No. 19 Ashland Wrestlers Keep Recent Roll Going, Beat Lakers, Pioneers At Home

With the 2024 NCAA Division II Championships roughly five weeks away, the No. 19-ranked Ashland University wrestling team is looking like one of the best around.
 
After a 24-22 win over No. 11-ranked Grand Valley State and a 35-4 rout of No. 23-ranked Glenville State on Sunday (Feb. 11) afternoon at Kates Gymnasium, the Eagles have won five consecutive duals to go from 1-9 to 6-9.
 
"We're coming on at a good time, I feel like," said Ashland head coach Colt Sponseller. "We're trending the right way. Now, the goal is keep that going. We've just got to keep that going, and keep it in the right direction.
 
"The fact that we're getting where we want to be right now is good."
 
The victory over the Lakers was the Eagles' first since 1991-92 – GVSU brought back varsity wrestling in 2023-24 after having discontinued it.
 
And the AU win was as exciting as one can be – as sophomore 285-pounder Wyatt Bailey pinned Owen Hawley 25 seconds into the third and final period for the deciding team points.
 
"It feels great," Bailey said. "Being from Michigan, to beat a team from Michigan, it just feels great. We've all been working hard. We're making sure no one's out-working us. We're all catching a groove. Everybody is healthy now."
 
Said Sponseller, "Wyatt's showed up, and that's good. Having that guy at the end to finish the match is what we're looking for."
 
Winning twice for the Eagles on Sunday were redshirt freshman Luke Acuna at 125 pounds, No. 9-ranked graduate Drew Wiechers at 157 pounds, No. 2-ranked graduate Daniel Beemer at 184 pounds, and Bailey.
 
UP NEXT
Saturday (Feb. 17) at 1 p.m. at Great Midwest Athletic Conference rival Thomas More. That will be the first dual meeting between the two programs.
  125 pounds – Luke Acuna (AU) maj. dec. No. 9 Aaron Lucio (GVSU), 12-2 – 4-0 AU
133 pounds – Collin Twigg (GVSU) pin Nick Barber (AU), 4:51 – 6-4 GVSU
141 pounds – Jak Keller (GVSU) pin Jeremiah McKee (AU), 4:07 – 12-4 GVSU
149 pounds – No. 4 Chris Donathan (GVSU) dec. Hayden Kuhn (AU), 7-3 – 15-4 GVSU
157 pounds – No. 9 Drew Wiechers (AU) tech. fall Caden Jacobs (GVSU), 20-5 – 15-9 GVSU
165 pounds – Nick Carbone (AU) dec. Trammel Robinson (GVSU), 4-1 – 15-12 GVSU
174 pounds – No. 2 Josh Kenny (GVSU) maj. dec. No. 10 Nate Barrett (AU), 14-6 – 19-12 GVSU
184 pounds – No. 2 Daniel Beemer (AU) pin Seth Konynenbelt (GVSU), 4:10 – 19-18 GVSU
197 pounds – No. 9 Wyatt Miller (GVSU) dec. Walker Uhl (AU), 8-4 – 22-18 GVSU
285 pounds – Wyatt Bailey (AU) pin Owen Hawley (GVSU), 5:25 – 24-22 AU
  125 pounds – Luke Acuna (AU) dec. Hunter Ross (GSU), 19-12 – 3-0 AU
133 pounds – Devin Easton (GSU) maj. dec. Nick Barber (AU), 13-3 – 4-3 GSU
141 pounds – Jeremiah McKee (AU) pin Kolbi Hamilton (GSU), 1:25 – 9-4 AU
149 pounds – Hayden Kuhn (AU) dec.  Ethan Hardy (GSU), 4-2 – 12-4 AU
157 pounds – No. 9 Drew Wiechers (AU) dec. No. 7 Guy DeLeonardis (GSU), 9-4 – 15-4 AU
165 pounds – Sevriano Garza (AU) dec. Brady Ross (GSU), 6-2 – 18-4 AU
174 pounds – No. 10 Nate Barrett (AU) tech. fall Zach Holstion (GSU), 16-1 – 23-4 AU
184 pounds – No. 2 Daniel Beemer (AU) tech. fall Isaiha Casto (GSU), 21-4 – 28-4 AU
197 pounds – Walker Uhl (AU) maj. dec. Nicholas Copley (GSU), 13-5 – 32-4 AU
285 pounds – Wyatt Bailey (AU) dec. Devan Gauldin (GSU), 6-1 – 35-4 AU