Event Preview: GPAC Day of Duals No. 1

By Jacob Knabel on Nov. 24, 2024 in Wrestling

SEWARD, Neb. – Nearly nine months after the Concordia University, Nebraska Wrestling program hosted the 2024 GPAC Wrestling Championships, the Bulldogs will welcome their conference brethren back to Seward for GPAC Day of Duals No. 1 of the 2024-25 season. All nine GPAC men’s wrestling programs will convene upon Friedrich Arena for three rounds of duals and eight total GPAC duals. Head Coach Josh Watts’ squad has opened this season with road conference dual wins over Midland and Hastings and will take on Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside as part of the GPAC Day of Duals on Tuesday.

GPAC Day of Duals No. 1 – Tuesday, Nov. 26
--Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Live Webcast: GPAC Network (separate stream for all three mats)
--Live Results: TrackWrestling
--Event Program (PDF)

Round 1 | 12 p.m. CT
Mat 1 – Concordia vs. Dakota Wesleyan
Mat 2 – Hastings vs. Waldorf
Mat 3 – Midland vs. Briar Cliff

Round 2 | 1:30 p.m. CT
Mat 1 – Doane vs. Northwestern
Mat 2 – Midland vs. Waldorf
Mat 3 – Hastings vs. Dakota Wesleyan

Round 3 | 3 p.m. CT
Mat 1 – Concordia vs. Morningside
Mat 2 – Doane vs. Briar Cliff
Mat 3 – Open

Overview

This past Friday, the Bulldogs earned a 33-22 victory at Hastings. Individual match winners in Hastings were claimed by Creighton Baughman (pin at 141), Francisco Mendez (major decision at 157), Cole Price (technical fall at 165), Barret Brandt (pin at 174), Hunter Weimer (pin at 184) and Teegan Tschampel (pin at 197). The dual marked the first outing of the season for the two-time NAIA national qualifier Baughman, ranked 10th in the NAIA at 141 pounds. The weekend also included competition at the Younes Hospitality Open in Kearney, Neb., where 14 Concordia competitors combined for 11 wins.

Through three tournaments and two duals this season, there are five Bulldogs who have notched at least five wins this season: Price (6-1), Simon Arredondo (6-5), Brandt (5-1), Steven Barnes (5-2) and Tschampel (5-5). In the most recent GPAC ratings released by the NAIA, 10 Concordia wrestlers appeared within the top six of their respective weight classes. Baughman continues to rank No. 1 at 141. Meanwhile, Barnes (149), Tommy Wentz (165), Brandt (174) and Weimer (184) each rank in the top three in the GPAC. All nationally ranked wrestlers in the GPAC are listed in the team summaries below.

GPAC Wrestling Programs

Briar Cliff
Head Coach: Donaco Watts, 1st season
2023-24 Dual Record: 6-2 (6-2 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Dante Rigal (21st at 125); Alton Allen (16th at 285).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 5th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 0

Concordia
Head Coach: Josh Watts, 1st season
2023-24 Dual Record: 7-7 (3-5 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Creighton Baughman (10th at 141); Tommy Wentz (18th at 165).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 2nd
GPAC Postseason Championships: 4 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2020)

Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Martin Mueller, 2nd season
2023-24 Dual Record: 8-6 (5-3 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Zach Zitek (13th at 141).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 6th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 0

Doane
Head Coach: Dana Vote, 6th season
2023-24 Dual Record: 10-3 (8-0 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Hunter Bennett (20th at 125); Matthew Terrence (11th at 133); Devin Avedissian (15th at 141); Nathan Lendt (1st at 149); Ben Miller (15th at 157); Benjamin Dobler (23rd at 174); Tyson Beauperthuy (4th at 184); Kolton Kammeyer (15th at 184); Bradley Antesberger (3rd at 197); Kasten Grape (7th at 197); Eli Criblez (24th at 285).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 1st
GPAC Postseason Championships: 2 (2022, 2024)

Hastings
Head Coach: Trey Heckadon, 2nd season
2023-24 Dual Record: 2-9 (1-7 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: None.
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 9th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 0

Midland
Head Coach: Doyle Trout, 2nd season
2023-24 Dual Record: 0-8 (0-8 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Burton Brandt (5th at 197); Zeph Sivels (22nd at 285).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 7th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 1 (2018)

Morningside
Head Coach: Rulin Pederson, 2nd season
2023-24 Dual Record: 7-1 (7-1 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Abraham Dirkx (22nd at 157); Zander Ernst (7th at 165); Alex Vandyke (18th at 174); Jakob Jerabek (17th at 285).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 3rd
GPAC Postseason Championships: 5 (2011, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2023)

Northwestern
Head Coach: Rik Dahl, 17th season
2023-24 Dual Record: 5-12 (2-6 GPAC)
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Kaleb Lind (24th at 197).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 4th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 0

Waldorf
Head Coach: Ryan Dickinson, 6th season
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers: Tyler Okada (20th at 149).
Current GPAC Team Ranking: 8th
GPAC Postseason Championships: 1st season as GPAC member

Post Thanksgiving

The month of December will be relatively light for the Bulldogs from a competition standpoint. Concordia will take part in the Doane University Open on Dec. 7 and will host Doane on Dec. 13. The complete schedule can be found HERE.