No. 2 Lander Claims NCAA Super Region II Championship, 30 Qualify for National Championship

No. 2 Lander Claims NCAA Super Region II Championship, 30 Qualify for National Championship

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RESULTS | PEMBROKE, N.C. – Led by seven first-place finishes, the second-ranked Bearcats of Lander captured the NCAA Super Region II Championship at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court on the campus of UNC Pembroke with 164 points. 

The back-to-back South Atlantic Conference Carolinas men’s wrestling champions got wins from James Joplin (125 pounds), Elijah Lusk (133), Zeth Brower (141), David Hunsberger (165), Logan Hall (184), Anthony Yacovetti (197) and Juan Edmond-Holmes (285). They also had second, third and fifth place finishes to round out the championship.

The top three wrestlers in each of the 10 weight classes qualified for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships to be held at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa March 10-11. Each of the top finishers are listed below.

Mount Olive finished second with 115 points to edge 2022 region II champion Newberry who placed third with 111.5 points. The host Braves placed fourth with 87 points while Belmont Abbey rounded out the top five with 85.5 points. 

Calen Staub of Mount Olive and Yacovetti of Lander tied for the most individual points in the championship with 19. Staub won the 174-pound weight class.

National Championship Qualifiers (Top three finishers at each weight class)
125
James Joplin, Lander
Zach Shupp, Newberry
Kevin Radcliff, Limestone

133
Elijah Lusk, Lander
Harold `Taylor` Robinson, Mount Olive
Logan Robinson, UNC Pembroke

141
Zeth Brower, Lander
Josh Blatt, Newberry
John Carayiannis, Belmont Abbey

149
Devan Moore, Newberry
Jack Tangen, Lander
Dallas Wilson, Mount Olive

157
Maxwell Kiel, Belmont Abbey
Trent Mahoney, King
Gage Bernall, Lander

165
David Hunsberger, Lander
Patrick Wunderlich, Newberry
Mike Vernagallo, Mount Olive

174
Calen Staub, Mount Olive
Hunter Haven, Limestone
Dayton Fields, Newberry

184
Logan Hall, Lander
Shylik Scriven, UNC Pembroke
Clinton Morrisette, King

197
Anthony Yacovetti, Lander
Bryce Walker, UNC Pembroke
Micha Clemson, Emmanuel

285
Juan Edmonds-Holmes, Lander
Nico Ramirez, Mount Olive
Devon Rice, Newberry