Central Oklahoma holds the top spot, finals set at the NCAA DII National Championships

The finals are set for the NCAA DII National Championships in Wichita, Kansas. The placement matches were wrestled in the first session of day two at the NCAA DII National Championships as Central Oklahoma has locked up the team race.

The Bronchos tallied 102 points and lead second-place Lander by 19.5 points. Nebraska-Kearney sits in third place with 77.5 points and one finalist. Close behind is McKendree with 69 points and St. Cloud State rounds out the top-five with 64 points.

At 125 pounds, 2023 National runner-up Jaxson Rohman of Augustana returns to the finals after a stall call was what propelled him over No. 1 James Joplin of Lander. Rohman was able to get to Joplin’s legs on six separate occasions, but was unable to finish for three. He received points on three stall calls throughout the match to win 6-5. Christian Mejia of McKendree will see Rohman in the finals after getting Shane Corrigan to his back in the first period.

Montevallo’s success story in Gabe Hixenbaugh continues in the finals at 133 pounds. Hixenbaugh was down late to Reece Barnhardt of UMary with just seconds left in the third. He got the escape, then turned around and grabbed the leg for the takedown as time expired and the Montevallo section cheered in uproar. Hixenbaugh will see defending national champion Gavin Quiocho of Glenville State in the finals. Quicoho worked his way to a 9-0 major decision in the semifinals over Jeremiah Echevarria of Gannon.

2023 National Champion Zachary Donathan of Tiffin returns to a familiar place on the finals stage at 141 pounds. Donathan used a 9-5 decision to get past Ronan Schuelke of McKendree and looks to defend his title against Nick James of Nebraska-Kearney. James, a two-time All-American, defeated Tate Murty of Upper Iowa, 12-7 in the semifinals. This is the senior’s first and final trip to the NCAA finals.

It's Colorado School of Mines’ lone representative Cody Thompson into the finals at 149 pounds. The bout shifted entirely in the third period, as it had looked like 2022 National champions Zeth Brower of Lander had locked up the win. Thompson’s seven points from a takedown, escape and three-point nearfall were enough to flip the tides and advance to the finals. He will face Jacob Ealy of Pitt-Johnstown in the finals. This is Ealy’s fourth All-American honor and first trip to the NCAA finals.

Nick Novak, St. Cloud State’s 2023 National champion, makes his way back into the finals at 157 pounds. Novak’s dominant 8-1 victory over Guy Deleonardis of Glenville State was what sent the Husky back to the finals. Novak has Gabe Johnson of Central Okahoma on Saturday night. Johnson, a young talent for the Bronchos, made a statement in the semifinals with a 11-3 major decision over Jack Haskin of Lake Erie.

Defending national champion Chase Luensman of Upper Iowa navigated his way to the finals after an overtime takedown pushed him ahead of Cory Peterson of McKendree. Luensman will see No. 1 David Hunsberger of Lander, a tough opponent that has forced his way to the top with three decisions in Wichita.

Josh Kenny of Grand Valley State reached his first finals at the NCAA DII level by defeating Brody Hemauer of Wisconsin-Parkside, 17-2. Kenny was dominant throughout the match and refused to give up a single takedown. Kenny matches up against Anthony Des Vigne of Central Oklahoma in the finals. Des Vigne picked up his semifinal win after edging out Trey Sizemore of Indianapolis, 10-8.

The defending national champion at 184 from West Liberty, Ty McGeary, makes the trip back to Saturday night after a close match against Reece Worachek of Wisconsin-Parkside. McGeary meets Matt Weinberg of Kutztown in a first-ever bout. Both Pennsylvania natives have never met previously, as the matchup at 184 pounds is sure to be exciting.

The final bout at 197 pounds will be familiar to DII wrestling fans as it’s the third-straight finals matchup between Dalton Abney of Central Oklahoma and Derek Blubaugh of UIndy. Abney has emerged victorious in both of those matchups and seeks his third-straight NCAA title. Blubaugh defeated All-American Dominic Murphy of St. Cloud State in the semifinal round to return to a well-known spot.

At 285 pounds, Juan Edmond-Holmes of Lander brough Zach Peterson of Augustana’s story to a close after pinning the Viking in the third period. Edmond-Holmes locked Peterson up in a cradle and punched his ticket to the finals where he will meet Shawn Streck of Central Oklahoma. Streck is the defending national champion at this weight and will be a challenging opponent for Edmond-Holmes.

The finals are slated to begin at 7 p.m. CT, following the Parade of All-Americans. All the action can be followed on FloWrestling. Brackets and full results can be found on Trackwrestling.

125 pounds

Jaxson Rohman (Augustana (SD)) vs.Christian Mejia (McKendree)

133 pounds

Gabe Hixenbaugh (Montevallo) vs.Gavin Quiocho (Glenville State)

141 pounds

Zackary Donathan (Tiffin) vs.Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney)

149 pounds

Cody Thompson (Colorado School of Mines) vs.Jacob Ealy (Pitt-Johnstown)

157 pounds

Nick Novak (St. Cloud State) vs.Gabe Johnson (Central Oklahoma)

165 pounds

David Hunsberger (Lander) vs.Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa)

174 pounds

Josh Kenny (Grand Valley State) vs.Anthony Des Vigne (Central Oklahoma)

184 pounds

Ty McGeary (West Liberty) vs.Matt Weinberg (Kutztown)

197 pounds

Dalton Abney (Central Oklahoma) vs.Derek Blubaugh (Indianapolis)

285 pounds

Juan Edmond-Holmes (Lander) vs. Shawn Streck (Central Oklahoma)

125 pounds

Jaxson Rohman (Augustana (SD)) won in sudden victory over James Joplin (Lander ), SV-1 6-5

Christian Mejia (McKendree) pin Shane Corrigan (Wisconsin-Parkside),  1:10

133 pounds

Gabe Hixenbaugh (Montevallo) dec. Reece Barnhardt (UMary), 9-7

Gavin Quiocho (Glenville State) maj. dec. Jeremiah Echevarria (Gannon), 9-0

141 pounds

Zackary Donathan (Tiffin) dec. Ronan Schuelke (McKendree), 9-5

Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney) dec. Tate Murty (Upper Iowa)12-7

149 pounds

Cody Thompson (Colorado School of Mines) dec. Zeth Brower (Lander ), 9-5

Jacob Ealy (Pitt-Johnstown) dec. Dylan Brown (Central Oklahoma), 6-4

157 pounds

Nick Novak (St. Cloud State) dec. Guy Deleonardis (Glenville State), 8-1

Gabe Johnson (Central Oklahoma) maj. dec. Jack Haskin (Lake Erie), 11-3

165 pounds

David Hunsberger (Lander ) dec. Hunter Jump (Central Oklahoma), 10-8

Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) won in sudden victory over Cory Peterson (McKendree), SV-1 4-1

174 pounds

Josh Kenny (Grand Valley State) tech. fall Brody Hemauer (Wisconsin-Parkside), 17-2

Anthony Des Vigne (Central Oklahoma) dec. Trey Sizemore (Indianapolis), 10-8

184 pounds

Ty McGeary (West Liberty) dec. Reece Worachek (Wisconsin-Parkside), 5-3

Matt Weinberg (Kutztown) maj. dec. Damon Ashworth (Central Missouri), 11-1

197 pounds

Dalton Abney (Central Oklahoma) dec. Logan Kvien (McKendree), 6-3

Derek Blubaugh (Indianapolis) dec. Dominic Murphy (St. Cloud State), 5-2

285 pounds

Juan Edmond-Holmes (Lander) pin Zach Peterson (Augustana (SD)), 6:01

Shawn Streck (Central Oklahoma) maj. dec. Isaiah Vance (Pitt-Johnstown), 14-4

1 - Central Oklahoma: 102.0 points

2 - Lander: 82.5 points

3 - Nebraska-Kearney: 77.5 points

4 - McKendree: 69.0 points

5 - St. Cloud State: 64.0 points

6 - Pitt-Johnstown: 41.0 points

6 - Wisconsin-Parkside: 41.0 points

8 - Augustana (SD): 40.5 points

9 - Adams State: 33.5 points

9 - Indianapolis: 33.5 points

9 - UNC Pembroke: 33.5 points