Official Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Seven different grapplers from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference are officially headed to Cleveland, Ohio, for the 2019 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.
The field was announced on Monday evening and the final bracket with each weight class seeded will be unveiled on Friday.
Programs from the Great Midwest competed in Super Regional action over the weekend in West Liberty, W.Va., and Hartville, S.C., to try and send student-athletes to the biggest stage.
Ohio Valley’s Anthony Tripke advanced to nationals as the runner-up in the 125 pound weight class. The senior was 19-13 a season ago and will carry an 11-8 overall record to Cleveland.
The Wimer brothers, Josh (149) and James (157), will get to make a special trip together as senior NCAA qualifiers in the middle weights, arguably two of the toughest classes in Division II this year.
James Wimer was the Super Region III 157-pound champion as he finished the bracket with a 3-0 record.
Josh Wimer, 20-8 on the year, was runner-up in his respective weight class as he faced off against conference foe Trey Grine in the 149-pound final.
Grine remained nearly undefeated this season as he improved to 17-1 with NCAA Championship qualification.
Representing Great Midwest team duals champion Lake Erie was the masked redshirt senior Nick Boggs, who was an NCAA All-American in 2017. Boggs returns to nationals at the 157-pound weight class and will look to finish his career on a high note.
Boggs is currently 30-4 overall on the season and is also ranked seventh in the country at 157.
Alderson Broaddus proudly carried another regional champ as sophomore Gino Sita won at 174 pounds. Sita won in Super Region II and as a two-time conference athlete of the week, is making his second straight trip out to nationals.
Grine and Nick Mason are NCAA qualifiers representing Tiffin, this year’s host for the inaugural Great Midwest Championship dual meet. Mason was the 197-pound Super Region III champion, beating opponents from Findlay, Wheeling Jesuit and West Liberty.
Mason will carry a 23-7 overall record into nationals.
The DII Wrestling Championship is scheduled for March 8-9 at The Wolstein Center hosted by Cleveland State University.