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Top-ranked Bronchos host the NCAA Division II Super Regional IV

Months of preparation boils down to the most important day of the season for top-ranked Central Oklahoma and that arrives Sunday when the Bronchos host the NCAA Division II Super Regional IV Tournament at Hamilton Field House.

First-round action begins at 9 a.m. and the 11-team tournament will run straight through, culminating in the placement matches at approximately 5 p.m.


The top-three finishers at each of the 10 weights qualify for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, which are set for March 10-11 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Five other regional tournaments will also be held this weekend, with 30 qualifiers advancing from each of those.

“This is the event we’ve been building for all season,” seventh-year head Toddy Steidley said. “We want to have 10 regional champions and that’s what we’re going to try to do, but the main goal is to move everybody on to the national tournament.

“I know it’s coach-speak, but we have to take one match at a time. We can’t look ahead and have to be ready to respond if there’s some adversity. Our guys are ready and I just want them to go out and wrestle hard for seven minutes every time they step on the mat.”

The Bronchos are looking for their third straight regional title and 22nd overall since joining Division II in 1990. UCO crowned six champions while finishing 33 ½ points ahead of runner-up Indianapolis last year after edging Lindenwood by one point in 2021.

This will be the seventh time the Bronchos have hosted a regional tournament. UCO won the team title in 1993, ’98, ’04, ’12 and ’21 while coming in sixth in 2014.


ABOUT THE REGIONAL: Four of the 11 teams are ranked in the top 25 – No. 1 UCO, No. 8 Indianapolis, T-No. 23 McKendree and T-No. 23 Drury. Rounding out the field is Central Missouri, Kentucky Wesleyan, Maryville, Newman, Ouachita Baptist, Quincy and William Jewell.

There are 25 ranked individuals in the tournament and four returning champions – 149 Brik Filippo (UCO), 165 Jack Eiteljorge (Indy), 197 Dalton Abney (UCO) and Hvy Shawn Streck (UCO).

Ranked individuals at each weight: 125 – Studd Morris, UCO (8) and Christian Mejia, McKendree (12); 133 – Breyden Bailey, Indy (7); 141 – Peter Kuster, Drury (2); Taylor Jokerst, Maryville (8) and Nate Keim, UCO (9); 149 – Brik Filippo, UCO (9) and Darrick Lapaglia, Central Missouri (10); 157 –  Gabe Johnson, UCO (3); Logan Bailey, Indy (5); Noah Villarreal, McKendree (9) and Danny Whitted, Maryville (10); 165 – Jack Eiteljorge, Indy (5); Ty Lucas, UCO (8) and John Ridle, Central Missouri (9); 174 – Anthony DesVigne, UCO (5) and Zeke Waltz, McKendree (9); 184 – Alex Kauffman, UCO (10); Joey Williams, Maryville (10) and Josh Jones, McKendree (11); 197 – Derek Blubaugh, Indy (1); Dalton Abney, UCO (2) and Logan Kvein, McKendree (3); Hvy – Shawn Streck, UCO (1) and Johnny Green, Ouachita Baptist (4).

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO finished 12-1 in duals, losing only to No. 3 St. Cloud State (19-16) in the NWCA Division II National Duals finals.

The Bronchos set a tournament scoring record in running away with the prestigious Midwest Classic crown in December and captured their third straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association dual title.

UCO’s 10 regional starters finished the regular season with a combined 189-49 record, including 91 bonus-point wins.

Here’s a look at each of Central’s 10 regional participants.

125 Studd Morris, Jr. – Ranked eighth nationally with a 28-5 record that includes 13 bonus wins (eight majors, four falls, one tech) … Brings seven-match winning streak into the regional and should be seeding No. 1 … Is 8-0 against regional opponents this season … Won the Dan Harris and Drury Open titles while finishing runner-up at the Lindenwood Open and fifth at the Midwest Classic … Making his first regional tournament appearance … Has a 65-19 career record with the Bronchos.

133 Dylan Lucas, So. – Was ranked as high as second nationally, but not listed in the top 12 now … Is 15-5 with 12 bonus wins (four falls, four techs, four majors) on the season … Is 4-1 against regional opponents and should be seeded second this weekend … Was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Midwest Classic after waltzing to the title there … Also captured championships at the the Dan Harris and Drury opens and was runner-up at the Lindenwood Open … Making his first regional tournament appearance.

141 Nate Keim, Sr. – Ranked ninth nationally with a 19-6 record that includes nine bonus wins (four falls, four majors, one tech) and enters regional with seven-match winning streak … In his fifth year as the starter at 141, carrying an 86-37 career record … Is 3-5 against regional opponents, having lost three times to Drury’s Peter Kuster and twice to Maryville’s Taylor Jokerst … Should be seeded third and has been a top-four regional placer four straight years … Qualified for national tournament with runner-up showing in 2019 and has finished fourth the last three years … Has 11-7 record in the regional tournament … Won Drury Open title while coming in fifth at Lindenwood Open and sixth at the Midwest Classic.

Brik Filippo, Sr. – Ranked ninth nationally with 19-8 record that includes 10 bonus wins (four majors, three falls, three techs) … Returning regional champion who went on to earn All-America honors with fifth-place national tournament finish … Should be seeded first and is 7-0 vs. regional opponents this season … Four-year starter with 90-29 career record and is making his fourth regional tournament appearance … Placed fourth in 2019, qualified for national tournament with third-place finish in 2020 and was champion last year … Has 9-3 regional tournament record … Won Drury Open title while finishing fourth at the Lindenwood Open and sixth at the Midwest Classic.

Gabe Johnson, RS Fr. – Ranked third nationally with 27-5 record that includes 10 bonus wins (four techs, four majors, two falls) and enters regional with seven-match winning streak … Should be seeded first and is 6-0 against regional opponents this season … Regional runner-up as true freshman in 2021 in qualifying for nationals, retaining season of eligibility due to CoVID … Runner-up in Drury Open and Midwest Classic and came in third in Lindenwood Open … Redshirted last year … Has 33-9 career record.

Ty Lucas, Sr. – Ranked eighth nationally with 14-9 record that includes two bonus wins (one tech, one major) … Should be seeded second and is 4-3 against regional opponents this season … Making fifth regional tournament appearance … Three-time national qualifier and two-time All-American … Won regional title in 2021, was runner-up in 2020 and ’22 and placed sixth in 2019 … Has 12-5 regional tournament record … Fifth-year starter with 80-31 career record … Finished third at Midwest Classic and sixth at Lindenwood Open.

Anthony DesVigne, Jr. – Ranked fifth nationally with a 25-6 record that includes 12 bonus wins (five techs, five majors, two falls … Should be seeded first or second and is 3-1 against regional opponents … Has seen action at two weights this season, having gone 14-5 at 174 and 11-1 at 184 … Won titles in the Dan Harris and Lindenwood opens while finishing runner-up at Drury Open and Midwest Classic … Has 54-29 career record … Making his first regional tournament appearance.

Alex Kauffman, Sr. – Ranked 10th nationally with 8-3 record that includes two bonus wins (one fall, one major) … Missed first semester of action, not making season debut until the NWCA Division II National Duals in early January … Should be seeded first, second or third and is 2-0 vs. regional opponents this season … Went 3-1 in placing third at regional last year to make national tournament, earning All-America honors there with sixth-place finish … Has 37-11 career record.

Dalton Abney, Jr. – Ranked second nationally with 15-2 record that includes seven bonus wins (three falls, three techs, one major) … Should be seeded second and is 4-1 against regional opponents this season, losing to Indy’s Derek Blubaugh at the NWCA Division II National Duals … Hasn’t competed since Jan. 7 after suffering injury in National Duals finals against St. Cloud State … Three-time All-American and defending national champion … Has 7-2 record in the regional tournament, finished runner-up in 2020 and ’21 before winning title last year … Has 64-6 career record with 34 bonus wins.

Shawn Streck, Jr. – Ranked first nationally with 19-0 record that includes 13 bonus wins (eight falls, five majors, one tech) … Should be seeded first and is 4-0 vs. regional foes this season … Won three major decisions in winning regional title last year and earned All-America honors with sixth-place finish, injury defaulting last two matches after suffering injury … Missed first month of season recovering from that injury … Won titles at Drury Open and Midwest Classic … Has 31-2 career record with 22 bonus wins.

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