Panthers advance three to NCAA-II National Tournament

EDMOND, Okla.– For the first time in program history, Drury will send three wrestlers to the NCAA-II national championship tournament as Peter Kuster, Caden Howard and Will Kuster advanced through Sunday’s NCAA-II Super Regional in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Sunday. 
 
Kuster, a fifth-year season from Jefferson City, Missouri, reached the regional championship match in the 141-pound division. He started with the tournament with a win by Fall in 1:16 over Hudson Herring of Ouachita Baptist. Kuster won an 8-1 decision in the semifinals against Ray Rioux of Indianapolis to reach the title round. Kuster then met nationally-ranked Nate Keim from Central Oklahoma, continuing a four-year rivalry between the two combatants. Keim edged Kuster 3-2 to win the title, but Kuster’s second-place finish advances him to the national meet. It is Kuster’s second-straight runner-up finish at the Midwest Regional. He will head to the national meet with an 18-3 record and this will be his third career trip to nationals.
 
Caden Howard finished third in the regional at 125 pounds, also good enough to reach nationals. Howard got a quarterfinal win by Fall over Aiden Haggard of Maryville. Christian Mejia, ranked 12^th nationally, defeated Howard in the semifinals as the McKendree product earned a 6-1. Howard, a sophomore from Lexena, Kansas, bounced back with a 6-3 win over Aiden Sprague from Indianapolis in the consolation semifinal. Howard then defeated Dylan Sheler of Newman 6-3 to finish third and advance to nationals. He owns a 19-8 record for the season.
 
Will Kuster advanced to the national meet with a third place in the 165-pound division. Kuster picked up a forfeit win in the first round, then won 6-0 in the quarterfinals over Central Missouri’s Nolan Saale. Kuster’s semifinal match went to overtime and Ty Lucas, ranked eighth nationally in the weight class, got a sudden-victory 3-1 win. Will Kuster advanced to the medal round with a 4-3 win over Cole Ritter from Maryville. Kuster faced Saale in a rematch for third place and blanked him again, 4-0, to clinch a bid to the national tournament and advance with a 21-5 record. His 21 wins are tied for the fourth-most in program history.
 
Two other Drury wrestlers were in the medal round and were one win away from advancing to nationals. 174-pounder Ethan Smith won three times on Sunday and was edged 2-1 by Owen Butler of Indianapolis in the third place match. Heavyweight Thomas Massengale won twice by Fall and reached the third place match but fell to Indianapolis’ Cale Grey. 
 
“We qualified and placed more in the Super Regional than we ever have,” said Drury head coach James Reynolds. “There were some bittersweet moments today, but overall, our team came up a level. Now we look forward to Caden, Peter and Will wrestling in the national championships.”
 
The most Drury has previously sent to the national championship was two in 2021 and 2020.
 
This year’s NCAA-II wrestling championship is March 10-11 at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Drury Results in NCAA-II Regional
125
Caden Howard (19-8) placed 3rd
Champ. Round 1 – Caden Howard (Drury) 19-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Caden Howard (Drury) 19-8 won by fall over Aidan Haggard (Maryville) 7-17 (Fall 2:01)
Semifinal – Christian Mejia (McKendree) 23-6 won by decision over Caden Howard (Drury) 19-8 (Dec 6-1)
Cons. Semi – Caden Howard (Drury) 19-8 won by decision over Aidan Sprague (Indianapolis) 13-6 (Dec 6-3)
3rd Place Match – Caden Howard (Drury) 19-8 won by decision over Dylan Sheler (Newman) 22-18 (Dec 6-3)
 
133
Brandon Borlinghaus (6-5)
Champ. Round 1 – Brandon Borlinghaus (Drury) 6-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – JP Homfeld (Maryville) 23-9 won by decision over Brandon Borlinghaus (Drury) 6-5 (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 2 – Brandon Borlinghaus (Drury) 6-5 won by major decision over Hunter Vernon (Quincy) 9-18 (MD 13-3)
Cons. Round 3 – Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis) 18-4 won by decision over Brandon Borlinghaus (Drury) 6-5 (Dec 11-4)
 
141
Peter Kuster (18-3) placed 2^nd
Champ. Round 1 – Peter Kuster (Drury) 18-3 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Peter Kuster (Drury) 18-3 won by fall over Hudson Herring (Ouachita Baptist) 8-14 (Fall 1:16)
Semifinal – Peter Kuster (Drury) 18-3 won by decision over Ray Rioux (Indianapolis) 24-11 (Dec 8-1)
1st Place Match – Nate Keim (Central Oklahoma) 23-6 won by decision over Peter Kuster (Drury) 18-3 (Dec 3-2)
 
149
Trevor Christian (6-11)
Champ. Round 1 – Trevor Christian (Drury) 6-11 won by decision over Logan Rathjen (McKendree) 6-10 (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal – Jackson Hoover (Indianapolis) 23-10 won by decision over Trevor Christian (Drury) 6-11 (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Hunter Dietrich (Newman) 14-21 won by fall over Trevor Christian (Drury) 6-11 (Fall 1:17)
 
157
Jon O`Connell (13-13)
Champ. Round 1 – Jon O`Connell (Drury) 13-13 won in tie breaker – 1 over JD Culp (Central Missouri) 22-14 (TB-1 2-1)
Quarterfinal – Donavan Whitted (Maryville) 13-4 won by decision over Jon O`Connell (Drury) 13-13 (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 2 – Gavin Morawitz (Quincy) 9-17 won by decision over Jon O`Connell (Drury) 13-13 (Dec 11-10)
 
165
Will Kuster (21-5) placed 3rd
Champ. Round 1 – Will Kuster (Drury) 21-5 won by forfeit over Chris Mapp (Newman) 14-12 (For.)
Quarterfinal – Will Kuster (Drury) 21-5 won by decision over Nolan Saale (Central Missouri) 13-8 (Dec 6-0)
Semifinal – Ty Lucas (Central Oklahoma) 17-10 won in sudden victory – 1 over Will Kuster (Drury) 21-5 (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Semi – Will Kuster (Drury) 21-5 won by decision over Cole Ritter (Maryville) 21-8 (Dec 4-3)
3rd Place Match – Will Kuster (Drury) 21-5 won by decision over Nolan Saale (Central Missouri) 13-8 (Dec 4-0)
 
174
Ethan Smith (10-8) placed 4th
Champ. Round 1 – Ethan Smith (Drury) 10-8 won by fall over Shevan Griffith (Kentucky Wesleyan ) 4-20 (Fall 1:13)
Quarterfinal – Ethan Smith (Drury) 10-8 won in sudden victory – 1 over Bret Heil (Maryville) 20-11 (SV-1 6-4)
Semifinal – Zeke Waltz (McKendree) 27-9 won by decision over Ethan Smith (Drury) 10-8 (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Semi – Ethan Smith (Drury) 10-8 won by major decision over JD Johnson (Newman) 25-18 (MD 15-7)
3rd Place Match – Owen Butler (Indianapolis) 20-14 won by decision over Ethan Smith (Drury) 10-8 (Dec 2-1)
 
184
Logan Zimmermann (5-9) Champ. Round 1 – Logan Zimmermann (Drury) 5-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Josh Jones (McKendree) 25-8 won by fall over Logan Zimmermann (Drury) 5-9 (Fall 5:00)
Cons. Round 2 – Logan Zimmermann (Drury) 5-9 won by decision over Vincenzo Oliva (Newman) 8-19 (Dec 10-3)
Cons. Round 3 – John Gholson (William Jewell) 19-10 won by major decision over Logan Zimmermann (Drury) 5-9 (MD 14-4)
 
197
B.K. Seago (11-12) placed 6th
Champ. Round 1 – B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Logan Kvien (McKendree) 20-8 won by major decision over B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 (MD 16-2)
Cons. Round 2 – B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 won by major decision over Kayden Garrett (Quincy) 12-22 (MD 10-0)
Cons. Round 3 – B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 won by decision over Drayden McKerrow (Kentucky Wesleyan ) 16-20 (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Semi – Chase Stegall (Maryville) 16-7 won by fall over B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 (Fall 1:09)
5th Place Match – Brooks Schrimsher (Ouachita Baptist) 21-8 won by tech fall over B.K. Seago (Drury) 11-12 (TF-1.5 4:59 (17-0))
 
285
Thomas Massengale (9-14) placed 4th
Champ. Round 1 – Thomas Massengale (Drury) 9-14 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Thomas Massengale (Drury) 9-14 won by fall over Trent Strong (Central Missouri) 11-22 (Fall 1:26)
Semifinal – Johnny Green (Ouachita Baptist) 24-3 won by fall over Thomas Massengale (Drury) 9-14 (Fall 3:30)
Cons. Semi – Thomas Massengale (Drury) 9-14 won by fall over Ryan Herman (Maryville) 24-11 (Fall 2:54)
3rd Place Match – Cale Gray (Indianapolis) 18-7 won by fall over Thomas Massengale (Drury) 9-14 (Fall 4:30)
 
 
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