Wrestling 2/28/2020 9:06:00 AM

Bronchos Ready For Regional Tourney

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No. 5-ranked Central Oklahoma begins its quest for the national championship this weekend when the Bronchos travel to Hays, Kan. for the NCAA Division II Regional IV Tournament.

First-round action begins at 10 a.m. Sunday at Gross Memorial Coliseum and the 11-team tournament will run straight through. The top-three finishers at each of the 10 weights qualify for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, set for March 13-14 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

"This is the biggest tournament of the season and the event we've been working towards all year," head coach Todd Steidley said. "You can't do anything at the national tournament if you're not there, so the goal is to advance.

"Obviously we would love to win the team title this weekend, but the main objective is to qualify as many guys as we can for the national tournament. This is the toughest regional in the country and it will be a big challenge, but I have great confidence in our guys. I really think we can qualify all 10 if we wrestle like we're capable of.""

Five other regional tournaments will be also be held at other sites around the country this weekend. Each regional advances 30 individuals to the national tournament for a total of 180 qualifiers -- 18 at each weight.

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT: The Regional IV field features five ranked teams, including three in the top seven. Leading the way is No. 2 McKendree, with No. 5 UCO, No. 7 Lindenwood, No. 14 Fort Hays State and No. 25 Newman rounding out the ranked teams.

Also in the field is Bellarmine, Drury, Kentucky Wesleyan, Maryville, Ouachita Baptist and Central Missouri.

There will be 25 ranked individuals in the tournament, with at least two at every weight and three at four weights – 125, 157, 197 and heavyweight.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO went 12-2 in duals this season, losing only to the top two teams in the last rankings – No. 1 St. Cloud State (22-12) and No. 2 McKendree (20-12). The Bronchos finished third in the NWCA Division II National Duals and won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association dual title.

UCO has five individuals ranked in the top eight nationally at their respective weight – 184 Heath Gray (first), 157 Ty Lucas (third), 125 Tanner Cole (fourth), 197 Dalton Abney (fifth) and 133 Cody Karstetter (eighth).

Here's a look at UCO's lineup for the regional: 125 – Tanner Cole, So. (18-5); 133 – Cody Karstetter, Sr. (10-4); 141 – Nate Keim, So. (16-12); 149 – Brik Filippo, So. (15-8); 157 – Ty Lucas, So. (16-7); 165 – Zachary Moore, Sr. (21-7); 174 – Tre'Vaughn Craig, So. (15-6); 184 – Heath Gray, Jr. (26-1); 197 – Dalton Abney, RS Fr. (11-1); Hvy – Christian Arriola, RS Fr. (10-6).

ABOUT UCO'S INDIVIDUALS: Here's a brief look at each of Central's 10 individuals going to the regional tournament.

TANNER COLE: Seeded third and will meet Fort Hays State's Mason Turner in the quarterfinals after drawing a first-round bye ... Enters the regional having won eight of his last nine matches … Is in probably the toughest weight of the regional, which features No. 1 Marcus Povlick of McKendree, No. 2 and defending national champion Carlos Jacquez of Lindenwood, No. 4 Cole and No. 11 Tyler Krieth of Maryville … Won the Fort Hays State Open, finished fourth at the Oklahoma City Open and was fifth at the Midwest Classic with close losses to Povlick and Jacquez … Finished fourth in last year's regional to just miss out on national tournament berth.

CODY KARSTETTER: The top seed at 133 will take on Drury's Chris Hansen in the first round ... Was the back-up 125-pounder before taking over starting berth at 133 in January … Has 5-2 record at 133, with both losses to No. 4-ranked Wesley Dawkins of Nebraska-Kearney … Runner-up at the season-opening Oklahoma City Open at 125 … Ranked eighth nationally, with Newman's No. 10 Tyler Lawley the other top-12 individual at the weight … Making first regional tournament appearance.

NATE KEIM: Seeded fifth in the tournament and will meet Baylor Smith of Newman in the first round ... Returning national qualifier after finishing runner-up in last year's regional to Fort Hays State's Brandon Ball … Went 1-2 at national tournament … Placed in three regular season tournaments – third at the Oklahoma City Open, fourth at the Lindenwood Open and eighth at the Midwest Classic … Weight has two nationally ranked individuals – No. 2 Ball and No. 4 Colby Smith of Lindenwood … Went 18-8 last season.

BRIK FILIPPO: The No. 5 seed at 149 will go against Bellarmine's Mitch Collica in the opening round ... Shared starting spot at 149 during regular season with Zachary Moore … Is 15-8 on the season with eight bonus-point wins … Was runner-up at the Oklahoma City Open and placed eighth at the Midwest Classic … No. 10 Kevin Kissane of Newman and No. 12 Anthony Scantlin of Fort Hays State are the lone ranked wrestlers at the weight … Went 22-8 last year and lost two overtime matches at the regional in finishing fourth to just miss out on national tournament berth.

TY LUCAS: Top-seeded 157-pounder opens against Tristan Porsch of Fort Hays State ... Has won eight of his last nine matches and 13 of last 15, with lone two losses in that stretch to No. 1 Trey Grine of Tiffin and No. 2 Jake Barzowski of St. Cloud State ... Other five losses this season were to Division I competitors … Was runner-up at the Midwest Classic, falling 7-4 in the finals to Grine … Is one of three ranked wrestlers at the weight, with Newman's Kameron Frame seventh and McKendree's Nate Smalling 11th … Went 17-6 last season and lost two overtime matches in finishing sixth at the regional.

ZACHARY MOORE: Will meet Fort Hays State's Conrad Vajnar in the first round ... Battled with Brik Filippo for starting berth at 149 all season while also seeing action at 157 and will be at 165 for the first time … Is 21-7 on the season with a team-high 12 falls … Ten of those falls were in the first period, including four in the first 30 seconds … Placed third in the Jet Open at 149 and fourth in the Fort Hays State Open at 157 … Top-rated Nick Foster of McKendree and No. 11 Tyler Harrington of Maryville are the only ranked wrestlers at the weight … In first year with the Bronchos after transferring from West Virginia, where he had 40-39 career record while competing at 149 and 157.

TRE'VAUGHN CRAIG: The third seed in the tournament drew a first-round bye and will tangle with Newman's JD Johnson in the quarterfinals ... Didn't join the team until late November after playing football for the Bronchos, lettering as a back-up defensive back … Won the Jet Open and placed third at the Fort Hays State Open … Transferred to UCO from Wisconsin-Parkside, where he redshirted his first year before seeing limited action on the mat last season … Weight has two ranked individuals – No. 3 Josh Jones of McKendree and No. 7 Abner Romero of Lindenwood.

HEATH GRAY: The No. 1 seed earned an opening-round bye and will go against Zion Vasquez of Central Missouri in the quarterfinals ... Returning regional champion and All-American who is having another dominating season … Is 26-1 with 20 bonus-point wins (12 major decisions, six technical falls, two falls) and has won 25 straight matches … Lone loss this season was in first round of Oklahoma City Open to Oklahoma State's Dakota Geer … Rebounded from that loss with four straight bonus wins to take third … Was Outstanding Wrestler at the Midwest Classic after going 5-0 with five bonus win and also captured Lindenwood Open title … Fort Hays State's No. 7 Aryus Jones is the only other ranked wrestler at the weight … Won regional and finished third nationally last year to end 36-2 season … Has 62-3 record with 41 bonus wins in two-year UCO career.

DALTON ABNEY: The tournament's No. 3 seed has a first-round bye and then meets Central Missouri's Joe Brady in the quarterfinals ... Missed freshman season to knee injury last year and didn't make his UCO debut until January while still recovering … Captured titles at the Viking-Warrior Open and Jet Open … Won his first 11 matches before suffering lone loss to No. 1 Ryan Vasbinder of McKendree in Feb. 12 dual … Has four falls, all coming in the first period … Is one of three ranked wrestlers in the weight, joining Vasbinder and No. 9 Augustus Boyd of Ouachita Baptist.

CHRISTIAN ARRIOLA: Has a first-round meeting with No. 4 seed AJ Cooper of Fort Hays State ... Redshirted last year and didn't make career debut until January … Battled with Garrett Beier for starting berth the rest of the season … Was runner-up in the Jet Open and took third at the Golden Nose Open … Has six falls – all coming in the first period – among his 10 wins … Weight features three ranked individuals – No. 5 Courvosier Morrow of Lindenwood, No. 6 Jared Rennick of Drury and No. 7 Caleb Gossett of McKendree.

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Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; 197

Christian Arriola: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman; 285

Tanner Cole: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo: 5' 8"; Sophomore; 149

Heath Gray: 5' 11"; Junior; 184

Cody Karstetter: 5' 7"; Senior; 133

Nate Keim: 5' 7"; Sophomore; 141

Ty Lucas: 5' 9"; Sophomore; 157

Garrett Beier: 6' 0"; Junior

Zachary Moore: 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; 197

Christian Arriola
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman; 285

Tanner Cole
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; 149

Heath Gray
: 5' 11"; Junior; 184

Cody Karstetter
: 5' 7"; Senior; 133

Nate Keim
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; 141

Ty Lucas
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; 157

Garrett Beier
: 6' 0"; Junior

Zachary Moore
: 5' 6"; Senior