2020-21 Wrestling Schedule/Results

5-11 overall | 3-5 GPAC (T-4th) | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Event/Opponent	Location	Result	Dual Record
Oct. 30	York College Dual	York, Neb.	L, 19-30	0-1
Oct. 31	York College Open	York, Neb.	Results
Nov. 8	Baker University Dan Harris Open	Baldwin City, Kan.	CANCELED
Nov. 13	Dakota Wesleyan Dual*	Mitchell, S.D.	W, 34-6	1-1, 1-0
Nov. 14	Dakota Wesleyan Open	Mitchell, S.D.	Results
Nov. 21	University of Nebraska-Kearney Open	Kearney, Neb.	CANCELED
Dec. 3	Midland University Dual*	Fremont, Neb.	W, 38-7	2-1, 2-0
Dec. 5	Doane University Open	Crete, Neb.	Results
Dec. 10	Morningside College Dual*	Seward, Neb.	L, 12-28	2-2, 2-1
	Concordia Bulldog Duals: Dec. 19
Dec. 19	Oklahoma Wesleyan University	Seward, Neb.	W, 27-24	3-2
Dec. 19	Arizona Christian University	Seward, Neb.	L, 14-27	3-3
Dec. 19	(15) Montana State University-Northern	Seward, Neb.	L, 3-41	3-4
Dec. 19	Texas Wesleyan University	Seward, Neb.	L, 6-39	3-5
Jan. 9	Hastings College Cusatis Open	Hastings, Neb.	Results
	Jan. 16: Duals at Northwestern College
Jan. 16	Northwestern College*	Orange City, Iowa	L, 12-28	3-6, 2-2
Jan. 16	Dickinson State University (N.D.)	Orange City, Iowa	L, 15-22	3-7
Jan. 16	Waldorf University (Iowa)	Orange City, Iowa	W, 42-18	4-7
Jan. 22-23	Missouri Valley College Invite	Marshall, Mo.	CANCELED
	GPAC Duals at Jamestown
Jan. 30	Briar Cliff University*	Jamestown, N.D.	L, 7-34	4-8, 2-3
Jan. 30	Jamestown University*	Jamestown, N.D.	W, 23-22	5-8, 3-3
Jan. 30	(9) Doane University*	Jamestown, N.D.	L, 3-36	5-9, 3-4
Jan. 30	Hastings College*	Jamestown, N.D.	L, 24-27	5-10, 3-5
Feb. 4	York College Dual	Seward, Neb.	L, 14-28	5-11
Feb. 6	Morningside College Dave Edmonds Open	Sioux City, Iowa
Feb. 19-20	GPAC Wrestling Championships	Fremont, Neb.	6th place
March 5-6	NAIA National Wrestling Championships	Park City, Kan.	35th place

2020-21 Roster

Weight Class	Name	Yr.	Hometown	Previous School
285	Rivaldo Arellano	Fr.	Oceano, Calif.	Arroyo Grande HS
165	Braulio Banuelos	Jr.	Poway, Calif.	Palomar College
285	Cody Bender	So.	Utica, Neb.	Centennial HS
133	Bronner Bessette	Fr.	Pryor, Okla.	Pryor HS
157	Issiah Burks	Sr.	Hemet, Calif.	Hemet HS
165	Gabe Crawford	Sr.	Virginia Beach, Va.	Salem HS
141	Ashton Fine	Fr.	Colorado Springs, Colo.	Vista Ridge HS
184	Mason Garcia	Fr.	Arroyo Grande, Calif.	Arroyo Grande HS
157	Brandon Gonzalez	So.	Santa Barbara, Calif.	San Marcos HS
149	Jalyne Goree	Fr.	Chicago, Ill.	Phoenix Military Academy
149	Jett High	Fr.	Monroe, Utah	South Sevier HS
174	Timothy Huber	Fr.	Gretna, Neb.	Gretna HS
285	Chris James	Sr.	Topeka, Kan.	Highland Park HS
197	Clayton Laabs	So.	Orange, Calif.	Villa Park HS
157	Cody Lambert	Sr.	Greenwood, Neb.	Ashland-Greenwood / Minot State
165	William Love	Fr.	Springfield, Va.	West Springfield HS
174	Cyrus Marshall	Sr.	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
184	Oscar Ramirez-Garcia	Sr.	San Diego, Calif.	Beaumont HS / Palomar College
197	Harrington Ray	Fr.	Lehi, Utah	Lehi HS
174	Douglas Redding	Fr.	Orange, Calif.	Villa Park HS
174	Andrew Reid	So.	Lenexa, Kan.	Shawnee Mission Northwest HS
165	Jose Sanchez	So.	Wylie, Texas	Wylie East HS / MacMurray College
141	Jeaven Scdoris	Fr.	Milford, Neb.	Milford HS
165	Cyrus Scott	Sr.	Rochester, Minn.	Mayo HS
133	Jeremiah Sistek	Fr.	Parker, Colo.	Chaparral HS
157	Tavoris Smith	So.	St. Petersburg, Fla.	Iowa Lakes CC
174	Jace Summers	Fr.	Dubois, Idaho	Clark County HS
285	Jacob Telles	Fr.	Albuquerque, N.M.	Sandia HS
285	Zach Walker	Sr.	Dacono, Colo.	Broomfield HS
197	Jason Watkins	Jr.	Palmer, Alaska	Palmer HS
197	Reese Wicker	Fr.	Churubusco, Ind.	Churubusco HS
125	Carter Willis	Fr.	Lakeland, Fla.	Strawberry Crest HS
125	Mario Ybarra	Jr.	Scotssbluff, Neb.	Scottsbluff HS
165	Emmanuel Zepeda	Jr.	Los Angeles, Calif.	Fremont HS / East Los Angeles College

STAFF

Levi Calhoun, Head Coach

Tyree Cox, Assistant Coach

Season Preview: 2020-21 Concordia Wrestling

October 21, 2021

2019-20 Dual Record: 13-2 overall, 8-0 GPAC (1st); GPAC tournament champions
2020 NAIA National Championships finish: 15th
Head Coach: Levi Calhoun (3rd year; 22-6 overall dual record)
Returning National Qualifiers: 165 Gabe Crawford (Sr.); 125 Mario Ybarra (Jr.).
Other Key Returner: 165 Issiah Burks (Jr.).
Key Losses: 174 Blake Castillo; 174 Deandre Chery; 141 Cam Devers; 285 Tanner Farmer; 133 Alberto Garcia; 141 Chris Kimball; 184 Darrin Miller; 285 Demitrius Miller; 133 Zack Moistner.
Key Newcomers: 197 Mason Garcia (Fr.); 141 Jeaven Scdoris (Fr.); 157 Tavoris Smith (Jr.); 285 Jacob Telles (Fr.).
2020 GPAC All-Conference: Levi Calhoun (Coach of the Year); Tanner Farmer (Wrestler of the Year; First Team); Gabe Crawford (First Team); Mario Ybarra (First Team); Alberto Garcia (Second Team); Chris Kimball (Second Team); Darrin Miller (Second Team); Deandre Chery (Honorable Mention); Cam Devers (Honorable Mention).
2020 NAIA All-Americans: 285 Tanner Farmer (2nd); 133 Alberto Garcia (5th).

Outlook
Six of the eight Bulldogs who qualified for the 2020 NAIA Wrestling National Championship have graduated and moved on. That group of veterans played a major role in Concordia’s dominant run through the GPAC last season. Levi Calhoun (now in year three as head coach) guided the Bulldogs to a perfect 8-0 GPAC mark and to a conference tournament title. Now the focus is on building up a squad with plenty of new faces.

As a major positive, Calhoun returns a couple of 2020 individual GPAC champions who help set the tone in the room each day. The overall new dynamic has created a different type of energy for Concordia, which knows it has work to do in order to achieve the championship results that have come to be expected of the program.

“There’s an opportunity to direct the culture in the way that we want it to be for our program,” Calhoun said. “We have a lot of young kids that are hungry to learn. Some kids come from high school programs where they haven’t been coached up to that level so they’re still learning. They’re ceiling is so high. To see those guys come in and ask questions and watch film and get on the mat one-on-one with them has been awesome. We’re wrestling coaches – we want to get on the mat with our guys and help them get better.”

Senior Gabe Crawford (157-pound GPAC champion) and junior Mario Ybarra (125-pound GPAC champion) headline the group of returners. Crawford and Ybarra serve as team captains along with junior Issiah Burks (165). Those three Bulldogs represent the lone holdovers from last season’s 12-man GPAC tournament championship roster. Calhoun is confident in the example they will set for a 2020-21 roster that features 16 freshmen.

The young pups would do well to take after Ybarra, a Scottsbluff, Neb., native who has been fueled by coming up a hair short of achieving All-America honors last season. Over his first two seasons in the navy and white singlet, Ybarra has produced an overall record of 47-22. Continued improvement could make him another candidate in the long line of GPAC Wrestlers of the Year that the program has produced.

“Mario’s biggest success is that he’s reignited his passion for wrestling,” Calhoun said. “He’s found a way to love the sport again. I don’t know that he completely loved the sport when he first got here – but he’s found a way to enjoy it and he’s loving competing and training. That’s been huge for him on a personal level. He’s stepped into such a great leadership role. I’m excited because he’s hungry to get better. He was a point away from being an All-American last year. It’s a heartbreaking thing. Since that moment, he’s had that goal in mind of getting on the podium.”

Wrestling may be an individualized sport when the action gets going on the day of a tournament or dual, but leaders like Ybarra still have an opportunity to impact their teammates on a daily basis. Ybarra wants to be there for his teammates like the upperclassmen were there for him.

“I’ve been very blessed to be part of the team here,” Ybarra said. “I’m thankful that I had them (the 2019-20 seniors) because they helped shape and mold me into the wrestler I am now, and also the leader I am now. Looking towards the upcoming years, I can be that figure for the freshmen coming in for me that the seniors were for me when I came in as a freshman. I want to be that teammate and that person for the younger people coming in.”

For outsiders, Crawford’s run to a GPAC title last season came as a bit of a surprise. The Virginia Beach, Va., native earned the automatic bid to nationals and finished his junior season with 17 wins. Meanwhile, Burks (Hemet, Calif.) claimed 19 victories and was a fifth-place GPAC finisher at 165 pounds. The next step for Burks could be a national tournament appearance of his own.

Admittedly, the departures from last season’s team are significant. Former Nebraska Cornhusker starting offensive lineman Tanner Farmer made big waves in his only semester with the program. Farmer was voted GPAC Wrestler of the Year and went on to earn NAIA national runner up status at heavyweight. The list of key losses also includes three-time national qualifier Deandre Chery (two-time GPAC champ), two-time All-American Alberto Garcia and additional national qualifiers in Chris Kimball, Darrin Miller, Zack Moistner and Blake Sang (changed last name from Castillo).

That means the door is wide open for the newcomers. Calhoun and his staff did not have to go far to find Jeaven Scdoris (141), a state champion at Milford High School who won 139 career matches as a prep. Calhoun says he could foresee “five or six” freshmen starting in the dual lineup. Other rookies to watch include Mason Garcia (197) of Arroyo Grande, Calif., and Jacob Telles (285) of Albuquerque, N.M. Telles steps into a heavyweight spot that has been an area of strength for the program with national runners up coming in 2017 and 2020 (Ceron Francisco and Farmer, respectively). There are also high hopes for Iowa Lakes Community College transfer Tavoris Smith (157).

Calhoun believes there are unknowns in the GPAC beyond the Concordia wrestling room. Says Calhoun, “We’re a different team and a lot of teams (in the GPAC) are that way. Morningside and Briar Cliff are always contenders and Doane is up and coming. There are a lot of unknowns. Our goal is always to win a conference title. That’s the expectation. I don’t know what we’re doing if we’re not trying to win a conference title. It’ll look a little different this year, but we have to have high expectations for ourselves.”

The recent past has certainly set a lofty standard for the program. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Bulldogs have won five GPAC regular-season championships and have claimed four GPAC/NAIA North tournament titles. The program has also placed 26th or higher at the national tournament each year during that run (with a program record of eighth place in 2016). For the past seven years in a row, at least one Concordia wrestler has earned a spot on the All-America podium.

Now what? And who will be next on that podium? “I know I can get myself up on that podium. I know I can win the national tournament,” Ybarra said. “I want to prove that … As a team, I’m excited to build the new phase for Concordia Wrestling. The new freshmen will be the face of Concordia Wrestling for the upcoming four years. I’m excited to be put in a leadership position.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly result in some schedule alterations, the Bulldogs are looking forward to opening up their season next Friday (Oct. 30) with a 7 p.m. CT dual at York College. The first home appearance of the 2020-21 campaign is slated for Dec. 10 when Morningside will be in Seward for a GPAC dual.

Ybarra ready to take lead for wrestling program

October 22, 2020

Down the stretch of last season, former Husker offensive lineman Tanner Farmer’s progression towards a heavyweight national championship match appearance caught plenty of attention. Overshadowed in terms of media coverage and physical stature, teammate Mario Ybarra put together a fine season of his own. There will be no more shadows to hide Ybarra.

The Scottsbluff High School product stands out as the most accomplished competitor on the current Concordia University Wrestling roster. Had a 2-1 loss at the 2020 national tournament gone the other way, Ybarra would have earned All-America honors. That close call has fueled him since March.

“I’m excited to get back to that national tournament,” Ybarra said. “It’s been lingering for the past several months, just how my tournament went. I know I can get myself up on that podium. I know I can win the national tournament. I’m truly that confident that I’m the hardest worker in this country and I just want to prove that. There’s still work to be done, but I’m excited to get to that point.”

Six of the other seven Bulldogs who joined Ybarra at the 2020 NAIA Wrestling National Championship have departed. A retooled roster now includes 16 freshmen. Those dynamics are not lost on Ybarra, who is embracing an increased leadership role. The defending 125-pound GPAC champion commands the respect of the room.

Such respect doesn’t come simply as a byproduct of his 47-22 career record or the conference title that Ybarra claimed last season. He says and does so many things in a way that represent the program with class. Ybarra is faith-filled, well-spoken and driven to succeed on the mat and in the classroom – as his NWCA Scholar All-American award would attest. Across campus, people have taken note of Ybarra’s work ethic.

Ybarra and Concordia are the right match for each other. Says Ybarra, “As cheesy as it is, it just felt right coming here. When I came for my visit, I truly felt like God was calling me here. Obviously we’re Christ-based and I take my faith seriously. It’s a great campus to continue that. The team atmosphere here felt right. They accepted me. There was really no other choice I wanted than coming here.”

A computer science major, Ybarra grew up in a wrestling family. He believes he took up the sport at the age of four. In high school, Ybarra won two district titles and was a 2015 state runner up at Scottsbluff. His talent was already apparent when he made his way to Seward. Ybarra was just scratching the surface during a 2018-19 freshman season that saw him place fifth in the GPAC at 125.

While Ybarra has always had a strong interest in the sport, Head Coach Levi Calhoun has seen a change in Ybarra. His passion and determination appear to be at an all-time high.

“Mario’s biggest success is that he’s reignited his passion for wrestling,” Calhoun said. “He’s found a way to love the sport again. I don’t know that he completely loved the sport when he first got here – but he’s found a way to enjoy it and he’s loving competing and training. That’s been huge for him on a personal level. He’s stepped into such a great leadership role. I’m excited because he’s hungry to get better. He was a point away from being an All-American last year. It’s a heartbreaking thing. Since that moment, he’s had that goal in mind of getting on the podium.”

The step up to the podium is the progression Ybarra seeks after he made a significant leap forward from freshman to sophomore year. He may have come up short of achieving All-America honors, but Ybarra played a large role in the team’s sweep of GPAC regular-season and tournament titles and helped the Bulldogs place 15th at the national championships. Says Ybarra, “It was nice to take home that (GPAC championship trophy).”

Preseason rankings have not be released yet, but Ybarra will likely start off the year with a target on his back as the top wrestler in the GPAC at 125 pounds. He may even rank highly on the national level. Such ratings will have little impact on Ybarra and his work ethic or attitude. If there’s someone who can serve as an example for younger teammates, it’s Ybarra.

As a freshman and sophomore, Ybarra had last year’s senior class to look up to. That group was the backbone of an impressive four-year run that included five total team conference championships. Now Ybarra and company have a chance to write a new chapter, one they hope leads to more GPAC and national accomplishments.

“I’ve been very blessed to be part of the team here,” Ybarra said. “I’m thankful that I had them (the 2019-20 seniors) because they helped shape and mold me into the wrestler I am now, and also the leader I am now. Looking towards the upcoming years, I can be that figure for the freshmen coming in for me that the seniors were for me when I came in as a freshman. I want to be that teammate and that person for the younger people coming in.”

Things have gotten real now that the beginning of the season is just over a week away. The COVID-19 era has put everything into proper perspective.

Says Ybarra, “2020 has been a crazy year. The time off this summer gave me respect and appreciation for the sport. Anything can change any day.”

The ultimate goals Ybarra hopes to achieve will have to wait until 2021. In the New Year, Ybarra resolves to compete his tail off and position himself for a possible national title. As Calhoun said, “We have to have high expectations for ourselves.”

Bulldogs set to visit York for opening dual of 2020-21

October 28, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Wrestling team returns to action this weekend. The defending GPAC champion Bulldogs are readying to visit York at 7 p.m. CT on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 30-31). The dual will be the first action for both squads this season.

Dual Info
Concordia (0-0) vs. York (0-0)
7 p.m. CT | York, Neb.
Live Webcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/yorkneb/
York Dual Live Results

York College Open Live Results

Head coach Levi Calhoun’s squad finished the 2019-2020 season with an overall record of 13-2. Dating back to the start of the 2014-15 season, the Concordia wrestling program boasts a GPAC record of 41-4 with five regular-season titles and four postseason championships. Individually the Bulldogs have had a very impressive resume in that period, having had 13 NAIA All-Americans and five GPAC Wrestlers of the year.

Concordia will have a much younger look this season as the Bulldogs have lost six of their eight national qualifiers due to graduation. However, GPAC champions in senior Gabe Crawford (157 pounds) and junior Mario Ybarra (125 pounds) are returning. Crawford finished with a 17-13 overall record while Ybarra finished 22-9 in 2019-2020. Junior Issiah Burks (165 pounds) is the other lone returner from last season’s 12-man GPAC tournament championship team. Burks recorded a fifth-place finish at the GPAC championships to finish his season with a 19-20 overall record. Head Coach Levi Calhoun expects some of his 16 newcomers to step up and make an immediate impact this season. Newcomers to watch include former Milford High School state champion Jeaven Scordis (141), California native Mason Garcia (197) and Jacob Telles (285) of Albuquerque, N.M.

During last year's matchup, the Bulldogs handled York by the score of 30-16. Crawford and Burks both picked up wins for the Bulldogs as they combined for 9 points in Concordia’s favor.

York finished with a 5-6 overall dual record in 2020. Head coach Chad Mattox’s squad recorded a sixth-place finish at the NAIA regional tournament before concluding their campaign with a 26th place effort at the NAIA National Tournament. The Panthers return 2019-2020 All-American John Fox (141), who finished 8th last year in the national tournament. Other returning starters from last year’s campaign include Fernando Servin (157), Cody Peterson (165), Lennorise Echols (174) and Marce Vasquez (197). 

After this weekend's action, the Bulldogs will have a two-week layoff. Concordia will be back on the mats Friday, Nov. 13, as they take on Dakota Wesleyan University in a GPAC opening dual in Mitchell, S.D.

 

Probable Lineups

Concordia

125 – Carter Willis
133 – Mario Ybarra (22-9)
141 – Jeaven Scdoris
149 – Jett High
157 – Issiah Burks (19-20)
165 – Gabe Crawford (17-13)
174 – TJ Huber
184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (3-8)
197 – Mason Garcia
285 – Jacob Telles

York

125 – Harley Williamson
133 – Pierce Mederios  
141 – John Fox
149 – Brayden Smith
157 – Fernando Servin
165 – Cody Pederson
174 – Lennorise Echols
184 – Jarvis Echols
197 – Marce Vasquez
286 – Marcus Cave

Garcia, Sanchez collect pins in debuts; Concordia falls at York

October 30, 2020

YORK, Neb. – College wrestling is underway in 2020-21. In a meeting of nearby programs, Concordia University Wrestling took on York College at the Freeman Center in York, Neb., for the first time since January 2014. The Panthers dominated the first half of the dual while securing a 30-19 victory on Friday (Oct. 30). Six of the 10 matches ended by fall.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun rolled out a new-look lineup with seven grapplers wearing the Bulldog singlet for the very first time. It’s a different team than the one that went 13-2 in dual meets last season. Even so, Calhoun has high expectations for his squad.

“Overall I’m just disappointed. We don’t like to lose – that’s the first thing,” Calhoun said. “We can’t give up falls. We gave up four falls. You can’t win a lot of duals like that. We just need to get better.”

There were plenty of fireworks in this season opener for both sides. Concordia waited until the 165-pound tussle before it got on the board. Transfer Jose Sanchez pinned York’s Cody Pederson to cut into what had been a 24-0 team deficit. The Bulldogs won four of the last five bouts with additional victories coming from freshmen Timothy Huber (174), Mason Garcia (197) and Jacob Telles (285). Garcia also took care of his opponent by pin while Telles triumphed by major decision (over a Nebraska high school state champion).

It was a positive way to end the night after the Panthers owned the first five matches. The lone returning national qualifier in Friday’s Concordia lineup, junior Mario Ybarra was clipped in overtime by Pierce Mederios at 133. Former Milford High School state champion Jeaven Scodoris drew an All-American in his first collegiate match and was competitive until getting pinned by John Fox.

Head Coach Chad Mattox’s Panthers displayed their strength at the top of the lineup. Harley Williamson (125) and Mederios (133) are returning national qualifiers. York also threw out three freshmen, including two that picked up wins. The Panthers were able to avenge the 30-16 defeat they suffered last season inside Walz Arena.

The Bulldogs expect to enter 14 individuals into Saturday’s York Open. Action is set to begin from the Freeman Center at 9 a.m. CT. It will offer a chance to quickly put the dual in the rearview mirror. Said Calhoun, “We had some bright spots and some young kids are doing well. As a team, we need to get a lot better.”

Ybarra claims title at 133; Bulldogs combine for 31 wins at York Open

October 31, 2020

YORK, Neb. – A weekend spent in York, Neb., continued on Saturday (Oct. 31) as members of the Concordia University Wrestling team looked to brush off Friday’s dual loss at York College. Fourteen Bulldogs competed along with a small grouping of teams at the Freeman Center. The yields included 31 total Concordia wins (18 via pin) and a 133-pound title for junior Mario Ybarra.

Though the event may have been small in terms of the overall field, it was designed to allow for four or five matches for each individual wrestler. Head Coach Levi Calhoun saw progress being made this weekend.

“I think we were a little bit more relaxed,” Calhoun said. “We had a little more fun wrestling without the pressure of a dual setting. I was pretty happy with the day overall. Mario obviously had a tough loss last night, but he bounced back and had a great day. He dominated the whole field and then met the York guy (Pierce Mederios) and ended up with another battle. It shows Mario is resilient and keeps everything in perspective.”

Each Bulldog competitor recorded at least one victory on the day. A native of Scottsbluff, Neb., Ybarra went 5-0 with a pair of pins. In the first-place bout, he edged out Mederios, 3-2. Ybarra will be counted upon for leadership – and results throughout this season. He’s now 52-23 in his collegiate career and is a returning 125-pound GPAC champion.

As Calhoun also remarked, junior Issiah Burks “looked really good today.” The 157-pounder from Hemet, Calif., shook off a Friday night loss of his own and took it out on his opponents. He pinned the first four foes he faced on the way to the championship match. Burks wound up as the runner up after falling to Grand View University (Iowa)’s Alex Reynolds in sudden victory.

Burks, Ybarra and defending 157-pound GPAC champion Gabe Crawford (did not wrestle this weekend) are the reliable veterans. In order to challenge for another conference team title, Concordia will need its youngsters to continue to progress. Calhoun called Saturday’s returns “promising.” The Bulldogs like what they have at heavyweight in freshman Jacob Telles, who earned a win in Friday’s dual and then went 4-1 with two pins on Saturday.

Seven Concordia grapplers emerged from the open with exactly two wins: Jeaven Scdoris (141), Jose Sanchez (157), Tavoris Smith (157), Timothy Huber (174), Cyrus Marshall (184), Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184) and Mason Garcia (197). Newcomers Garcia and Sanchez also picked up pins in the dual at York. One win apiece was claimed at the York Open by Carter Willis (125), Jeremiah Sistek (133), Jett High (149) and Andrew Reid (184).

Due to a tournament cancellation, the Bulldogs will not be in action next weekend. The next date on the schedule is Friday, Nov. 13 when Concordia will dual at Dakota Wesleyan (6 p.m. CT). The Bulldogs will also be at the Dakota Wesleyan Open the following day. Last season Calhoun led his squad to a perfect 8-0 record in GPAC duals.

Dakota Wesleyan to provide next test for Concordia

November 11, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – After an idle two weeks, the Concordia University wrestling team returns to action this weekend. The defending GPAC champion Bulldogs are readying to visit Dakota Wesleyan for a dual at 6 p.m. CT on Friday (Nov. 13) before competing in the Dakota Wesleyan open on Saturday (Nov.14) at 9 a.m. CT.

Dual Info
Concordia (0-1) vs. Dakota Wesleyan (0-0)
6 p.m. CT | Mitchell, S.D.
Live Webcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/dwu/

Dakota Wesleyan University Open Live Results

Head coach Levi Calhoun’s squad lost its opening dual to York 30-19 back on Oct. 30. However, the Bulldogs rebounded the next day, combining for 31 wins in the York Open. Fourteen Bulldogs competed in the event, which consisted of four to five matches for each wrestler. Of the 14 Concordia wrestlers, each recorded at least one victory. Junior Mario Ybarra was the top performer as he took home the title in the 133-pound weight class. Ybarra finished the event 5-0 with a pair of pins. Junior Issiah Burks also had a solid performance, pinning his first four opponents before falling in the 157-pound championship match to Grand view's Alex Reynolds. Freshman Jacob Telles was also impressive in his debut, finishing in third place, going 4-1 with three pins while wrestling in the 285-pound weight class

Reigning 157-pound GPAC champion Gabe Crawford did not wrestle in the event but is expected to be in the lineup this weekend. In the recent GPAC conference ratings, Ybarra is ranked No. 1 in the 133-pound weight class while Crawford is ranked second at 165 pounds. Other Bulldogs ranked include Jeaven Scdoris (No. 3, 141), Burks (No. 3, 157), Tavoris Smith (No. 6, 157), Jace Summers (No. 3, 174), Mason Garcia (No. 5, 197) and Telles (No. 4, 285).

Ybarra, Burks and Crawford will headline the Concordia lineup in Friday’s dual at Dakota Wesleyan. Senior Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184 pounds) will also bring experience to the lineup. The Bulldogs lineup will be rounded out by six freshmen: Carter Willis (125), Scdoris, Jett High (149), T.J. Huber (174), Garcia and Telles.

During last year's matchup, Concordia dominated Dakota Wesleyan by the score of 48-4. The Bulldogs have won seven straight duals over the Tigers dating back to 2013 by a combined margin of 332-26. Concordia is a combined 41-4 in GPAC duals since the start of the 2014-2015 season.

Friday’s dual will be the season opener for Dakota Wesleyan. Head Coach Casey Mouw’s squad went 0-9 in 2019-2020. The Tigers have dropped their last 36 decisions dating back to 2016. Senior Marcus Urban is Wesleyan’s biggest threat on the mats as he currently is the top-rated GPAC wrestler in the 165-pound weight class. Urban was the lone national qualifier for the Tigers a year ago. Other returning starters from last year’s campaign include Mitchell Messersmith (So.), Cole Halouska (Jr.), and Carter Max (So.). 

One key matchup to keep an eye on will be the 165-pound showdown between GPAC No. 1 Marcus Urban and GPAC No. 2 Gabe Crawford. 

After this weekend's action, the Bulldogs will have a quick turnaround. Concordia will be back on the mats Saturday, Nov. 21 at 9 a.m. CT, as they compete in the University of Nebraska Kearney Open.

 

 

Concordia

125 – Carter Willis (Fr.)
133 – Mario Ybarra (Jr.)
141 – Jeaven Scdoris (Fr.)
149 – Jett High (Fr.)
157 – Issiah Burks (Jr.)
165 – Gabe Crawford (Sr.)
174 – T.J. Huber (Fr.)
184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (Sr.)
197 – Mason Garcia (Fr.)
285 – Jacob Telles (Fr.)

Dakota Wesleyan

125 – Open

133 – Darien Malone (Fr.)    

141– Jared Harris (Fr.)

149 – Coby Eikenhorst (Fr.)

157 – Mitch Messersmith (So.)

165 – Marcus Urban (Sr.)

174 – Cole Halouska (Jr.)

184 – Hunter Planansky (Fr.)

197 – Carter Max (So.)

285 – Kyle Mullaney (Fr.)

Calhoun's squad third in GPAC, receives votes nationally in initial polls

November 13, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – Following a sweep of GPAC regular season and tournament titles in 2019-20, the Concordia University Wrestling Program has checked in at No. 3 in the initial conference ratings of 2020-21 (released on the NAIA website on Nov. 10). Nationally, the Bulldogs are listed among teams receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll unveiled on Friday (Nov. 13).

Eight Bulldogs appeared within the top six of the GPAC in their respective weight classes, including top-ranked 133-pounder Mario Ybarra. Ybarra is a returning 125-pound GPAC champion. Another defending conference titlist (at 157), Gabe Crawford is ranked No. 2 in the GPAC at 165. Meanwhile, three Concordia competitors landed at No. 3 in the conference: Jeaven Scdoris (141), Issiah Burks (157) and Jace Summers (174).

A lot is expected this season of Ybarra, who just missed out on reaching the All-America podium in 2020. The Scottsbluff, Neb., native is ranked third in the NAIA at 133. Crawford gives Concordia a second nationally-ranked competitor. He came in at No. 14 on the NAIA’s list of 165 pounders.

Ybarra and company will return to action tonight (Nov. 13) with a dual at Dakota Wesleyan. The first match is set to begin at 6 p.m. CT from Mitchell, S.D. The Bulldogs own a combined GPAC dual record of 41-4 over the previous six seasons.

Ranked Bulldogs

133 – Mario Ybarra – GPAC: 1st | NAIA: 3rd
141 – Jeaven Scdoris – GPAC: 3rd
157 – Issiah Burks – GPAC: 3rd
157 – Tavoris Smith – GPAC: 6th
165 – Gabe Crawford – GPAC: 2nd | NAIA: 14th
174 – Jace Summers – GPAC: 3rd
197 – Mason Garcia – GPAC: 5th
285 – Jacob Telles: GPAC: 4th

GPAC dual streak moves to nine in dominant win at DWU

November 13, 2020

MITCHELL, S.D. – In action for the first time since Oct. 31, the Concordia University Wrestling team opened up the GPAC dual schedule in dominant fashion. The Bulldogs triumphed in eight of 10 matches while rolling host Dakota Wesleyan, 34-6, in Mitchell, S.D., on Friday (Nov. 13) night. Concordia freshman Mason Garcia (197) recorded the lone pin of the evening.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad effectively rebounded from its nonconference loss at York College back on Oct. 30. The defending GPAC champion Bulldogs have won nine-straight GPAC duals.

“TJ Huber really got us started with a dominant win,” Calhoun said. “He controlled the match the whole time. That’s really what we wanted. We wanted our guys to go out with confidence. Obviously our first dual didn’t go well. It’s nice to get that dual win and first GPAC win. We’re excited to build off it.”

Out of its eight wins, Concordia earned one by pin, one by major decision, four by decision and two via forfeit (125 and 149). A native of Arroyo Grande, Calif., Garcia has started his collegiate career quite impressively having run his record to 5-1 with four pins. On Friday, Garcia nailed Carter Max to the mat after 5:36 had elapsed.

The dual got going at 174 pounds where Huber picked up a 7-3 decision for the Bulldogs. After dropping the 184-pound bout, Concordia then took care of the next seven matches while sewing up the team victory. Just tagged with the No. 3 national ranking at 133 pounds earlier in the day, junior Mario Ybarra found himself in a battle with Darien Malone. Ybarra managed to hold Malone off, 3-2, with the help of a second-period takedown.

At 157, Bulldog junior Issiah Burks manhandled Mitchell Messersmith by a 9-0 major decision that featured four near-fall points. Additional Concordia victories by decision were delivered by freshmen Jeaven Scdoris (141) and Jacob Telles (285). A state champion at Milford High School, Scdoris picked up back points after almost pinning Jared Harris. In the premier matchup of the night, in terms of national rankings, Dakota Wesleyan’s 11th-ranked Marcus Urban defeated 14th-ranked Gabe Crawford, 5-3, at 165, wrapping up the dual.

Said Calhoun, “Mason wrestled well in every position. Getting the pin was big for us and kept the momentum going. Issiah Burks also wrestled really well. It was good to see one of our leaders go out and perform like that.”

Not only have the Bulldogs won nine GPAC duals in a row, they are a combined 42-4 in conference duals since the start of the 2014-15 season. In the conference ratings released this week, Concordia appeared at No. 3 behind Doane and Briar Cliff.

The Bulldogs will wait until Dec. 3 for their next conference dual. However, a group of about 14 Concordia grapplers will hit the mats again on Saturday for the Dakota Wesleyan Open. Action is slated to begin at 9 am. CT from Mitchell.

Burks, Telles pace Bulldogs at DWU Open

November 14, 2020

MITCHELL, S.D. – A day after claiming a GPAC dual win at Dakota Wesleyan, the Concordia University Wrestling team remained in Mitchell, S.D., for competition at the Dakota Wesleyan Open. In tournament action, 14 Bulldogs combined for 24 wins on Saturday (Nov. 14). The event included wrestlers from six institutions, including five GPAC squads.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s group has now competed in two tournaments and two duals (1-1 overall) this season. Currently, Concordia is ranked third in the GPAC and is receiving votes in the NAIA national poll.

Freshman Jacob Telles (285) and junior Issiah Burks (157) starred for the Bulldogs on Saturday. Though Burks dropped his first match of the day, he rebounded with two pins and a victory by major decision while taking first place in the 157A bracket of the tournament. Burks topped Briar Cliff’s Ben Peters by a 13-4 score to cap a weekend that included a triumph in Friday night’s dual.

Telles is continuing the tradition of top-notch heavyweights at Concordia. He has run his season record to 10-2 by claiming four of five bouts at the DWU Open. Among the highlights, Telles earned a 3-2 decision over Briar Cliff’s Matt Wilke, ranked 19th nationally at 285. Telles claimed second place in the 285A bracket.

While Burks and Telles combined for seven wins, three other Bulldogs recorded three wins apiece: Timothy Huber (174), Mason Garcia (197), Jose Sanchez (157C) and Jeaven Scdoris (141). Scdoris and Sanchez both took second place while Garcia and Huber collected third-place claims. At 184 pounds, Cyrus Marshall picked up two wins. One win each was turned in by Carter Willis (125), Tavoris Smith (157) and Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184).

The field in Mitchell included opponents from Briar Cliff, Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown, Northwestern and Waldorf University (Iowa).

Please note that next week’s scheduled University of Nebraska-Kearney Open (originally slated for Nov. 21) has been canceled. Next up on the schedule is a dual at Midland on Dec. 3.

Midland serves as next opportunity for Concordia

December 1, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – After being idle for over two weeks, the Concordia University Wrestling team returns to action this week. The defending GPAC champion Bulldogs are readying to visit Midland for a dual at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday (Dec. 3) before competing in the Doane University Open on Saturday (Dec.5) at 9 a.m. CT.

Dual Info
Concordia (1-1) vs. Midland (0-2)
7 p.m. CT | Fremont, Neb.
Live Webcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/midland/

Doane University Open Live Results

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad easily dispatched Dakota Wesleyan, 34-6, in its last dual. The win was the eighth straight over Dakota Wesleyan and the ninth straight GPAC dual win. Concordia notched eight victories during the contest. Freshman Mason Garcia recorded the lone pin of the night on his way to victory. A native of Arroyo Grande, Calif., Garcia has started his career with a 5-1 record with four pins. T.J. Huber picked up a 7-3 victory in the 174-pound matchup, while Mario Ybarra was able to squeak out a 3-2 victory in the 133-pound weight class. Freshman Jeaven Scdoris (141) and Jacob Telles (285) also recorded victories to contribute to the Concordia win. The rest of the Bulldogs scoring came from forfeits in both the 125 and 149 pound weight classes.

In the recent GPAC conference ratings, Ybarra is ranked No. 1 in the 133-pound weight class, while Gabe Crawford is ranked second at 165 pounds. Other Bulldogs ranked include Jeaven Scdoris (No. 3, 141), Burks (No. 3, 157), Tavoris Smith (No. 6, 157), Jace Summers (No. 3, 174), Mason Garcia (No. 5, 197) and Telles (No. 4, 285).

Ybarra, Burks and Crawford will headline the Concordia lineup in Thursday’s dual at Midland, while Senior Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184 pounds) will also bring experience to the lineup. The Bulldogs lineup will be rounded out by six freshmen: Carter Willis (125), Scdoris (149), Jeremiah Sistek(133/141), T.J. Huber (174), Garcia and Telles.

Concordia had a perfect match against Midland during last year's matchup as they shut shutout out the Warriors 54 to -1. The Bulldogs have won two consecutive duals against Midland and lead the all-time series 5-4.

Midland is 0-2 so far in duals this season and currently ranked seventh in the GPAC NAIA team ratings. The Warriors have suffered setbacks to York (30-22) and Hastings (39-15). Midland currently has wrestlers in the GPAC ratings, including juniors Eddie Daniel (No. 3, 125), Conner Dalton (No. 2, 141) and Raymond Aranda (No. 5, 157). Freshmen Chase Engelhardt (No. 5 165), Tyson Beauperthuy (No. 174) and Connor Rinn (No. 5, 184) are also the rankings for the Warriors. Joining the ranked wrestlers in the Midland lineup are juniors Mario Martinez (133), Matt Johnston (285) and sophomore Steven Aranda (149).

Potential matchups between combatants ranked at the conference level include Gabe Crawford and Chase Engelhardt at 165 as well as Issiah Burks and Raymond Aranda Jr. at 157.

After this weekend's action, the Bulldogs will be back in the friendly confines of Friedrich Arena as they host Morningside College on Dec. 10 in the first home dual of the season. The start time is set for 7 p.m. CT.

Concordia
125 – Carter Willis (Fr.)
133 – Mario Ybarra (Jr.) / Jeremiah Sistek (Fr.)
141 – Mario Ybarra (Jr.) / Jeremiah Sistek (Fr.)
149 – Jeaven Scdoris (Fr.)
157 – Issiah Burks (Jr.)
165 – Gabe Crawford (Sr.)
174 – T.J. Huber (Fr.)
184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (Sr.)
197 – Mason Garcia (Fr.)
285 – Jacob Telles (Fr.)

Midland
125 – Eddie Daniel (Jr.)
133 – Mario Martinez (Jr.)   
141– Conner Dalton (Jr.)
149 – Steve Aranda (So.)
157 – Ray Aranda (Jr.)
165 – Chase Engelhardt (Fr.)
174 – Tyson Beauperthuy (Fr.)
184 – Connor Rinn (Fr.)
197 – Open
285 – Matt Johnston (Jr.)

GPAC dual streak reaches 10 with victory at Midland

December 3, 2020

FREMONT, Neb. – It did not last long, but the Concordia University Wrestling team got what it came for. In returning to action for the first time since Nov. 14, the Bulldogs won eight of 10 matches in a 38-7 GPAC dual victory at Midland on Thursday (Dec. 3) night. Four matches went uncontested in a meeting that took place inside the Wikert Event Center.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad (2-1 overall) also owns a victory over Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia was ranked third in the first GPAC rankings of 2020-21.

The Warriors (0-3, 0-2 GPAC) got on the board first with wins coming via Tyson Beauperthuy (major decision) at 174 and Connor Rinn (decision) at 184 (dual began at 174). The forfeits then kicked in as the Bulldogs accepted freebies at 197, 285, 125 and 133. Over the final four bouts, Concordia picked up wins from the likes of junior Mario Ybarra (decision) at 141, freshman Jeaven Scdoris (decision) at 149, junior Issiah Burks (major decision) at 157 and senior Gabe Crawford (major decision) at 165.

The veterans Burks (11-1 MD) and Crawford (14-3 MD) went on the attack in the most dominant efforts of the night by competitors in the navy and white. Meanwhile, Ybarra (ranked third nationally at 133) found himself in a battle with the GPAC’s second-rated 141-pounder in Conner Dalton. Ybarra, who wrestled up a weight, held off Dalton thanks to a late takedown in a 3-1 decision. A former Milford High School state champion, Scdoris moved his season record to 7-5.

Midland entered the dual ranked seventh in the GPAC after it went 1-7 last season in conference duals. At 174 pounds, Beauperthuy is ranked second in the GPAC and 20th nationally. In their two previous duals, the Warriors fell by scores of 30-22 to York College and 39-15 to Hastings.

Dating back to last season, the defending conference champion Bulldogs have won 10-straight GPAC duals. The program owns an impressive conference dual record of 43-4 since the start of the 2014-15 season.

Next up on the schedule is the Doane University Open on Saturday. The action is slated to get underway at 9 a.m. CT from Fuhrer Fieldhouse in Crete, Neb. According to Track Wrestling, Concordia will be one of 11 institutions represented at the tournament. This will mark the third open of the season for the Bulldogs, who also competed at the York and Dakota Wesleyan Opens.

Garcia, Telles pace Bulldogs at Doane Open

December 5, 2020

CRETE, Neb. – After claiming a GPAC dual win at Midland earlier this week, the Concordia University Wrestling team traveled to Crete for competition at the Doane University Open. In tournament action, five Bulldogs combined for ten wins on Saturday (Dec. 5). The event included wrestlers from 11 institutions, including seven GPAC squads.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s group has now competed in three tournaments and three duals (2-1 overall) this season. Currently, Concordia is ranked third in the GPAC and is receiving votes in the NAIA national poll.

Freshmen Mason Garcia (197) and Jacob Telles (285) starred for the Bulldogs on Saturday. Garcia started his day with a bye before pinning Terungwa Unongo of Doane in the quarterfinals to grab a victory. Although Garcia lost by decision in the first semifinal, he bounced back with a win in the consolation semifinal. Garcia dropped his third-place contest to finish in fourth place.  

Telles was solid as usual in his outings. He has now run his season record to 14-3 by winning four of five bouts at the Doane Open. Telles will likely move up from fourth in the next GPAC individual ratings after his performance. Telles scored an impressive 3-1 victory of GPAC No. 3 Ramiro Macias of Jamestown in the fourth round.

While Garcia and Telles combined for seven wins, three other Bulldogs recorded wins: Timothy Huber (174) and Carter Willis (125) each recorded a win apiece. While Issiah Burks (157) won two matches, pinning his opponents in both.

The field in Crete included opponents from Dakota Wesleyan, Doane, Grand View (Iowa), Hannibal LaGrange (Mo.), Hastings, Jamestown, Midland, Morningside, Waldorf University (Iowa) and York.

Next week the Bulldogs will be back in the friendly confines of Friedrich Arena as they host Morningside College on Thursday (Dec. 10) in the first home dual of the season. Start time is set for 7 p.m. CT.

First home appearance to come in Thursday dual

December 8, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – Now three tournaments and two duals into the 2020-21 season, the Concordia University Wrestling team is ready to make its first home appearance of the campaign. A week after a 38-7 win at Midland, the Bulldogs will welcome Morningside to Friedrich Arena for a 7 p.m. CT dual on Thursday. Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad also entered 10 competitors into this past weekend’s Doane Open.

Calhoun has been away from the program as he and his family continue to mourn the loss of Joan Calhoun, the mother of Levi. Assistant Coach Tyree Cox will lead the team into Thursday’s dual in the absence of Calhoun, the 2019-20 GPAC Coach of the Year.

The matchup on Thursday features teams ranked third (Concordia) and fifth (Morningside) in the initial GPAC rankings of 2020-21. The Bulldogs (2-0 GPAC) have run their GPAC dual win streak to 10 courtesy of victories over Dakota Wesleyan and Midland. Concordia owns an impressive conference record of 43-4 since the start of the 2014-15 season. The program’s longest GPAC win streak during that stretch was 22. Also over that timeframe, the Bulldogs have put together four separated undefeated conference seasons.

So far this season, three Concordia wrestlers have reached double figures in wins: freshman Jacob Telles (15-4), freshman Mason Garcia (11-4) and junior Issiah Burks (11-4). Five others have totaled five or more victories: T.J. Huber (8-7), Mario Ybarra (7-1), Jeaven Scdoris (7-7), Jose Sanchez (6-6) and Carter Willis (5-9). At the Doane Open, Garcia placed fourth at 197 and Telles took fifth at 285. Thursday’s dual lineup will feature many of these aforementioned names. Ranked third nationally at 133, Ybarra has won seven-straight matches.

This will be the season opening dual for Morningside, which last season went 6-2 in conference duals. Jake Stevenson is in his ninth season leading the Mustangs, who shared the GPAC regular-season title with Concordia in 2018-19. Morningside boasts seven ranked wrestlers at the conference level. At 149 pounds, John Diener is ranked first in the GPAC and 13th in the NAIA. Among the probable starters for Thursday, Diener and Jonah Egli (174) are returning national qualifiers.

The Bulldogs will have the weekend off from competition. Next up on the schedule are the Concordia Bulldog Duals on Saturday, Dec. 19. The slate for that date has not yet been finalized.

Probable Lineups

Concordia (2-1, 2-0 GPAC)
125 – Carter Willis (5-9)
133 – Mario Ybarra (7-1) / Jeremiah Sistek (2-7)
141 – Mario Ybarra (7-1) / Jeremiah Sistek (2-7)
149 – Jeaven Scdoris (7-7)
157 – Issiah Burks (11-5)
165 – Gabe Crawford (1-2)
174 – T.J. Huber (8-7)
184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (3-6)
197 – Mason Garcia (11-4)
285 – Jacob Telles (15-4)

Morningside (0-0)
125 – Evan Shell (4-2)
133 – Taylor Vazquez (0-0)
141 – Noah Styskal (4-2)
149 – Brandon Mills (0-0)
157 – John Diener (3-1)
165 – Caleb Connor (4-2) / Kory Van Oort (3-2)
174 – Jonah Egli (0-0) / Tim Sibbel (0-2)
184 – Open
197 – Kasten Grape (3-1)
285 – Derrell Zagurski (4-2)

Ranked Competitors

Concordia
133 – Mario Ybarra – GPAC: 1st | NAIA: 3rd
141 – Jeaven Scdoris – GPAC: 3rd
157 – Issiah Burks – GPAC: 3rd
157 – Tavoris Smith – GPAC: 6th
165 – Gabe Crawford – GPAC: 2nd | NAIA: 14th
174 – Jace Summers – GPAC: 3rd
197 – Mason Garcia – GPAC: 5th
285 – Jacob Telles – GPAC: 4th

Morningside
125 – Evan Shell – GPAC: 6th
133 – Taylor Vasquez – GPAC: 6th
149 – John Diener – GPAC: 1st | NAIA: 13th
149 – Noah Styskal – GPAC: 6th
157 – Kory Van Oort – GPAC: 4th
184 – Kaimana McCreadie – GPAC: 2nd
285 – Derrell Zagurski – GPAC: 6th

Burks tops nationally-ranked foe; team streak snapped

December 10, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Wrestling team knew it had little margin for error while up against Morningside in Thursday (Dec. 10)’s home opener inside Friedrich Arena. The visiting Mustangs snapped a GPAC dual win streak of 10 for the Bulldogs by taking six of 10 matches, including three with bonus points. Concordia junior Issiah Burks managed to edge a nationally-ranked opponent in what amounted to a 28-12 team loss.

Members of the Bulldog program have had more than just wrestling on their minds this week. Head Coach Levi Calhoun has been away from the team following the loss of his mother. Assistant coach Tyree Cox took the lead on Thursday.

“It’s definitely been a crazy week-and-a-half,” Cox said. “We’re trying to support Coach Calhoun as much as possible and try to take as much of a load off him as we can and give him his space and his time to be with his family. It’s taken a lot of help from our athletic directors, our athletic trainers and our strength and conditioning coach. I appreciate all the people who have helped out while Coach Calhoun has been gone. It’s been amazing.”

In the four matches Concordia (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) won, it had to scrap and claw and come through in the waning moments of the third period. From a ratings perspective, Burks produced one of the more significant victories of his career in holding off NAIA 13th-ranked John Diener at 157 pounds. Burks collected all of his points in the 3-2 win in the final period. In similar fashion, freshmen Jeaven Scdoris (149) and Jacob Telles (285) eked out victories courtesy of takedowns just before the clock ticked out.

A captain and a veteran on this roster, Burks could be in line for a bid to nationals this season. He’s working to try to set the tone for a youthful team.

“Coach Calhoun sent an email about how he was leaving (temporarily),” Burks said. “We, as captains, took it as we have to be more accountable for ourselves. With us being a young team, we have to mentor the guys and just talk to them. We still had to hold each other accountable and wrestle hard for each other.”

A state champion at Milford High School, Scdoris showed growth in a match he nearly put away with a pin. A monster effort in the third period allowed him to rally for the 9-7 decision over Noah Styskal. To wrap up the night, Telles (16-4) pushed his team high season win count to 16. Telles topped Derrell Zagurski thanks to an escape and a takedown in the third period.

Returning GPAC champion Mario Ybarra (141) put the first Concordia win of the night on the board. Ybarra (8-1) moved his personal win streak to eight with a 3-2 squeaker over Ethan Sorenson. At 165, senior Gabe Crawford (ranked 14th in the NAIA) came up short an 8-6 loss to the Mustangs’ Caleb Connor.

Morningside (1-0) has had a light schedule to this point. In their first dual of the season, the Mustangs racked up big team points with the help of Evan Shell (tech. fall at 125), Jonah Egli (tech. fall at 174) and Kasten Grape (pin at 197). Head Coach Jake Stevenson’s squad went 6-2 last season in GPAC duals.

Cox and the coaching staff hope to see continued growth as the season moves on. The Bulldogs (43-5 in GPAC duals since the start of 2014-15) are used to reigning atop the conference.

“We have a good group going forward,” Cox said. “They’re all pretty young. We have two seniors right now so we’re going to be getting better. We’re taking some lumps right now, but I think in the future we’re going to be a team to be reckoned with and get back to where Concordia is used to being.”

Next up on the schedule are the Concordia Bulldog Duals set for Saturday, Dec. 19 inside Friedrich Arena. The full slate for that event will be publicized early next week. Consistent with local COVID-19 health guidelines, Concordia will allow up to 25 percent capacity in the arena.

Preview: Concordia Bulldog Duals

December 15, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – Not since hosting the 2016 GPAC Championships has the Concordia University Wrestling program put on such a large event. Friedrich Arena will be the place to be on Saturday when the Concordia Bulldog Duals will unfold. The Concordia University Wrestling team will be one of eight squads on hand for a series of 16 duals that will begin at 10 a.m. CT.

Fans will be allowed to be present at the event. Fans who plan to be in attendance are strongly encouraged to purchase advance tickets online: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets. Tickets will also be sold at the door, provided capacity limits (25 percent) have not be reached via online sales. Fans are required to wear face coverings when inside Friedrich Arena.

Concordia Bulldog Duals: Full Schedule (PDF)
Saturday, Dec. 19 | 10 a.m.
Friedrich Arena | Seward, Neb.
Live Results: Track Wrestling
Webcast (select matches; no charge): Concordia Sports Network
Commentator: Aaron Swayze

Competing Teams
*Number of nationally-ranked wrestlers in parentheses
Arizona Christian University (1)
Concordia University (2)
No. 18 Doane University (6)
No. 12 Montana State University–Northern (6)
Morningside College (1)
Oklahoma Wesleyan University (0)
Texas Wesleyan University (2)
Williams Baptist University (5)

Concordia Schedule (times approximate)
10 a.m. – vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan
11:30 a.m. – vs. Arizona Christian
1 p.m. – vs. Montana State–Northern
2:30 p.m. – vs. Texas Wesleyan

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad carries an overall dual record of 2-2 (2-1 GPAC) into the weekend’s action. While making their first home appearance of 2020-21 last week, the Bulldogs fell by a score of 28-12 at the hands of Morningside. Concordia eked out four individual wins by decision, courtesy of junior Mario Ybarra (141), freshman Jeaven Scdoris (149), junior Issiah Burks (157) and freshman Jacob Telles (285). Most notably, Burks earned a victory over John Diener, ranked 13th in the NAIA at 149 pounds. Meanwhile, Ybarra (8-1) has won eight-straight matches since a defeat to begin the season.

According to the preseason NAIA poll released in November, the top teams at the Concordia Bulldog Duals are 12th-ranked Montana State University–Northern and 18th-ranked Doane. A total of 23 nationally-ranked wrestlers reside on the rosters of the competing teams. That group includes three NAIA top-rated wrestlers: Nick Kunz (MSUN) at 125, Baterdene Boldmaa (Doane) at 141 and Isaac Bartel (MSUN) at 197. Six of the eight teams in the field are listed under “receiving votes” in the national poll. A new set of national rankings is scheduled to be released by the NAIA on Thursday.

Eight Bulldogs have recorded at least five wins this season: Jacob Telles (16-4), Issiah Burks (12-5), Mason Garcia (11-5), Mario Ybarra (8-1), Jeaven Scdoris (8-7), TJ Huber (8-8), Jose Sanchez (6-6) and Carter Willis (5-10). Entering this week, Ybarra is ranked third in the NAIA at 133 pounds. Ybarra and Gabe Crawford (165) were ranked first in the GPAC to begin the season. The NAIA is slated to release new conference ratings today (Dec. 15).

The Concordia Bulldog Duals will serve as the final outing of 2020. After New Year’s, Concordia will look forward to competing at the Hastings College Cusatis Open on Saturday, Jan. 9.

Burks chosen as GPAC Wrestler of the Week

December 16, 2020

Ybarra stars; Concordia claims one win while hosting Bulldog Duals

December 19, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – Junior Mario Ybarra put together a sparkling day near the top of the lineup while starring for the Concordia University Wrestling program, which hosted the Concordia Bulldog Duals on Saturday (Dec. 19). The action took place inside Friedrich Arena and featured eight NAIA teams squaring off in 16 total duals. The Bulldogs earned a 27-24 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan University to open up the day.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad went 1-3 at the Bulldog Duals with the losses coming at the hands of Arizona Christian University, 27-14, No. 15 Montana State University-Northern (MSUN), 41-3, and Texas Wesleyan University, 39-6. Concordia now sports an overall dual record of 3-5 on the season.

Ranked fourth in the NAIA at 133 pounds, Ybarra backed up his lofty rating on Saturday. After a forfeit victory in the morning dual, Ybarra proceeded to defeat Arizona Christian’s Bryce Bernard (major decision), MSUN’s Carl Cronin (decision) and Texas Wesleyan’s Jacob Garcia (pin). Ybarra (12-1) has won 12-straight matches since a loss to begin the 2020-21 campaign.

The Scottsbluff, Neb., native has been on a mission to reach the podium come March. Said Ybarra, “I try not to get too caught up in the win streak and the record and everything. My dad’s really helped me with my mentality. He always says, ‘wrestle the match, not the name.’ It doesn’t matter who you are wrestling, stay true to you. There have been some close ones, but I know I’m always in the match. I feel comfortable and confident even when it’s a close scoring match.”

In the win over Oklahoma Wesleyan, freshmen Jeaven Scdoris (pin at 149), Mason Garcia (decision at 197) and Jacob Telles (pin at 285) each claimed contested victories. Newly minted as the 16th-ranked heavyweight in the NAIA, Telles produced the triumph with bonus points the Bulldog needed to secure the team win. Concordia was spotted 12 points off the bat with two Eagles forfeits.

Telles (18-5) captured wins in two of three matches on Saturday and continues to perform at an exceptional level for a collegiate rookie. The Albuquerque, N.M., native competed in front of his parents this weekend. Telles was one of six freshmen in Saturday’s youthful lineup. The Bulldogs were weakened by the absences of veteran standouts in junior Issiah Burks (reigning GPAC Wrestler of the Week) and senior Gabe Crawford.

In the loss to Arizona Christian, Scdoris (decision at 149), sophomore Tavoris Smith (major decision at 165) and Telles (decision at 285) picked up individual wins. In particular, Smith’s attacking style stood out in a performance that saw him put 18 points on the board. Ybarra and company know there will continue to be growing pains.

Said Ybarra, “It’s a lot of mentality, I feel like. I’m in the room with them all the time. We have the work ethic for sure. It’s another level when you come out here to compete and step on that mat. It’s a lot of growing as a team. We’re never comfortable with where we’re at. There’s a lot to be discussed for sure as a team. They’re giving the effort, but there’s a lot to be improved on.”

Three NAIA top-rated wrestlers were on display at the Bulldog Duals: Doane’s Baagii Boldmaa (141) and MSUN’s Nick Kunz (125) and Isaac Bartel (197). MSUN went 4-0 as a team. Its run included a squeaker, 22-21, over Doane.

Concordia is finished for the calendar year 2020. The Bulldogs are slated to resume action after New Year’s with the Hastings College Cusatis Open on Jan. 9. As Ybarra noted, the team is looking forward to having Coach Calhoun back in the room. Calhoun had spent time away from the team due to the loss of his mother.

The Concordia Bulldog Duals represented the largest collegiate wrestling event on campus since the program hosted the GPAC Championships in 2016. Concordia won the conference title that season in front of the home fans.

Concordia Bulldog Duals Team Scores

1 – Concordia 27, Oklahoma Wesleyan 24

2 – Doane 31, Arizona Christian 15

3 – Montana State-Northern 26, Morningside 18

4 – Texas Wesleyan 34, Williams Baptist 12

5 – Arizona Christian 27, Concordia 14

6 – Montana State-Northern 22, Doane 21

7 – Morningside 36, Texas Wesleyan 12

8 – Williams Baptist 30, Oklahoma Wesleyan 27

9 – Montana State-Northern 41, Concordia 3

10 – Doane 27, Texas Wesleyan 16

11 – Morningside 47, Oklahoma Wesleyan 6

12 – Arizona Christian 39, Williams Baptist 9

13 – Texas Wesleyan 39, Concordia 6

14 – Doane 38, Williams Baptist 10

15 – Morningside 21, Arizona Christian 18

16 – Montana State-Northern 47, Oklahoma Wesleyan 6

Burks, Crawford pace Bulldogs in first action of 2021

January 9, 2021

HASTINGS, Neb. – Levi Calhoun made his return to matside and the Concordia University Wrestling team ventured into competition for the first time in the year 2021. A group of 12 Bulldogs represented the program at Saturday (Jan. 9)’s Hastings Cusatis Open in Hastings, Neb., and combined for 22 wins and 10 pins. Junior Issiah Burks and senior Gabe Crawford led the way with place finishes in their respective brackets.

Calhoun’s squad had last competed at its own Concordia Bulldog Duals on Dec. 19. For family reasons, Calhoun had been away from the team for a large portion of the month of December.

“For me personally being able to be back in these guys’ corner was pretty awesome,” Calhoun said. “It was great to get back into the swing of things after everything that has been going on. I thought it was a good test for us to see where we’re at and see what we need to continue to improve on. I’m pretty happy with how the day went overall.”

Calhoun went as far to as saying this was the best Burks has wrestled in his entire career. The native of Hemet, Calif., suffered a loss to sixth-ranked Giovanni Bonilla of Grand View (Iowa) before settling in. Burks (17-6) went 5-0 the rest of the day and secured third place at 157 pounds. He picked up three pins, including two that occurred in the first period.

At 165 pounds, Crawford made his way to the championship match with three-consecutive wins. In the semifinals, Crawford handled Grand View’s Scott Betterton, 5-2. The most dominant win of the day for Crawford came in the quarterfinals when he majored Midland’s Chase Engelhardt, 13-4.

“Issiah won five matches on the back side to get third – and that’s really tough to do,” Calhoun said. “That’s the best I’ve seen him wrestle in his career. He looked very good. With Gabe, the first semester was kind of up and down. He came out and was really excited to wrestle. He came out and wrestled free and had fun. When he does that he’s hard to stop.”

At heavyweight, team season wins leader Jacob Telles (21-7) advanced to the quarterfinals by pinning his way through rounds 1 and 2. Telles was then edged in the quarterfinals, 3-2, by Briar Cliff’s Matt Wilke. Telles notched additional win with a pin over Midland’s Matt Johnston and came up just shy of a place finish.

Burks, Crawford and Telles were three of six Bulldogs with multiple victories at the Hastings Open. The others to join the group were Tavoris Smith (2-2 at 165), Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (2-2 at 184) and Cyrus Marshall (3-2 at 184). One victory each was claimed by Carter Willis (125), Jose Sanchez (157), Timothy Huber (174) and Mason Garcia (197).

The Hastings Open featured wrestlers from 13 institutions. The event was heavy on GPAC competition with Briar Cliff, Concordia, Dakota Wesleyan, Doane, Hastings, Midland, Morningside and Northwestern all in action.

Said Calhoun, “I think we can learn from this and get better from it. We need to get back to work. We have a lot of important conference duals coming up here the next few weeks so we have to be ready to go.”

Dual action will resume next Saturday (Jan. 16) when the Bulldogs (3-5, 2-1 GPAC) will be at the Bultman Center on the Northwestern campus. Concordia will go up against host Northwestern (1-2, 0-1 GPAC) at 11 a.m. CT before duals against nonconference foes Dickinson State University (N.D.) at 12:30 p.m. and Waldorf University (Iowa) at 2 p.m. The remaining regular season schedule features eight duals and one tournament.

Three duals set for Saturday at Northwestern

January 13, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – In the first head-to-head team action since the Concordia Bulldog Duals on Dec. 19, the Concordia University Wrestling squad will dual a trio of opponents in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday. The Bulldogs will take on host Northwestern in addition to nonconference foes Dickinson State University (N.D.) and Waldorf University (Iowa). Each of these matchups will take place inside the Bultman Center on the Northwestern campus.

Saturday (Jan. 16) Schedule

–Bultman Center | Orange City, Iowa
–Live Results: Track Wrestling (search for Concordia)
–Live Video: https://nwcraiders.com/sports/2021/1/9/northwestern-wrestling-quad-dual-jan-16.aspx

·        vs. Northwestern (1-2, 0-2 GPAC), 11 a.m.

·        vs. Dickinson State (1-1), 12:30 p.m.

·        vs. Waldorf (0-2), 2 p.m.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s Bulldogs enter the weekend sporting an overall dual record of 3-5 (2-1 GPAC). In action last week, Concordia took to the mats for the first time in 2021 while competing at the Hastings Cusatis Open. A group of 12 Bulldogs combined for 22 wins and 10 pins at the tournament. Place finishes were turned in by junior Issiah Burks (third at 157) and by senior Gabe Crawford (second at 165). Burks went 5-1 with three pins while Crawford went 3-1 on his way to the 165 pound championship match. Heavyweight Jacob Telles also enjoyed a solid day with three pins.

Five Concordia wrestlers have accumulated 10 or more wins this season: Telles (21-7), Burks (17-6), Mason Garcia (13-8), Mario Ybarra (12-1) and Jeaven Scdoris (10-11). Ybarra had this past weekend off but will compete again this Saturday. The native of Scottsbluff, Neb., owns a 12-match win streak since dropping his first battle of the season. Ybarra went 4-0 at the Concordia Bulldog Duals in his most recent action. Burks owns the team lead with 10 pins.

New conference and NAIA national rankings were unveiled last week. Ranked fourth in the GPAC as team, Concordia boasts eight individuals who are listed among the top six in the conference at their respective weights. Mario Ybarra continues to hold down the No. 1 ranking at 133 while Burks (157) and Telles (285) appear at No. 2. On the national level, Ybarra (No. 7 at 133) and Telles (No. 18 at 285) are both ranked in the top 20 of their weight classes. The Bulldogs are listed as “receiving votes” in the NAIA team rankings.

In Saturday’s action, Concordia could potentially go up against nationally ranked wrestlers in No. 8 Luke Jenness (184) of Northwestern and No. 20 Clay Gerhardt (133) and No. 8 Payson Dirk (197), both of Dickinson State. The matchup with the Red Raiders will count towards the GPAC regular-season standings. Northwestern stands at 1-2 with a win over William Penn University (Iowa).

The Bulldogs will have the weekend of Jan. 22-23 off due to the cancellation of the Missouri Valley Invite. That means the GPAC Duals (four duals vs. GPAC opponents) on Jan. 30 will be up next once Saturday’s action is in the books.

Saturday’s Probable Lineups

Concordia (3-5)
125 – Carter Willis
133 – Mario Ybarra
141 – Jeaven Scdoris
149 – Brandon Gonzalez
157 – Issiah Burks / Jose Sanchez
165 – Gabe Crawford / Tavoris Smith
174 – TJ Huber
184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia / Cyrus Marshall
197 – Mason Garcia
285 – Jacob Telles

Northwestern (1-2)
125 – Marcus Tucker
133 – Manny Jaramillo / Trey Schuck
141 – John Seth
149 – Breckin Sperling / Chase Peterson / Eddy Punzalan
157 – Blake Pomajzl
165 – Sam Copley
174 – Tyler Ziemen, Austin Hendrickson / Matt Dahl
184 – Luke Jenness
197 – Bennett Sikkink
285 – Chris Van Der Brink / Darlyn Marquez

Dickinson State (1-1)
125 – Open
133 – Clay Gerhardt / Caleb Nielsen
141 – Tayt Wolding
149 – Matt Carlson
157 – Grayson Hicks
165 – Tate Nordby
174 – Caden Haugen / Isaac Anderson
184 – Kon Speelmon
197 – Payson Dirk
285 – Zach Myers / Ethan Goss-Dickie

Waldorf (0-2)
125 – Arie Reyes
133 – Freddy Moreno
141 – Ely Youngdell
149 – Itai Hod / Anthony Salvo
157 – Mikey Ornelas
165 – Open
174 – Open
184 – Cristian Martinez
197 – Cole Litteken / James Howey
285 – Izaiah Ieramia / Donte Wood

Bulldogs earn win over Waldorf as part of three-dual day

January 16, 2021

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – In its first duals since Dec. 19, the Concordia University Wrestling team took on a GPAC opponent and two nonconference foes as part of an extended stay in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (Jan. 16). The Bulldogs were defeated by Northwestern, 28-12, and by Dickinson State University (N.D.), 22-15, before finishing the day with a 42-18 win over Waldorf University (Iowa). All duals were contested inside the Bultman Center on Northwestern’s campus.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad owns dual records of 4-7 overall and 2-2 in the GPAC. Concordia managed through the day on Saturday without a fully stocked lineup.

“Being down a few guys do to forces out of our control, I was still proud of the way our guys wrestled,” Calhoun said. “It’s tough to win a dual when you’re giving up some weights. I was happy with the way we wrestled and how hard we wrestled, but we want to go 3-0, not 1-2. We know we have to get better, stay healthy and continue to improve.”

The first dual of the day carried the most significance in that it counted towards the GPAC standings. Red hot Issiah Burks came through with a second period pin at 157 to get the Bulldogs on the board. Senior Gabe Crawford (165) and Jacob Telles (285) also earned wins by decision while continuing strong seasons. By day’s end, Telles pushed his team leading win total to 23 on the season. However, Concordia dropped contested bouts to the Red Raiders at 141, 174, 184 and 197.

On another day, the Bulldogs may have knocked off Dickinson State, but the lineup absences were a limiting factor. Concordia actually won four of the seven contested matches via Jeaven Scdoris (major decision at 141), Jose Sanchez (decision at 157), Crawford (decision at 165) and Mason Garcia (technical fall at 197). The Bulldogs still had a shot at the team win going into the heavyweight match, where the Blue Hawks squeaked out a 4-2 decision.

Anyone who blinked may have missed the dual with Waldorf, which was full of pins and forfeits. Concordia won handily as pins were secured by Sanchez (157), TJ Huber (184) and Telles (285). The only Warrior victories occurred via forfeit. By the time the dual versus Waldorf concluded, the Bulldogs had claimed wins in 14 individual matches.

Concordia wrestlers with two wins apiece on Saturday included Burks (2-0), Crawford (2-0), Garcia (2-1), Sanchez (2-0), Scdoris (2-1) and Telles (2-1). Burks has won seven matches in a row and is 19-6 overall. Absent from the lineup was the team’s most highly rated competitor, Mario Ybarra (ranked seventh in the NAIA at 133). Ybarra will be expected back the next time out.

The Bulldogs will have another break in the schedule due to the Missouri Valley Invite (originally scheduled for Jan. 22-23) being canceled. That means the GPAC Duals on Jan. 30 are up next. The major conference event will take place in Jamestown, N.D.

Said Calhoun, “We’re going to take some time to recover and work on some little things. The matches we lost, for the most part, were lost with little mistakes. It wasn’t that we were outclassed in those matches, we made some mistakes. We’ll watch film and continue to work with each guy individually so that we can win those matches the next time around.”

GPAC Duals Preview

January 27, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – This Saturday, Jan. 30, the Concordia University wrestling team will travel to the University of Jamestown (N.D) to compete in the GPAC Duals. The bulldogs will wrestle conference opponents Briar Cliff, Jamestown, Doane, and Hastings. Wrestling will start at 9 a.m. (C T) and continue until the completion of the event.

Saturday (Jan. 30) Schedule

-Newman Arena │University of Jamestown

-Live Results: Track Wrestling (Search GPAC Duals)

-Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/jamestown/

·        vs. Briar Cliff (4-4 Overall, 3-1 GPAC), at 9 a.m.

·        vs. Jamestown (2-4 Overall, 2-1 GPAC), at 12 a.m.

·        vs. Doane University (10-2 Overall, 3-0 GPAC), at 1:30 p.m.

·        vs. Hasting College (1-8 Overall, 1-2 GPAC), at 3:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs will enter the weekend with an overall record of 4-7 (2-2 GPAC). Last weekend, Concordia had a bye week due to the cancelation of the Missouri Valley Invite. In the team’s most recent competition, the Bulldogs went 1-2 with a win over Waldorf in three duals that took place at Northwestern on Jan. 16

Three Concordia wrestlers are currently nationally ranked: No. 8 Mario Ybarra at 133, No. 20 Issiah Burks at 157, and No. 17 Jacob Telles at 285. At the conference level, eight out of the ten weights a wrestler is ranked in the top six. The group includes top ranked wrestler Ybarra who is currently ranked No. 1 at 133 in the GPAC. Along side him ranked No.2 in the GPAC are his teammates Burks at 157, and Telles at 285.

After the Northwestern duals, Concordia currently sits in fifth place out of the nine teams in the GPAC.  The top four in the league standing are Morningside at No. 1, Doane at No. 2, Briar Cliff at No. 3, and Jamestown at No. 4.

In Saturday’s action, Concordia will be up against several nationally ranked wrestlers. Starting off with Briar Cliffs, ranked wrestlers including No.15 CaRon Warson at 125, No. 18 Chris Paulson at 165, and No. 14 Caleb Shanks at 197.  Now, for Doane the wrestlers that are ranked are as follows: No. 13 at 125 Daniel Vargas, No. 1 at 141 Baterdene Boldmaa, No. 15 at 149 Tristan Zamilpa, No.16 at 174 Michael Scarponi, No. 18 Bradley Antesbergerat 197, and No. 8 Brandon Antesberger at 285. Lastly for Hastings is No. 10 Taygen Smith at 157lbs and, No. 11 Edrich Nortje at 141.

Next on the schedule is a home dual against York College, which is set for Thursday, Feb. 4 inside Friedrich Area. More information will be released next week. Consistent with local COVID-19 Health Guidelines, Concorida will allow up to 50 percent capacity in the arena.

Bulldogs earn win over Jamestown as part of GPAC Duals

January 30, 2021

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Half of the entire GPAC dual slate unfolded on Saturday (Jan. 30) in Jamestown, N.D., where the Jimmies hosted five of the conference’s nine wrestling programs. In its first action in two weeks, the Concordia University Wrestling team went 1-3 on the day while claiming a 23-22 win over Jamestown that came down to criteria. Ten different Bulldogs wrestled at least one match.

GPAC Duals Results

·        Briar Cliff 34, Concordia 7

·        Concordia 23, Jamestown 22

·        (9) Doane 36, Concordia 3

·        Hastings 27, Concordia 24

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad has wrapped up the conference regular-season schedule with a GPAC record of 3-5 (5-10 overall). Concordia also owns GPAC wins over Dakota Wesleyan and Midland.

“We have to get better, plain and simple,” Calhoun said. “Obviously we’re missing a couple of weights, but that’s no excuse to make the mistakes we’re making. As always, our effort was there. I’m not disappointed with our guys’ effort in any way. They all wrestled hard every match. We’re making mistakes that we’re going over in the room every day and we’re not doing it on the mat. We have to figure out how translate the practice room onto the mat.”

The Bulldogs had open weights at 125 and 149 throughout the day. They managed to overcome the lineup gaps in the win over Jamestown by claiming six of the eight contested matches. With Concordia trailing 22-16 in team scoring, senior Oscar Ramirez-Garcia pulled out a critical 5-4 decision over Ivan Vargas at 197. Freshman Jacob Telles followed at heavyweight with a 3-1 win over Ian Howell. That left the team score knotted, 22-22. A tiebreaker point was added for the Bulldogs based on criteria (more match wins).

Other contributors to the team victory included freshman Jeaven Scdoris (major decision at 141), junior Issiah Burks (decision at 157), Tavoris Smith (decision at 165) and TJ Huber (pin at 174). Huber posted one of the team’s two pins on the day.

In the day’s final dual, half of the matches resulted in forfeits (three by Hastings). Concordia attempted to climb out of a 24-0 hole in the back half of the lineup. The biggest highlight was a first-period pin (11th of the season) for Telles, who wiped out Marco Valdivia. It was a nice way to bounce back for Telles, who had dropped his previous match by decision to the GPAC’s top-rated heavyweight, Brandon Antesberger of Doane.

Doane (7-0) and Briar Cliff (6-2) have proven to be two of the top teams in the GPAC. The ninth-ranked Tigers (guided by former Concordia and Midland head coach Dana Vote) won all but one match over the Bulldogs. Freshman Carter Willis eked out a 5-3 triumph in sudden victory at 133 to avoid a blanking. In the loss to the Chargers, Burks (major decision at 157) and Huber (decision at 174) put wins on the board for Concordia.

When the dust settled on Saturday, a quartet of Bulldogs had each notched two wins at the GPAC Duals: Burks, Huber, Ramirez-Garcia and Telles. Five Concordia wrestlers were credited with one victory apiece: senior Gabe Crawford, senior Cyrus Marshall, Scdoris, sophomore Tavoris Smith and Willis.

The final dual of the 2020-21 season will take place next Thursday (Feb. 4) when the Bulldogs host York College (6-3) inside Friedrich Arena at 7 p.m. CT. Concordia will attempt to avenge the 30-19 loss it suffered at York back on Oct. 30. The Panthers were situated just outside the NAIA top 20 in the latest national team rankings.

Senior night preview

February 2, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – This Thursday, Feb 4., The Bulldogs will host York College (Neb.) in a head to head rematch, on senior night. The dual will start at 7 p.m. CT. Going into this dual the team currently stands at 5-10 overall (3-5 GPAC). Last time Concordia wrestled York on Oct. 30, York won 30-19 at home.

Last time these two teams met up, York had won six of the ten weight classes: 125, 133, 141, 149, 157 and 184. Concordia had four wrestlers win last time these two teams met: Jose Sanchez at 165, Timothy Huber at 174, Mason Garcia at 197 and Jacob Telles at 285.

This week, there is going to be six nationally ranked wrestlers. York has three nationally ranked wrestlers, No. 10 Harley Williamson at 125, No. 13 Pierce Mederios at 133, No. 4 John Fox at 141. The Panthers have dual record of 7-3 and compete as a part of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Confrence. The Bulldogs also have three ranked wrestlers, No. 8 Mario Yabarra at 133, No. 20 Issiah Burks at 157, and No. 17 Jacob Telles at 285.

Thursday (Feb. 4) 

Following COVID-19 restrictions, capacity inside Friedrich Arena remains at 50 percent.

-Friedrich Arena │Concordia University

-Live Results: Trackwrestling.com (Search York at Concordia)

-Live Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cun/

Probable Lineup

Concordia:

125 – OPEN

133 – Carter Willis

141 – Jeaven Scdoris

149 – Brandon Gonzalez

157 – Issiah Burks

165 – Gabe Crawford

174 – TJ Huber

184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia

197 – Mason Garcia

285 – Jacob Telles

 

York College

125- Harley Williamson

133- Pierce Mederios

141- John Fox or Isaiah Jasso

149- John Fox or Brayden Smith

157- Brayden Smith or Shawn Pierre

165- Lennorise Echols

174- Dereck Samudio

184- Jarvis Echols

197- Marce Vasquez

285- Marcus Cave or Jakavion Williams

 

The senior night ceremony will happen prior to the start of the dual. The presentation will honor the seniors for all their contributions in representing Concordia on and off the mat. The three seniors that are being honored are Gabe Crawford, Oscar Ramirez-Garcia and Cyrus Marshall.

These three seniors were members of the 2019-2020 GPAC Championship team. Crawford is from Virginia Beach, Va., and is majoring in history.  During his time here as a Bulldog he wrestled three different weight classes (149/157/165). Over his career as a Bulldog, he accumulated a record of 41 – 34 and four pins. Crawford won the conference title at 157 in 2020, while also qualifying for the NAIA Nationals Tournament.

Ramirez- Garcia, is from Beaumont, Calif. He transferred to Concordia, from Palomar College in 2019 after earning his associate degree in criminal justice. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration come this May. Marshall is from Columbus, Neb. He is currently pursuing his degree in biology. Along with being apart of the 2019-2020 championship team, he wrestled four different weight classes for the Bulldogs (165/174/184/197).

Following this week’s dual against York, the Bulldog wrestlers will be heading to Sioux City, Iowa to compete in the Dave Edmonds Open.

Freshmen star in final dual of 2020-21 season

February 4, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – On a night when the Concordia University Wrestling program honored its senior class, the Bulldogs got a glimpse at a future that appears to be promising. In Thursday (Feb. 4)’s dual inside Friedrich Arena, visiting York College dominated in the first half of its lineup while toppling Concordia, 28-14. The bright spots for the Bulldogs included an upset victory for freshman Jeaven Scdoris and a pin by freshman Jacob Telles to cap the evening.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad (5-11 overall) continues to battle injuries that have impacted the starting lineup. The program’s most accomplished senior (Gabe Crawford) was a scratch on Thursday. Despite some of the frustrations, Calhoun has seen growth.

“It’s been a year full of adversity, in a lot of different ways,” Calhoun said. “I’m just proud of how the guys stuck together. I’m happy with their effort. I’m kind of getting sick of saying it, but it is true. I’m never upset about their effort, we just have to get better at wrestling. We are young, but I don’t like to use that as a crutch. Our guys want to get better and they are getting better. I’m pretty impatient when it comes to that – I want to win.”

A state champion at Milford High School, Scdoris has the potential to put together a strong collegiate career. At 141 pounds, Scdoris faced off with Pierce Mederios, ranked 11th in the NAIA at 133. Scdoris went on the attack in a 15-9 decision in a match he nearly won by pin in the first period. There have been ups and downs for Scdoris (15-14), but Thursday’s performance showed what he is capable of.

“Coach was telling me to go out with confidence and do what I do, don’t be nervous and hit my moves,” Scdoris said. “Going out to my match, I knew the kid was good. I just wanted to go out there with confidence and wrestle the way I do.”

Ranked 17th in the NAIA at heavyweight, Telles had no problem taking care of Jakavion Williams in the heavyweight bout. Telles picked up near-fall points in the opening period and then sealed the deal in the second while earning his 26th win and 12th pin of the season.

Sophomore Tavoris Smith stepped into Crawford’s spot in the lineup at 165 and held off Lennorise Echols by decision, 7-4. Smith notched one takedown in each period. Hopes of a comeback team victory were then kept alive at 174 when TJ Huber recorded two takedowns in the third period on his way to a 7-5 win over Derek Samudio. The Panthers proceeded to clinch the team victory via Jarvis Echols’ win at 184.

Three of Concordia’s four wins came from freshmen. Said Calhoun, “I think that speaks to the future of our team to have freshmen perform like that. The guy Jeaven wrestled is a very good wrestler – multiple-time national qualifier. To dominate a match like that is very impressive. Really happy with him and obviously Jacob’s had a great year. I’m super excited to continue to work with him and see how he continues to grow.”

A battle between nationally-ranked combatants took place 157, where No. 4 John Fox of York took a 5-1 decision over No. 20 Issiah Burks. The Panthers (8-3) dealt the Bulldogs crippling blows early in the dual by securing pins at 133 and 149 (following a Concordia forfeit at 125). Head Coach Chad Mattox’s squad has beaten Concordia twice this season, including the season opener at York.

Prior to the dual, the program acknowledged the contributions of a class of three seniors: Crawford (Virginia Beach, Va.), Cyrus Marshall (Columbus, Neb.) and Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (San Diego, Calif.). Ramirez-Garcia (184) was the lone senior to wrestle on Thursday.

The Sioux City Dave Edmonds Open on Saturday (9 a.m. CT) will be the final outing prior to the GPAC Championships on Feb. 19-20. Calhoun expects to take a small group to Sioux City, Iowa, this weekend.

Three Bulldogs earn place finishes at Edmonds Open

February 6, 2021

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In the final outing prior to conference tournament, the Concordia University Wrestling team came away with three individual place finishes while competing at the Sioux City Dave Edmonds Open on Saturday (Feb. 6). Ten Bulldogs took part in the event hosted by Morningside. They combined for 19 wins, including four via fall.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad concluded its dual schedule this past Thursday when it fell at home to York College. Concordia hopes Saturday was a step towards reaching peak levels two weeks from now.

“It was kind of the same story as Thursday. We had three freshmen placers,” Calhoun said. “I’m excited with the way those guys are continuing to improve. TJ Huber in particular has come a long ways since he joined us. I think the entire team would agree that he’s the hardest worker on our team. It’s nice to get him to his first college final.”

Huber claimed runner-up status at 174 pounds while fellow rookies Jeaven Scdoris (149) and Jacob Telles (285) placed fourth in their respective brackets. A Gretna, Neb., native, Huber defeated GPAC opponents in Midland’s Jeshua Castillo (pin) and Northwestern’s Tyler Zeimen (major decision) on his way to the championship match. Huber was then upended by Massoma Endene of Iowa Lakes Community College.

Scdoris put together a 4-2 tournament, two days after he knocked off a nationally-ranked opponent from York. The Milford, Neb., native toppled three GPAC foes (two by major decision) as part of a successful run.

“He’s turned a corner here lately,” Calhoun said. “He’s really worked on getting better at little things. He had such a dominant high school career and there was an adjustment to the college level. He’s figuring it out and getting better. He’s enjoying the sport and having fun with it. We’re pumped to see how he continues to develop.”

Telles has reached an impressive milestone in pushing his season win total to 30. He did so by recording four wins on Saturday – one by pin. After falling in his first match, Telles rebounded with four-straight victories while advancing to the heavyweight third-place bout.

Eight of the ten Bulldogs to wrestle at the Edmonds Open notched at least one win. Jose Sanchez (157) and Tavoris Smith (165) turned in three victories apiece. One win each was put on the board by Mason Garcia (197), Cyrus Marshall (184) and Andrew Reid (174). Garcia and Reid both picked up one pin.

Now it’s all about prepping for the 2021 GPAC Championships that will be hosted by Midland on Feb. 19-20. Each team is allowed to enter 12 wrestlers into the conference tournament. Calhoun led the program to a GPAC postseason championship in 2020.

Preview: 2021 GPAC Wrestling Championships

February 17, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – It’s championship season for Concordia University Wrestling, which has its sights set on a return to full strength at the most opportune time. Head Coach Levi Calhoun will enter 12 Bulldogs into the fray this Friday and Saturday at the GPAC Wrestling Championships hosted by Midland. Concordia is the defending GPAC champion having won the 2020 postseason event hosted by Morningside.

2021 GPAC Wrestling Championships

Session I – Friday, Feb. 19, 5 p.m.
Session II – Saturday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m.
Wikert Event Center | Fremont, Neb. (Midland campus)
--Live Streaming: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/midland/
--Live Results: Track Wrestling
--Note: spectators are not allowed

Calhoun’s championship roster is made up of two returning GPAC titlists in senior Gabe Crawford and junior Mario Ybarra. As a sign of the roster changes experienced by the program, only three of the 12 Bulldogs set to compete this weekend also took part in the conference tournament a year ago. Issiah Burks hopes to improve upon his fifth-place GPAC finish last season as he joins fellow captains Crawford and Ybarra in the lineup.

That means the roster is full of Bulldogs who will be experiencing the conference tournament for the first time. Foremost among the first-timers is freshman heavyweight Jacob Telles, who leads the team in both wins (30) and pins (13), and is ranked 15th nationally in his weight class. Telles is one of several freshmen projected to be included on the 12-man roster for the weekend.

Based on the GPAC rankings released in early February, eight Concordia wrestlers are ranked in the top six of the conference in their respective weight classes. Ybarra (No. 1 at 133), Burks (No. 2 at 157) and Telles (No. 2 at 285) are each favored to reach championship matches. Ybarra will attempt to quickly knock off the rust. He has not wrestled since the Concordia Bulldog Duals on Dec. 19. Ybarra’s 12-match win streak remains intact.

The Bulldogs will not be the favorite this weekend despite their recent run of championship glory. Since the beginning of the 2014-15 season, the program has captured a total of nine conference/regional championships, including five in the regular season and four in the postseason. Concordia has won GPAC/regional postseason titles in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020. Four different head coaches presided over those championships, including Calhoun and current Doane head coach Dana Vote.

During the 2020-21 regular season, the Bulldogs went 3-5 in GPAC duals and placed in a tie for fifth. The top four in the standings were Doane (8-0), Morningside (7-1), Briar Cliff (6-2) and Jamestown (4-4). In the early February NAIA rankings, the GPAC boasted a combined 23 nationally-ranked competitors. That acclaimed group includes top-ranked 141-pounder Baterdene Boldmaa of Doane.

The 64th annual NAIA Wrestling National Championship is slated to play out March 5-6 at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., where the event was first held in 2020. Automatic qualifiers for the national championships will be known at the conclusion of the conference tournaments. Concordia traveled eight wrestlers to Park City last year.

GPAC Championship Roster: will be updated when finalized.

The following individuals are likely to be included on the GPAC roster.

133 – Carter Willis (8-21)
Ranked No. 6 in the GPAC at 125 … 3-9 record against conference opponents.

133 – Mario Ybarra (12-1)
Ranked No. 1 in the GPAC and No. 4 in the NAIA at 133 … holds an active 12-match win streak … placed first at the DWU Open … currently undefeated against conference opponents … reigning GPAC champion at 125.

149 – Jeaven Scdoris (19-16)
Ranked No. 6 in the GPAC at 141 … placed second at the DWU open and fourth at the Edmonds Open … owns a record of 9-6 against conference opponents.

157 – Issiah Burks (21-8)
Ranked No. 2 in the GPAC and No. 20 in the NAIA at 157 … placed at three tournaments this season, taking second at the York Open, first at the DWU Open,and third at the Hastings Open … holds the second most pins on the team with 11 … currently 7-3 against conference opponents … placed fifth place in the GPAC at 165 last season.

157 – Jose Sanchez (12-15)
Placed second at the DWU Open … went 4-7 against GPAC opponents.

165 – Gabe Crawford (7-6)
Ranked No. 5 in the GPAC at 165 … placed second at the Hastings Open … 3-4 against conference opponents … reigning GPAC champion at 157 pounds.

165 – Tavoris Smith (12-14)
Placed fifth at the York Open … record of 4-8 versus conference foes.

174 – TJ Huber (17-18)
Ranked No. 5 in the GPAC at 174 … has placed at three tournaments this season, taking fourth at the York Open, third at the DWU Open and second at the Edmonds Open … record of 6-8 against conference opponents.

184 – Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (7-17)
Competed in four of five tournaments this season … collected three wins against GPAC opponents.

197 – Mason Garcia (16-10)
Ranked No. 6 in the GPAC at 197 … has posted eight pins on the season … placed second at the York Open, third at the DWU Open and fourth at the Doane Open … record of 4-5 versus GPAC opponents.

285 – Jacob Telles (30-11)
Ranked No. 2 in the GPAC and No. 15 in the NAIA at 285 … has placed in four tournaments this season, earing third at the York Open, second at the DWU Open, fifth at the Doane Open and fourth at the Edmonds Open … leads the team in wins (30) and pins (13) … record of 10-3 against conference opponents.

Burks, Telles advance to semis on first day of GPAC tournament

February 19, 2021

FREMONT, Neb. – Junior Issiah Burks and freshman Jacob Telles remain in the hunt for individual conference championships at the close of day one at the 2021 GPAC Wrestling Championships. The two-day (Feb. 19-20) conference tournament is being staged inside the Wikert Event Center in Fremont, Neb., by Midland. As a team, Concordia University Wrestling has compiled 33 points and resides in fifth place amongst the nine GPAC squads.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s program captured the 2020 GPAC postseason title when it was held at Morningside. The Bulldogs will make the best of it this weekend while absent their highest-rated wrestler in junior Mario Ybarra (fourth in the NAIA at 133).

A native of Hemet, Calif., Burks (24-8) is on a mission to reach the national tournament for the first time in his career. He went 2-0 in the 157-pound bracket on Friday while claiming a win by decision over Dakota Wesleyan’s Coby Eikenhorst and then a pin of Jamestown’s Jacob Hamilton in the quarterfinals. Burks entered the GPAC tournament at 165 last season and placed fifth. Burks will draw Briar Cliff’s Ben Peters in Saturday’s semifinal clash.

Meanwhile, the heavyweight Telles (Albuquerque, N.M.) collected his 31st win of the season by knocking off Doane’s Samuel Peterson, 5-0. It was the only bout of the day for Telles, who carries an NAIA national ranking of 15th. Telles will face off with Briar Cliff’s Matthew Wilke in the semifinals at 285.

Due to the injury that has sidelined Ybarra, the Bulldogs entered 11 competitors into the conference tournament (each team can wrestles as many as 12 individuals). While Burks and Telles attempt to reach the finals of their respective brackets, seven of the other nine Concordia grapplers remain alive in the consolation rounds. A defending GPAC champion, senior Gabe Crawford shook off a loss in the 165-pound quarterfinals and pinned Midland’s Jeshua Castillo in just 1:12.

At 157, Jose Sanchez recovered for a first round defeat by producing two dominant wins – one by pin over Dakota Wesleyan’s Ryan McGinnis and another by technical fall over Hamilton. Freshman Mason Garcia kept his season intact at 197 with a pin of Jamestown’s Ivan Vargas. Garcia had been pinned in his opening match of the tournament.

Additional Bulldogs who have made it out of day one include Brandon Gonzalez (149), Tavoris Smith (165), Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184) and Cyrus Marshall (184). On the other hand, freshmen Carter Willis (125) and Jeaven Scdoris (149) saw their seasons end after suffering a pair of defeats apiece on Friday. Scdoris notched 18 victories during a solid rookie campaign.

Session II of the GPAC Wrestling Championships will begin at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday. Matches can be streamed live via Midland’s Stretch Internet portal: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/midland/. Automatic bids to the national tournament will be on the line.

Concordia Day 1 Results

133

Carter Willis (8-23)

• Champ. Round 1 - Darien Malone (Dakota Wesleyan (s.d.)) 15-10 won by fall over Carter Willis (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-23 (Fall 3:25)
• Cons. Round 1 - Carter Willis (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-23 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Round 2 - Roman Carrillo (Jamestown (n.d.)) 12-6 won by fall over Carter Willis (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-23 (Fall 1:36)

149

Brandon Gonzalez (1-2) scored 7.0 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Brandon Gonzalez (Concordia (Neb.)) 1-2 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Andrew Shea (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) 16-5 won by fall over Brandon Gonzalez (Concordia (Neb.)) 1-2 (Fall 2:07)
• Cons. Round 2 - Brandon Gonzalez (Concordia (Neb.)) 1-2 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Round 3 - Brandon Gonzalez (Concordia (Neb.)) 1-2 won by medical forfeit over Steven Aranda (Midland (Neb.)) 4-13 (M. For.)

149

Jeaven Scdoris (18-19)

• Champ. Round 1 - Jeaven Scdoris (Concordia (Neb.)) 18-19 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - John Diener (Morningside (Iowa)) 19-2 won by fall over Jeaven Scdoris (Concordia (Neb.)) 18-19 (Fall 4:36)
• Cons. Round 2 - Chase Peterson (Northwestern (Iowa)) 8-5 won by decision over Jeaven Scdoris (Concordia (Neb.)) 18-19 (Dec 9-4)

157

Jose Sanchez (14-16) scored 4.5 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Thomas Stevenson (Hastings (Neb.)) 13-0 won by tech fall over Jose Sanchez (Concordia (Neb.)) 14-16 (TF-1.5 7:00 (16-1))
• Cons. Round 1 - Jose Sanchez (Concordia (Neb.)) 14-16 won by fall over Ryan McGinnis (Dakota Wesleyan (s.d.)) 4-15 (Fall 3:18)
• Cons. Round 2 - Jose Sanchez (Concordia (Neb.)) 14-16 won by tech fall over Jacob Hamilton (Jamestown (n.d.)) 0-2 (TF-1.5 6:52 (23-7))

157

Issiah Burks (24-8) scored 8.0 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Issiah Burks (Concordia (Neb.)) 24-8 won by decision over Coby Eikenhorst (Dakota Wesleyan (s.d.)) 7-13 (Dec 4-2)
• Quarterfinal - Issiah Burks (Concordia (Neb.)) 24-8 won by fall over Jacob Hamilton (Jamestown (n.d.)) 0-2 (Fall 2:38)

165

Tavoris Smith (12-15)

• Champ. Round 1 - Tavoris Smith (Concordia (Neb.)) 12-15 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Caleb Connor (Morningside (Iowa)) 14-5 won by decision over Tavoris Smith (Concordia (Neb.)) 12-15 (Dec 5-0)
• Cons. Round 2 - Tavoris Smith (Concordia (Neb.)) 12-15 received a bye () (Bye)

165

Gabriel Crawford (8-7) scored 2.5 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Gabriel Crawford (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-7 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Marcus Urban (Dakota Wesleyan (s.d.)) 13-3 won by decision over Gabriel Crawford (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-7 (Dec 10-7)
• Cons. Round 2 - Gabriel Crawford (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-7 won by fall over Jeshua Castillo (Midland (Neb.)) 0-10 (Fall 1:12)

184

Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (8-18) scored 2.5 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-18 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Luke Jenness (Northwestern (Iowa)) 19-1 won by decision over Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-18 (Dec 9-2)
• Cons. Round 2 - Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 8-18 won by medical forfeit over Hunter Planansky (Dakota Wesleyan (s.d.)) 12-12 (M. For.)

184

Cyrus Marshall (9-16)

• Champ. Round 1 - Cyrus Marshall (Concordia (Neb.)) 9-16 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Tyson Beauperthuy (Midland (Neb.)) 20-1 won by fall over Cyrus Marshall (Concordia (Neb.)) 9-16 (Fall 1:48)
• Cons. Round 2 - Cyrus Marshall (Concordia (Neb.)) 9-16 received a bye () (Bye)

197

Mason Garcia (17-11) scored 2.5 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Mason Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 17-11 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Kasten Grape (Morningside (Iowa)) 19-6 won by fall over Mason Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 17-11 (Fall 6:21)
• Cons. Round 2 - Mason Garcia (Concordia (Neb.)) 17-11 won by fall over Ivan Vargas (Jamestown (n.d.)) 5-9 (Fall 4:38)

285

Jacob Telles (31-11) scored 6.0 team points

• Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Telles (Concordia (Neb.)) 31-11 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Jacob Telles (Concordia (Neb.)) 31-11 won by decision over Samuel Peterson (Doane University) 10-8 (Dec 5-0)

Telles wins GPAC title, three Bulldogs earn national bids

February 20, 2021

FREMONT, Neb. – It’s been a storybook freshman season for Jacob Telles, who ended the long weekend in Fremont, Neb., with a GPAC title to his credit. Telles pulled the upset in the finals of the heavyweight bracket while highlighting the efforts of 11 competitors who represented the Concordia University Wrestling program at the GPAC Championships on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 19-20). Telles was one of five Bulldogs to earn place finishes.

Third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s squad finished in sixth place at the GPAC tournament with 70 team points. Concordia could have very realistically placed in the top four of the conference if not for having to hold out its highest-rated wrestler, Mario Ybarra.

“It was a roller coaster,” Calhoun said. “I’m elated for some of our guys and I’m heartbroken for others that their seasons ended today. It’s never easy. Overall it’s been a crazy year. I told the guys this right after the tournament – I was so proud to be their coach and to be with them that everything I’ve been through. To come back and be with them and watch them put the effort in that they have has been pretty awesome.”

Telles is continuing the tradition of big-time heavyweights at a Concordia program that has had two recent national finalists at 285 (Tanner Farmer and Ceron Francisco). By the time the dust settled on Saturday, Telles and teammates Gabe Crawford (165) and Ybarra (133) had earned bids to the NAIA national tournament. Telles and Crawford were automatic qualifiers while Ybarra was selected by coaches as an at-large qualifier.

The roadblocks Telles faced included Doane’s Sameul Peterson, Briar Cliff’s Matthew Wilke and Doane’s Brandon Antesberger. Telles defeated Peterson, 5-0, and then Wilke, 5-1. That set up a clash with Antesberger, who is ranked 10th in the NAIA. One takedown was enough in a 3-1 squeaker over an opponent that had beaten him at the GPAC Duals. That victory marked No. 33 in an astonishing rookie season for Telles.

“We had high expectations for him,” Calhoun said. “We knew when we were recruiting him that he could be very good, but he’s obviously exceeded expectations as a true freshman – 30-plus wins and a GPAC championship. Beating a couple guys who had beat him earlier in the year was impressive. He works so hard, and we’re just excited to see what he does on the national stage in a couple weeks.”

A 2020 GPAC titlist at 157, Crawford seemed to wrestle angry after he was beaten by decision in his first match of the tournament. His next three matches went – pin, technical fall and pin. Crawford then avenged his only loss of the weekend with a victory over Dakota Wesleyan’s Marcus Urban. Crawford rallied on the back side and was credited with true second.

Additional Bulldog place finishes were turned in by Brandon Gonzalez (fifth at 149), Issiah Burks (sixth at 157) and Mason Garcia (fifth at 197). A junior captain, Burks advanced to the semifinals of his bracket before hitting a wall. He lost his next two matches and settled for sixth as part of an overall stellar season. Meanwhile, Garcia notched all three of his victories at the tournament by pin. He ended his weekend with a fall over Midland’s Kolton Kammeyer in the fifth-place match.

Seven Concordia individuals contributed to the team scoring, including Jose Sanchez (157) and Oscar Ramirez-Garcia (184). TJ Huber joined Ybarra as another starter who was unable to compete this weekend.

The field of national qualifiers will gear up for the 2021 NAIA Wrestling National Championships to be held at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., March 5-6. This marks the second year in a row that Hartman Arena has served as the national championship venue. One year ago, the Bulldogs placed 15th in the NAIA while Tanner Farmer and Alberto Garcia collected All-America honors.

Said Calhoun, “Anything can happen at the national tournament. We’re going to train really hard the next couple weeks to get ready for it.”

Telles, Ybarra named to All-GPAC wrestling team

February 24, 2021

2021 All-GPAC Wrestling Team

SEWARD, Neb. – Freshman Jacob Telles and junior Mario Ybarra represented the Concordia University Wrestling team on the all-conference team released on Wednesday (Feb. 24) by the GPAC. Telles landed on the first team while Ybarra garnered honorable mention recognition. The all-conference list is made of 12 honorees on both the first and second teams and six within the group of honorable mentions.

A native of Albuquerque, N.M., Telles made a splash at the conference championships by winning the heavyweight GPAC title. He upset Doane’s Brandon Antesberger in the conference final while locking up an automatic bid to nationals. Telles leads the Bulldogs in both wins (33) and pins (13) heading into the national tournament. This season he has been ranked as high as 15th nationally at 285. During the regular season, Telles turned in four tournament place finishes: second at the Dakota Wesleyan Open, third at the York Open, fourth at the Sioux City Open and fifth at the Doane Open.

Ybarra, who hails from Scottsbluff, Neb., has had his season impacted by injury, but carries an impressive 12-1 overall record into the national tournament. He has been rated as the GPAC’s top 133-pounder for the entire 2020-21 season after winning the 125-pound conference title in 2020. Ybarra was ranked fourth nationally at 133 in the most recent NAIA rankings. Ybarra has earned all-conference recognition for the third-straight year (first team in 2020). Ybarra is now a two-time national qualifier with a career record of 59-23 at the collegiate level.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun will take three competitors to next week’s NAIA Wrestling National Championships (March 5-6) held at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. Telles and Ybarra will be joined at nationals by two-time qualifier Gabe Crawford.

Nationals Preview: Three Bulldogs set to compete in Wichita

March 2, 2021

NAIA Wrestling Website

Track Wrestling

SEWARD, Neb. – Three Concordia University wrestlers are getting set to head to Park City, Kan. The Hartman Arena will be the location for the 2021 NAIA Wrestling National Championship. This two-day event begins on Friday and ends on Saturday (March 5-6). Wrestling will get started at 9 a.m. CT on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.

This will be Concordia’s second time at the Hartman Arena. A year ago, 2020 the Bulldogs took eight wrestlers to nationals. Returning National Qualifiers include is junior Mario Ybarra (133) and senior Gabe Crawford (165). At the 2020 National Championship, Ybarra beat the No. 3 ranked wrestler Koby Milner of Reinhardt. Both wrestlers will make their second trip to nationals in hopes of becoming an All-American. Freshman Jacob Telles (285) is making his first trip to nationals.

The NAIA released the preliminary brackets on Feb. 26, seeding the top 12 qualifiers of each weight class. Ybarra is seeded sixth at 133 pounds and Telles is seeded 12^th at 285 pounds. Crawford is going into the national tournament unseeded at 165 pounds. Heading into this weekend, they look to extend the program’s string of seven-straight years with at least one All-American. In the history of the program, 11 different individuals have combined for a total of 17 All-American Awards. In most recent history of the program Tanner Farmer (2020) was a 2020 national runner up at 285 pounds. Alberto Garcia (2020) took fifth place at 133 pounds.   

The brackets are subject to change and are not considered official until ratified by the NAIA- Wrestling Coaches’ Association Bracketing Committee. Official brackets are planned for release on Thursday, March 4 at 7p.m CT on www.naia.org. The championship matches of each weight class will be Viewable Via ESPN3.com

2021 Concordia National Qualifiers

Mario Ybarra, Jr. I 133 I Scottsbluff, Neb.
*Second Nationals Appearance (2-2 Record at nationals)
2020-21 Record: 12-3
NAIA National Seed: Seeded No. 6
Potential First match: CJ Shadinger (Reinhardt) or Bobby Robinson (Ottawa)

Gabe Crawford, Sr. I 165 I Virginia Beach, Va.
*Second Nationals Appearance (1-2 Record at nationals)
2020-21 Record: 15-6
NAIA National Seed: Unseeded
Potential First Match: Elias Vaoifi (Missouri Valley) or Gavin Smith (Campbellsville)

Jacob Telles, Fr. I 285 I Albuquerque, N.M.
*First nationals Appearance
2020-21 Record: 33-11
NAIA National Seed: Seeded No. 12
Potential First Match: Maleek Caton (Williams Baptist) or David Toese (Graceland)

Concordia All-Time All-Americans
Ken Burkhardt Jr. (2015, 2016, 2017)
Giovanni Castillo (2018)
Kodie Cole (2015, 2016)
Tanner Farmer (2020)
Ceron Francisco (2015, 2017)
Alberto Garcia (2019, 2020)
Adam Joseph (2012)
Austin Mogg (2014)
Andrew Schulte (2015, *2016)
Julian Silva (2012)
Jacob Williams (2012)
*NAIA National Champion

Ybarra clinches All-America finish on first day of nationals

March 5, 2021

PARK CITY, Kan. – It didn’t take long for junior Mario Ybarra to knock off the rust after having gone nearly two-and-a-half months without wrestling an official match. The 133-pounder from Scottsbluff, Neb., refused to fall short like he did one year ago. He has clinched his first career All-America award while supplying the first big moment of the weekend for a trio of Concordia University Wrestling national qualifiers.

For third-year Head Coach Levi Calhoun, there were emotional highs and lows on Friday (March 5) at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., site of the 2021 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. Calhoun watched senior Gabe Crawford (165) and Jacob Telles (285) have their seasons come to an end prior to Ybarra’s breakthrough victory.

“Jacob and Gabe fought hard. I’m proud of what they did,” Calhoun said. “Gabe has had a great career and Jacob being a true freshman had a good year. Obviously the highlight was Mario coming back from injury and earning All-American status. It’s a great feeling when you can give a guy a big hug when he walks off the mat as an All-American. There’s nothing like it. I’m super proud of him and excited for him to wrestle tomorrow and see how far we can go.”

Seeded sixth in the NAIA at 133, Ybarra (14-2) made it a mission to reach the podium after suffering a loss in the blood round in 2020. Ybarra had literally been bloodied back in January with an injury that caused him to miss the GPAC tournament. While donning extra protective head gear, he opened the day with a 7-2 decision over 11th-seeded CJ Shadinger of Reinhardt University (Ga.). A 2-1 tiebreaker loss at the hands of Indiana Tech’s No. 3 Conner Grimson in the quarterfinals put Ybarra’s season on the line.

In the consolation bracket, Ybarra edged Reinhardt’s Michael Land, 3-2, to set off a mini celebration. Ybarra has a shot at finishing as high as third place if things break right on Saturday.

Said Ybarra, “Honestly, it still hasn’t settled in yet. I’ve still got some business to do tomorrow, but for the time being it feels pretty good. I’m sure after this tournament’s done and I’m up there on the podium it will kind of settle in a little more … It’s been a crazy year but I was truly blessed to have another opportunity to come compete at nationals. It was my fifth week coming out of nose surgery so there was a lot of pressure.”

A two-time national qualifier and a 2020 GPAC champion, Crawford drew a significant challenge out of the gates in facing third-ranked Elias Vaoifi of Missouri Valley College. Crawford (Virginia Beach, Va.) fell by major decision. He was then eliminated in another major decision that followed in the consolation bracket.

Telles (33-13) also faced a top five foe to begin the tournament in the heavyweight bracket. The native of Albuquerque, N.M., dropped a 7-4 decision to No. 5 Maleek Caton of Williams Baptist University. The 12th seed Telles was then bounced from the tournament, 4-2, by Midway College (Ky.)’s Byron Pierce. Telles looks to have a bright future after having won a GPAC title and led the team in wins and pins in 2020-21.

Wrestling at the national tournament will resume at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday. Ybarra is slated to face Wayland Baptist University (Texas)’s Alex Pena in bout 384. No matter what happens on day two, Ybarra has extended the program’s streak of consecutive years with an All-American to eight.

Said Calhoun, “I just get nervous for those kids because I know how hard they work. I’m super happy for Mario. He works so hard, he’s such a good kid and such a great leader for our team. He’s a great example of what we look for in a student-athlete.”

Concordia results – NAIA Wrestling National Championships

133 – 6 Mario Ybarra has scored 5.5 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - 6 Mario Ybarra (Concordia) received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 - 6 Mario Ybarra (Concordia) won by decision over 11 CJ Shadinger (Reinhardt) (Dec 7-2)
• Quarterfinal - 3 Conner Gimson (Indiana Tech) won in tie breaker - 1 over 6 Mario Ybarra (Concordia) (TB-1 2-1)
• Cons. Round 4 - 6 Mario Ybarra (Concordia) won by decision over Michael Land (Reinhardt) (Dec 3-2)

165 – Gabriel Crawford

• Champ. Round 1 - Gabriel Crawford (Concordia) received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 - 3 Elias Vaoifi (Missouri Valley) won by major decision over Gabriel Crawford (Concordia) (Maj 14-2)
• Cons. Round 2 - Seth Dixon (Wayland Baptist) won by major decision over Gabriel Crawford (Concordia) (Maj 13-5)

285 – 12 Jacob Telles

• Champ. Round 1 - 12 Jacob Telles (Concordia) received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 - 5 Maleek Caton (Williams Baptist) won by decision over 12 Jacob Telles (Concordia) (Dec 7-4)
• Cons. Round 2 - Byron Pierce (Midway) won by decision over 12 Jacob Telles (Concordia) (Dec 4-2)

Ybarra closes season with seventh-place All-America plaque

March 6, 2021

PARK CITY, Kan. – Junior Mario Ybarra already had secured an All-America finish thanks to the work he put it on Friday at the 2021 NAIA Wrestling National Championships (March 5-6). On the second and final day of the national tournament, Ybarra wrapped up the season with a victory in his final match while locking up seventh place at 133 pounds. The Concordia University Wrestling program qualified three competitors for the national event staged inside Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan.

Levi Calhoun has coached four All-Americans during his three years as head coach of the program. As the latest All-American, Ybarra generated the entirety of the Bulldogs’ 6.5 team points (team place finish of 35th).

Said Calhoun, “I’m extremely proud of what Mario was able to accomplish. Coming back from the injury he had and becoming an All-American is absolutely incredible. He has worked hard since the day he arrived at Concordia and his success is not a surprise to anyone who knows him. I’m excited for his future as a Bulldog.”

A native of Scottsbluff, Neb., Ybarra fell one win short of an All-America award in 2020. This time around, he ensured his place on the podium with a pair of victories on Friday. Ybarra entered day two with a shot at placing as high as third in the bracket. However, he was dealt a 5-2 loss by Alex Pena of Wayland Baptist University (Texas) on Saturday morning.

In the seventh-place bout, the sixth-seeded Ybarra (15-3) drew fourth-seeded Nick Kunz of Montana State University-Northern. Kunz won the 2020 national title at 125 pounds. Ybarra earned a signature win by defeating Kunz in sudden victory, 3-1. The tournament run for Ybarra also featured a triumph over 11th-seeded CJ Shadinger of Reinhardt University (Ga.). The 2020 125-pound GPAC champion had not wrestled since December before jumping into the national tournament. Ybarra wore specialized head gear to protect a surgically repaired broken nose.

In day one action, senior Gabe Crawford (165) and Jacob Telles (285) both went 0-2 and were eliminated from their respective brackets. Crawford won the GPAC title at 157 pounds in 2020 while Telles captured the GPAC heavyweight championship this season.

Ybarra’s 2021 All-America award extended the program’s streak of consecutive years with at least one All-American to eight. The program’s all-time All-America list is included below. Ybarra becomes the 12th different Bulldog to reach the podium. The program history dates from 1962-78 and from 2009-present.

Concordia All-Time All-Americans
Ken Burkhardt Jr. (2015, 2016, 2017)
Giovanni Castillo (2018)
Kodie Cole (2015, 2016)
Tanner Farmer (2020)
Ceron Francisco (2015, 2017)
Alberto Garcia (2019, 2020)
Adam Joseph (2012)
Austin Mogg (2014)
Andrew Schulte (2015, *2016)
Julian Silva (2012)
Jacob Williams (2012)
Mario Ybarra (2021)
*NAIA National Champion

Season-In-Review: 2020-21 Concordia Wrestling

March 17 ,2021

It wasn’t enough for the Concordia University Wrestling program to simply adjust to a roster transformation during the 2020-21 season. The Bulldogs also had to deal with circumstances they had never imagined would come about during a trying campaign that would test the resolve of Head Coach Levi Calhoun, his staff and wrestlers. When the stakes were highest, feel-good moments were produced in the form of freshman Jacob Telles winning a GPAC individual title and junior captain Mario Ybarra earning a spot on the All-America podium.

Down the road, this season may be looked back upon as an important year of growth and reflection. Make no mistake, this wasn’t just about results on the mat. In some of the most difficult times of his life, Calhoun came to realize what’s so special about this team, this program and this athletic department.

“It was the toughest year of my life,” Calhoun said. “I lost my mom to COVID in December, in the middle of the season. It was really hard and it still is obviously. I’m tearing up right now. To be able to come back and be around the guys was really therapeutic for me, just to get back to some sense of normalcy. I told those guys every day how much I loved them and how much I cared about them, and how much I appreciated them being there for me. More than anything, it just showed me that I’m in the right place.”

Calhoun went on to thank assistant coach Tyree Cox, athletic trainer Eric Lundberg and Concordia athletic leadership Devin Smith and Angela Muller for helping steer the ship when Calhoun took time away from the program. Calhoun missed all of the events during the month of December while grieving the loss of his mother Joan, and because of a positive COVID-19 test of his own. Inside the wrestling room, a multitude of injuries impacted the lineup in a significant way.

It felt at times like the hits just kept coming. Even so, Calhoun gained perspective while finding the team as a source of joy in otherwise challenging moments. Said Calhoun, “I enjoyed just seeing all these young guys go out and battle. We had a lot of young kids we threw in the lineup, and that’s tough coming in as a true freshman and getting thrown to the wolves. We had guys come in and battle. Jacob is one of those guys who shown through. The crowning highlight was Mario earning that All-American spot. There was a sense of relief that he got that done.”

That relief comes from knowing how close Ybarra had been to All-America status a year earlier. It felt like such a well-deserved feeling of happiness in a long and sometimes cruel winter. As defending GPAC champions, the 2020-21 Bulldogs finished in a tie for fifth in the conference regular season standings and then placed sixth at the GPAC tournament. The Bulldogs knew it would be difficult to duplicate the results from the 2019-20 season considering the losses to graduation.

On the plus side, Gabe Crawford made a second-straight appearance at nationals after fighting through injuries of his own. Telles led the team in both wins (33) and pins (13) and made waves with an upset victory in the GPAC heavyweight championship match. In addition, freshmen such as Mason Garcia, TJ Huber, Jeaven Scdoris and Carter Willis gained extensive experience. Garcia notched 19 wins, Huber earned a reputation as one of the program’s hardest workers and Scdoris improved tremendously late in the season.

Unfortunately for Ybarra, he was shelved for the entire months of January and February. Just when he was ready to make his return late in the regular season, he suffered a broken nose. That injury kept him from the GPAC tournament. The native of Scottsbluff, Neb., still garnered an at-large berth to nationals – and he made the most of it. Ybarra finished in seventh place nationally at 133 pounds.

“Last year he was four seconds away from being an All-American so that was eating at him all year,” Calhoun said. “Then he breaks his nose and had seven different fractures in his nose. It was a pretty severe injury. He couldn’t come back until the national tournament. He wrestled really well. To come back from that speaks to his toughness, his resilience and ability to get it done. I get so nervous for these kids because they work so hard. That moment of having them jump into your arms (after clinching All-America honors) – there’s nothing like it.”

The season put together by Telles is worth further examination. The big man from Albuquerque, N.M., never broke down while wrestling more than 40 matches, a major accomplishment during a season when many tournaments were canceled or restricted in number. Telles placed at five different tournaments before his major breakthrough at the GPAC championships.

Said Calhoun, “We’re very impressed with Jacob. He’s a kid that wasn’t sure if he was going to wrestle in college. We convinced him to give it a try and he fell in love with it. I think he had more wins than anybody in the entire country. He wrestled a lot of matches. That alone speaks to how tough he is – it’s really hard to wrestle that many matches. As a true freshman, to win a conference title, qualify for nationals and wrestle some really good matches at the national tournament, we’re so excited for his future and for him to continue to grow.”

Ybarra was named a captain along with Crawford and Issiah Burks. They have earned respect within the program for their work on the mat and as leaders. Burks came up short of qualifying for nationals, but produced a 23-10 overall record in a solid season. The presence of these three Bulldogs was especially important during a year when Calhoun frequently loaded the dual lineup with four or more freshmen.

The growing pains are expected to lead to bigger and better things for the program in 2021-22 when the lineup will be much more experienced.

Says Calhoun, “Definitely excited to get to work for next season. Jeaven had a very successful high school career at Milford High. He came in and had to make some adjustments to the college game, and he’s done that. He was wrestling some of his best matches towards the end of the year. There were so many guys that were able to get matches and got so much better. TJ Huber didn’t get to wrestle at the conference tournament, but he’s one of our hardest workers. Guys like that we’re just excited to continue to work with and continue to grow and build this program back up to a conference championship team.”

No doubt Calhoun is motivated to make that happen. In so many ways, next year figures to be different, but it wasn’t all bad in 2020-21. Calhoun speaks from the heart when he says, “I’m definitely happy where I’m at and I’m proud to be these guys’ coach.”

Ybarra earns NWCA Scholar All-America award for second time

May 19, 2021

NWCA Release

SEWARD, Neb. – An All-American on the mat, Concordia University Wrestling’s Maria Ybarra is also an All-American in the classroom. On Monday (May 17), the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) recognized Ybarra as a 2021 Scholar All-American. A native of Scottsbluff, Neb., Ybarra just completed his junior year while continuing to study computer science. Ybarra is now a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American.

In order for a student-athlete to be nominated to the Scholar All-American Team, a wrestler must be a national qualifier with a minimum of a 3.25 grade-point average or an All-American with a GPA of at least 3.0.

This past season, Ybarra went 15-3 overall and placed seventh in the 133-pound bracket at the NAIA National Championships. Ybarra has twice qualified for nationals and owns a career record of 62-25. He won the 125-pound GPAC title as a sophomore in 2020. Ybarra has garnered some form of all-conference mention in each of his three seasons.

2021-22 Schedule Release: Concordia Wrestling

June 22, 2021

2021-22 Concordia Wrestling Schedule

SEWARD, Neb. – As revealed on Tuesday (June 22), the Concordia University Wrestling program has announced its schedule for the 2021-22 campaign. The regular season features 14 competitive dates, including eight involving open tournaments or invites. The Bulldogs are slated to get the season underway at the York College Open on Oct. 30.

Head Coach Levi Calhoun’s program is coming off a 2020-21 season that saw Concordia place in a tie for fourth in the GPAC regular season and sixth at the conference tournament. On an individual level, Mario Ybarra earned All-America honors at 133 pounds while Jacob Telles won the heavyweight GPAC title and qualified for nationals as a freshman. Telles and Ybarra were joined on the national stage by senior Gabe Crawford.

The Bulldogs will make their first home appearance of this coming winter when they welcome Hastings to Friedrich Arena for a GPAC dual on Nov. 11. Concordia will also host Midland on Dec. 2 and York on Feb. 3 for dual action. For a second year in a row, the program will put on the Concordia Bulldog Duals just before Christmas. This year’s event will take place on Dec. 18 with opponents from around the country expected to be present.

If all goes as planned, the tournament slate will be back to normal. A number of tournaments were canceled last season due to the result of COVID-19. A premier NAIA event, the Missouri Valley Invite (Jan. 21-22) returns to the schedule after it was wiped out last season. In addition, the Bulldogs will head to the pivotal GPAC Duals in Sioux City, Iowa, on Jan. 29.

The GPAC Wrestling Championships will be hosted by Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D., and will be held Feb. 18-19. The NAIA National Championships will follow on March 4-5 at a site to be determined. Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., hosted the event the past two years.

Ybarra collects Academic All-District accolade

July 8, 2021

NAIA Academic All-District At-Large Teams

SEWARD, Neb. – Representing Concordia University Wrestling, Mario Ybarra has been selected as a 2020-21 Academic All-District® At-Large Team member. College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced the at-large honorees on Thursday (July 8). The category includes student-athletes from wrestling and a variety of other sports. Ybarra landed on the All-District 3 squad, which features award winners from the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's At-Large Teams, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Also recently named a Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), Ybarra studies computer science. This past season, Ybarra went 15-3 overall and placed seventh in the 133-pound bracket at the NAIA National Championships. Ybarra (Scottsbluff, Neb.) has twice qualified for nationals and owns a career record of 62-25. He won the 125-pound GPAC title as a sophomore in 2020. Ybarra has garnered some form of all-conference mention in each of his three seasons. Ybarra is the program’s first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early August.