SEWARD, Neb. – A championship run through the University of Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn Open earned junior Alberto Garcia his first honor as a member of the Concordia University wrestling program. On Wednesday (Nov. 21), the conference named Garcia the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Wrestler of the Week. This marks the Bulldog wrestling program’s 14th GPAC weekly award since the start of the 2015-16 season.
Garcia had yet to appear in a Concordia singlet until last week. He made quite a splash in his debut, going 4-0 while seizing the 133-pound title of the elite division at the UNK Open. A transfer from Palomar College, Garcia defeated two NCAA Division II and two NCAA Division I opponents during his run in Kearney. One of the wins came over University of Mary’s Tate Barnhardt, ranked ninth at 133 pounds in NCAA D-II. In the championship match, Garcia toppled the University of Nebraska’s Jevon Parish, 13-7.
Although Garcia had yet to wrestle at the NAIA level, he checked in at No. 2 in the GPAC and at No. 10 nationally in the preseason rankings at 133. Garcia and the Bulldogs will not compete again until hosting Benedictine College (Kan.) in a dual on Friday, Dec. 7.