SCHENK AND SCOTT REPRESENT WARRIORS IN NAIA NATIONAL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
Warrior seniors Jackson Schenk and Kyle Scott are set to compete in the 2024 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championships, beginning on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 11:00 a.m. at Hartman Arena. This year’s tournament is the first in program history where Rochester sends multiple wrestlers to the big dance.
PARK CITY, Kan. - Warrior seniors Jackson Schenk and Kyle Scott are set to compete in the 2024 NAIA Men's Wrestling Championships, beginning on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 11:00 a.m. at Hartman Arena. This year's tournament is the first in program history where Rochester sends multiple wrestlers to the big dance.
MATCHUPS
Scott (21-9) competes in the 11th match of the 197 weight class, facing Reinhardt's Curtis Thomas (26-6). Scott enters with plenty of experience at the season's pinnacle, appearing in his third straight NAIA National Tournament. Thomas placed 2nd in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament to secure a qualifying bid, one of eight Reinhardt wrestlers to travel to Park City.
The matchup winner would then take on Kasten Grape (21-3) of #7 Doane, who made a deep run in the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament, helping the Tigers win their second conference championship in three years. Grape's teammate, Bradley Antesberger (17-0) is the top wrestler in the 197 bracket.
Schenk (22-10), a first-timer at the NAIA's biggest stage, competes in the second match of the 285 class against #RV Rio Grande's Bruce Wagers (25-8). Wagers placed fifth in the Mid-South Conference Tournament.
The victor then faces off with either #1 Greg Hagan (29-1) of Grand View or Sven Lukner (21-11) of #RV Corban. Hagan and the #1 ranked Vikings are looking to repeat as NAIA National Champions, with four wrestlers aside from Hagan ranked #1 in their respective weight classes.
The Warriors aim for their first All-American in program history, a feat that would pair nicely with Head Coach Wesley Maskill's WHAC Coach of the Year award earned this season.
STREAM INFORMATION
Aside from the championship rounds, all of the matches will be streamed on FloWrestling. Championship rounds during Session IV will stream on ESPN3. Live results are available on TrackWrestling.
Hussein Murray - RU Athletic Communications
Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RU Athletics