LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 7, 2023) – The No. 10/12 Loras College wrestling team had its fair share of big moments at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Dual Meet Championship over the weekend as the 10^th-seeded Duhawks finished sixth in the Division III standings.

The Duhawks finished 4-2 in dual action at the Kentucky Expo Center on Friday and Saturday, highlighted by a win over the ninth-seeded University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Loras opened with the SUNY Cortland in the first round and rattled off six straight match wins to win 33-12 in comeback fashion. The Duhawks trailed 12-3 after the 149-lb bout, but junior Daniel Meeker's win by decision at 157-lbs ended the dry spell.

Starting with junior Zeb Gnida at 174-lbs, four straight Duhawks – Gnida, Shane Liegel, Derek Venteicher, and Charles Langeberg – claimed wins via fall to close out the opening round in impressive fashion.

The Duhawks drew the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in round two as the match came down to the heavyweights as senior Wyatt Wreidt managed to fend off the Blugolds' Jackson Schichel to win 3-2 by decision and secure a 21-15 win for the Duhawks.

Loras and UW-Eau Claire went back and forth all match, but all five of the Blugolds' wins came via decision while freshman Eric Kinkaid and senior Zeke Smith nabbed falls in their 141- and 157-lb bouts, respectively.

The Duhawks fell out of championship contention in the next round as they fell 24-12 to No. 3/2 Augsburg University. The Auggies won six of the 10 bouts, including the final two, to escape the upset bid.

 In the consolation bracket, Loras first drew No. 9/9 Wisconsin-Whitewater, which again led to a back-and-forth battle as the two sides split the 10 bouts evenly at five apiece.

Even with the senior Liegel – the top ranked wrestler at 184-lbs – suffering his first loss of the season to second-ranked Jaritt Shinhoster, Loras managed enough points to squeak out the victory as senior Jared Hensley and Kinkaid each claimed wins via major decision. Those scores were aided by a speedy win by fall for freshman Dustin Bohren, who finished off his 157-lb bout in less than a minute.

Loras' final win of the championships came in a nail-biter against The College of New Jersey, as Wreidt entered the heavyweight bout with the team trailing 15-13.

Wreidt and TCNJ's Peter Wersinger put together a stalemate for nearly their whole match, but Wreidt ultimately survived with a ride out, tiebreaker victory to send Loras into the fifth-place match with a 16-15 win.

In the fifth-place match, the Duhawks trailed No. 5/10 Baldwin Wallace University from the start and couldn't mount a comeback as they settled for sixth with a 23-20 defeat. Three of the team's four victories in the match came via falls as sophomore Kolten Crawford at 141-lbs, Bohren at 165-lbs, and Liegel at 184-lbs all pinned their opponents.

It's the second time in as many appearances that the Duhawks have finished higher than their seeding at the NWCA National Duals. The event has not been held since the 2019-20 season, in which the Duhawks placed third after entering as the No. 4 team in the dual rankings.

Loras will hit the mat again this coming Thursday, Jan. 12 as it continues with American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) action at Central College. Dual start time in Pella, Iowa is scheduled for 7 P.M.