Tampa (155), Sarah Sams of M.I.T. (191) and Katie Moore (Stony Brook (235).
NCWA NATIONALS
At Allen, Texas
Men’s results
125 LBS
1st Dante Mininno (Liberty) DEC Bruno Alves (Apprentice), 10-6
3rd Donnie Krissak (Grays Harbor) DEC Noah Cortez (Grays Harbor), 4-3
5th Dylan Beddow (Springfield Tech) DEC Jaylen Fyffe (Liberty), 5-0
7th Carlos Dewinter (Penn State WC) F Aiden Connors (North Texas), 2:11
133 LBS
1st Logan Robertson (Liberty) DEC Zachary Foote (Iowa State WC), 2-0
3rd Michael Gonzalez (Springfield Tech) DEC Rahsun Lawrence (East Carolina), 5-2 TB2
5th Dillon Messick (Apprentice) F Michael Hazelton (Macomb CC), 1:13
7th Keith Skaggs (M.I.T.) DEC Dawson Downing (UNLV), 7-0
141 LBS
1st Thomas Mccane (Florida) MD Zachary Ortega (Apprentice), 11-2
3rd Raekwon Jackson (Apprentice) DEC Jacob Grogan (Texas A&M), 4-3
5th Garrett Good (Liberty) F Saul Rocha (Grays Harbor), 1:58
7th Daniel Allor (Ferris State) DEC Josiah Johnson (Washington State), 11-4
149 LBS
1st Ty'rae Carter (Texas A&M) TF Andrew Halko (Akron), 22-7 5:39
3rd Parker Watson (Ohio State WC) DEC Joey Murphy (Grand Valley State), 7-3
5th Michael Canada (UNLV) M FOR Joseph Med ff - pecaitis (Penn State WC), 0-0 0:00
7th Elijah Gandert (Grays Harbor) DEC Charles Hudson (Liberty), 7-6
157 LBS
1st Ian Mcilhenny (Liberty) DEC Hayden Mccandless (Florida), 8-4 SV
3rd Zachery Snyder (Toledo) DEC Wayne Lamont (Stony Brook), 14-10
5th Yury Pozdneev (Ohio State WC) M FOR Moustapha Bal (Ohio State WC)
7th Levi Field (Emory & Henry) F Nathan Egbalic (UNLV), 3:37
165 LBS
1st Antonino Tranchida (Macomb CC) DEC David Over (Liberty), 11-7
3rd Nicholas Martino (Fresno State WC) DEC Isaac Manning (Clemson), 10-3
5th Benjamin Blickle (Ohio State WC) M FOR Calvin Kopstein (James Madison)
7th Justin Perez (Springfield Tech) DEC Karter Kares (Grays Harbor), 4-2
174 LBS
1st Luke Lardarello (Penn State Mont Alto) DEC Grigol Khochiashvili (Temple), 3-2 TB2
3rd John Arentz (Penn State WC) F Julian Kennedy (Ottawa-Arizona), 0:22
5th Drew Doscher (Clemson) F Ryan Cummings (Grays Harbor), 2:14
7th Zachary Wolanin (Ohio State WC) M FOR Riley Hackworth (Florida)
184 LBS
1st Blake Barrick (Liberty) DEC Seth Konynenbelt (Grand Valley State), 7-3
3rd Ben Liss (Rutgers WC) DEC Tim Saunders (USC), 10-8
5th Shane Mcadams (Penn State WC) DEC Graham Carson (Ohio State WC), 4-2
7th Desmond Bowers (Grays Harbor) MD Zion James (Central Florida), 10-1
197 LBS
1st Josiah Murphy (Liberty) DEC Sione Halo (Grays Harbor), 3-1 SV
3rd Matthew Abraham (Toledo) DEC Danny Starr (Penn State WC), 6-0
5th Michael Jackson (Allen) DEC Joseph Posledni (Grand Valley State), 12-7
7th Jesse Redding (Liberty) DEC Stephano Magny (Springfield Tech), 9-4
235 LBS
1st Jeffrey Allen (Liberty) DEC John Pierce (Apprentice), 2-0
3rd Conner Murty (Iowa State WC) F Zeke Alleman (Dixie State), 4:47
5th Shawn Conniff (Springfield Tech) FOR Octavio Ff - alejandre (Grays Harbor), 0-0
7th Elias Khamisy (Penn State WC) DEC Blaine Nye (Colorado State), 3-1
285 LBS
1st Frederick Weaver (Liberty) F Peter Cortapasso (Apprentice), 4:54
3rd Thomas Hudson (East Carolina) vs. Michael Morales (Central Florida)
5th Jayson Roy (Michigan WC) F Caleb Corrigan (Rowan), 3:16
7th Claudio Williams (Florida State) vs. Jaden Vilvert (Florida A&M)
Men’s Team Standings
1 Liberty 229
2 Apprentice 133.5
3 Grays Harbor 127
4 Penn State WC 106
5 Ohio State WC 96
6 Springfield Tech 85.5
7 Grand Valley State 83.5
8 Texas A&M 78
8 UNLV 78
10 Florida 71.5
11 Central Florida 69.5
12 Ottawa-Arizona 61.5
13 Iowa State WC 58
14 Toledo 56
15 Macomb CC 44
16 East Carolina 41
17 Rowan 39.5
18 Penn State Mont Alto 38.5
19 Clemson 36.5
20 Washington State 34.5
(Of 64 teams)
Women’s Results
101 LBS
1st Hermelinda Mendoza (Ottawa-Arizona) F Xochitl Tafoya (Big Bend CC), 2:29
3rd Ariel Kamat (Texas A&M)
109 LBS
1st Miranda Dibenedetto (Big Bend CC) DEC Sara Gayton (Ottawa-Arizona), 5-1
3rd Daniela Suttles (Grand Canyon) DEF Griselda Cuevas (Western Washington)
116 LBS
1st Brenna Andres (Winona State) DEC Kira Emma (Texas-Arlington), 8-2
3rd Mercaydeez Scott (Ferris State) F Mikayla Jardine (Big Bend CC), 1:57
123 LBS
1st Lauren Stone (Florida) F Erin Aragon (Apprentice), 5:25
3rd Viveca Pannell (M.I.T.) DEC Mia Armstrong (Texas-Arlington), 8-6
130 LBS
1st Tatum Pine (Grays Harbor) DEC Serenity Thomas (Toledo), 8-7
3rd Marissa Riojas (Grays Harbor) F Katherine Cuellar (Ottawa-Arizona), 6:45
136 LBS
1st Grace Miller (Grays Harbor) F Samantha Tuttle (Grand Canyon), 4:56
3rd Julie Wilson (Washington State) F Gisselle Kiehne (Big Bend CC), 2:49
143 LBS
1st Jocelyn Fierro (Grays Harbor) MD Terri Ajifu (Pacific Lutheran), 15-7
3rd Iyanla Thomas (Ottawa-Arizona) DEC Sitaly Macias (Big Bend CC), 4-3
155 LBS
1st Maggie Palmore (Tampa) TF Avery Ackerman (Big Bend CC), 17-2 7:00
3rd Anayka Besco (Dixie State) F Andrea Jones (Grays Harbor), 2:15
170 LBS
1st Michelle Kamyshin (Big Bend CC) F Veronica Palmer (Ottawa-Arizona), 1:41
3rd Maile Ka'ahanui (Liberty) F Samantha Meyer (Big Bend CC), 5:49
191 LBS
1st Sarah Sams (M.I.T.) DEC Kiley Hubby (Big Bend CC), 11-7
3rd Renaeh Ureste (Grays Harbor) F Rebekah Kemper (Liberty), 0:37
235 LBS
1st Katie Moore (Stony Brook) F Mikayla Duran (Big Bend CC), 0:17
3rd Trinty Robinson (Ottawa-Arizona) DEC Jessica Emerson (Ottawa-Arizona), 9-3
Women’s Team Standings
1 Big Bend CC 115.5
2 Ottawa-Arizona 73.5
3 Grays Harbor 72.5
4 M.I.T. 27.5
4 Texas-Arlington 27.5
6 Grand Canyon 24.5
7 Florida 21.5
8 Liberty 20.5
9 Tampa 18.5
10 Stony Brook 18
11 Apprentice 17
12 Western Washington 16.5
13 Toledo 16
14 Winona State 15
15 Tennessee 14.5
16 Pacific Lutheran 13
16 Texas 13
18 Dixie State 12.5
18 Ferris State 12.5
18 Washington State 12.5
ALLEN, Texas – In one of the most dominating performances in the 25 year history of the NCWA Nationals, Liberty won the team title with seven individual champions, winning all but one of its finals matches in the men’s division.
Liberty’s men’s champions, with their seeds, were: No. 2 Dante Mininno (125), No. 2 Logan Robertson (133), No. 8 Ian Mcilhenny (157), No. 2 Blake Barrick (184), No. 2 Josiah Murphy (197), No. 1 Jeffrey Allen (235) and No. 1 Frederick Weaver (285).
Liberty scored 239 points, an impressive 95.5 points ahead of runner-up Apprentice with 133.5 points. Placing third was Grays Harbor with 127 points.
There was no NCWA Nationals in 2021 due to the pandemic. Two of the 2020 champions were champions again, Liberty’s Allen at 235 and No. 1 seed Ty’rae Carter of Texas A&M at 149. For Carter, it was a third NCWA National title.
Other individual men’s champions were Thomas Mccane of Florida (141), Antonino Tranchida of Macomb CC (165) and Luke Lardarello (Penn State Mont Alto (174).
Big Bend CC won the women’s division, scoring 115.5 points, followed by Ottawa-Arizona with 73.5 points and Grays Harbor with 72.5 points.
Big Bend champions were Miranda Dibenedetto (109) and Michelle Kamyshin (170). Grays Harbor had the most individual champions with three: Tatum Pine (130), Grace Miller (136) and Jocelyn Fierro (143).
Other individual women’s champions were Hermelinda Mendoza of Ottawa-Arizona (101), Brenna Andres of Winona State (116), Lauren Stone of Florida (123), Maggie Palmore of Tampa (155), Sarah Sams of M.I.T. (191) and Katie Moore (Stony Brook (235).
NCWA NATIONALS
At Allen, Texas
Men’s results
125 LBS
1st Dante Mininno (Liberty) DEC Bruno Alves (Apprentice), 10-6
3rd Donnie Krissak (Grays Harbor) DEC Noah Cortez (Grays Harbor), 4-3
5th Dylan Beddow (Springfield Tech) DEC Jaylen Fyffe (Liberty), 5-0
7th Carlos Dewinter (Penn State WC) F Aiden Connors (North Texas), 2:11
133 LBS
1st Logan Robertson (Liberty) DEC Zachary Foote (Iowa State WC), 2-0
3rd Michael Gonzalez (Springfield Tech) DEC Rahsun Lawrence (East Carolina), 5-2 TB2
5th Dillon Messick (Apprentice) F Michael Hazelton (Macomb CC), 1:13
7th Keith Skaggs (M.I.T.) DEC Dawson Downing (UNLV), 7-0
141 LBS
1st Thomas Mccane (Florida) MD Zachary Ortega (Apprentice), 11-2
3rd Raekwon Jackson (Apprentice) DEC Jacob Grogan (Texas A&M), 4-3
5th Garrett Good (Liberty) F Saul Rocha (Grays Harbor), 1:58
7th Daniel Allor (Ferris State) DEC Josiah Johnson (Washington State), 11-4
149 LBS
1st Ty'rae Carter (Texas A&M) TF Andrew Halko (Akron), 22-7 5:39
3rd Parker Watson (Ohio State WC) DEC Joey Murphy (Grand Valley State), 7-3
5th Michael Canada (UNLV) M FOR Joseph Med ff - pecaitis (Penn State WC), 0-0 0:00
7th Elijah Gandert (Grays Harbor) DEC Charles Hudson (Liberty), 7-6
157 LBS
1st Ian Mcilhenny (Liberty) DEC Hayden Mccandless (Florida), 8-4 SV
3rd Zachery Snyder (Toledo) DEC Wayne Lamont (Stony Brook), 14-10
5th Yury Pozdneev (Ohio State WC) M FOR Moustapha Bal (Ohio State WC)
7th Levi Field (Emory & Henry) F Nathan Egbalic (UNLV), 3:37
165 LBS
1st Antonino Tranchida (Macomb CC) DEC David Over (Liberty), 11-7
3rd Nicholas Martino (Fresno State WC) DEC Isaac Manning (Clemson), 10-3
5th Benjamin Blickle (Ohio State WC) M FOR Calvin Kopstein (James Madison)
7th Justin Perez (Springfield Tech) DEC Karter Kares (Grays Harbor), 4-2
174 LBS
1st Luke Lardarello (Penn State Mont Alto) DEC Grigol Khochiashvili (Temple), 3-2 TB2
3rd John Arentz (Penn State WC) F Julian Kennedy (Ottawa-Arizona), 0:22
5th Drew Doscher (Clemson) F Ryan Cummings (Grays Harbor), 2:14
7th Zachary Wolanin (Ohio State WC) M FOR Riley Hackworth (Florida)
184 LBS
1st Blake Barrick (Liberty) DEC Seth Konynenbelt (Grand Valley State), 7-3
3rd Ben Liss (Rutgers WC) DEC Tim Saunders (USC), 10-8
5th Shane Mcadams (Penn State WC) DEC Graham Carson (Ohio State WC), 4-2
7th Desmond Bowers (Grays Harbor) MD Zion James (Central Florida), 10-1
197 LBS
1st Josiah Murphy (Liberty) DEC Sione Halo (Grays Harbor), 3-1 SV
3rd Matthew Abraham (Toledo) DEC Danny Starr (Penn State WC), 6-0
5th Michael Jackson (Allen) DEC Joseph Posledni (Grand Valley State), 12-7
7th Jesse Redding (Liberty) DEC Stephano Magny (Springfield Tech), 9-4
235 LBS
1st Jeffrey Allen (Liberty) DEC John Pierce (Apprentice), 2-0
3rd Conner Murty (Iowa State WC) F Zeke Alleman (Dixie State), 4:47
5th Shawn Conniff (Springfield Tech) FOR Octavio Ff - alejandre (Grays Harbor), 0-0
7th Elias Khamisy (Penn State WC) DEC Blaine Nye (Colorado State), 3-1
285 LBS
1st Frederick Weaver (Liberty) F Peter Cortapasso (Apprentice), 4:54
3rd Thomas Hudson (East Carolina) vs. Michael Morales (Central Florida)
5th Jayson Roy (Michigan WC) F Caleb Corrigan (Rowan), 3:16
7th Claudio Williams (Florida State) vs. Jaden Vilvert (Florida A&M)
Men’s Team Standings
1 Liberty 229
2 Apprentice 133.5
3 Grays Harbor 127
4 Penn State WC 106
5 Ohio State WC 96
6 Springfield Tech 85.5
7 Grand Valley State 83.5
8 Texas A&M 78
8 UNLV 78
10 Florida 71.5
11 Central Florida 69.5
12 Ottawa-Arizona 61.5
13 Iowa State WC 58
14 Toledo 56
15 Macomb CC 44
16 East Carolina 41
17 Rowan 39.5
18 Penn State Mont Alto 38.5
19 Clemson 36.5
20 Washington State 34.5
(Of 64 teams)
Women’s Results
101 LBS
1st Hermelinda Mendoza (Ottawa-Arizona) F Xochitl Tafoya (Big Bend CC), 2:29
3rd Ariel Kamat (Texas A&M)
109 LBS
1st Miranda Dibenedetto (Big Bend CC) DEC Sara Gayton (Ottawa-Arizona), 5-1
3rd Daniela Suttles (Grand Canyon) DEF Griselda Cuevas (Western Washington)
116 LBS
1st Brenna Andres (Winona State) DEC Kira Emma (Texas-Arlington), 8-2
3rd Mercaydeez Scott (Ferris State) F Mikayla Jardine (Big Bend CC), 1:57
123 LBS
1st Lauren Stone (Florida) F Erin Aragon (Apprentice), 5:25
3rd Viveca Pannell (M.I.T.) DEC Mia Armstrong (Texas-Arlington), 8-6
130 LBS
1st Tatum Pine (Grays Harbor) DEC Serenity Thomas (Toledo), 8-7
3rd Marissa Riojas (Grays Harbor) F Katherine Cuellar (Ottawa-Arizona), 6:45
136 LBS
1st Grace Miller (Grays Harbor) F Samantha Tuttle (Grand Canyon), 4:56
3rd Julie Wilson (Washington State) F Gisselle Kiehne (Big Bend CC), 2:49
143 LBS
1st Jocelyn Fierro (Grays Harbor) MD Terri Ajifu (Pacific Lutheran), 15-7
3rd Iyanla Thomas (Ottawa-Arizona) DEC Sitaly Macias (Big Bend CC), 4-3
155 LBS
1st Maggie Palmore (Tampa) TF Avery Ackerman (Big Bend CC), 17-2 7:00
3rd Anayka Besco (Dixie State) F Andrea Jones (Grays Harbor), 2:15
170 LBS
1st Michelle Kamyshin (Big Bend CC) F Veronica Palmer (Ottawa-Arizona), 1:41
3rd Maile Ka'ahanui (Liberty) F Samantha Meyer (Big Bend CC), 5:49
191 LBS
1st Sarah Sams (M.I.T.) DEC Kiley Hubby (Big Bend CC), 11-7
3rd Renaeh Ureste (Grays Harbor) F Rebekah Kemper (Liberty), 0:37
235 LBS
1st Katie Moore (Stony Brook) F Mikayla Duran (Big Bend CC), 0:17
3rd Trinty Robinson (Ottawa-Arizona) DEC Jessica Emerson (Ottawa-Arizona), 9-3
Women’s Team Standings
1 Big Bend CC 115.5
2 Ottawa-Arizona 73.5
3 Grays Harbor 72.5
4 M.I.T. 27.5
4 Texas-Arlington 27.5
6 Grand Canyon 24.5
7 Florida 21.5
8 Liberty 20.5
9 Tampa 18.5
10 Stony Brook 18
11 Apprentice 17
12 Western Washington 16.5
13 Toledo 16
14 Winona State 15
15 Tennessee 14.5
16 Pacific Lutheran 13
16 Texas 13
18 Dixie State 12.5
18 Ferris State 12.5
18 Washington State 12.5