LOUISVILLE, KY – The Wilkes University wrestling team went 1-1 with a 32-13 loss to SUNY Cortland and a 33-9 win over the University of Mount Union to close out its competition in the NCAA Division III bracket of the 2023 U.S. Marine Corps NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships presented by ARMS Software, and Capital Construction hosted by NUWAY Combat at the Kentucky Expo Center Saturday.

Wilkes went 1-3 at the NWCA National Duals to finish the weekend with a 3-7 record in dual matches this season.

Wilkes closed the day with a match against Mount Union, looking to leave Kentucky with a victory under its belt.

Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) battled with Jack Stanley who is ranked No. 2 by the NWCA at 125-pounds but the Purple Raiders grappler came out with the 5-4 decision to put Mount Union up 3-0. Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) earned a 7-1 decision at 133-pounds over Mason McCarty to even the score at 3-3 and Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) was awarded a forfeit win at 141 to put Wilkes up 9-3. Mount Union then won the 149 and 157-pound bouts with 2-0 and 5-1 decisions to even the score at 9-9.

Wilkes then won the final five bouts to pull away to the victory. James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) was awarded the forfeit win at 165 and Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) followed with a fall at 2:51 over Caleb Zimmerman in the 174-pound bout to put Wilkes up 21-9. John Devito (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) then used a 10-1 first period to win 14-11 over Nick Chaddock to push the Colonels lead to 24-9 and clinch the victory.

Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) won a 4-0 decision over AJ Lunardi at 197 and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) capped the win with a fall at the 2:08 mark in the 285-pound bout over Austin Ryder to make the score 33-9.

The Colonels started the day with a morning match against Cortland that the Red Dragons took 33-13 by winning seven of the 10 bouts. Fashouer started the match with a 7-4 decision over Cody Merwin to put Wilkes up 3-0. Jayden Cardenas, ranked No. 4 by the NWCA at 133-pounds, put Cortland ahead 6-3 with a fall. Cahal Donovan, ranked No. 11 by the NWCA at 141-pounds, used a 4-0 decision to increase the Red Dragons lead to 9-3. Cortland proceeded to run its bout win streak to seven, taking a 33-3 lead with two falls, two major decisions, and a decision.

Butka earned 16-6 major decision over Tyler Goodemote at 197-pounds to stop Cortland's streak and Burkhart won by fall at the 4:55 mark over Dylan Houseknecht at 285-pounds to make the final score 32-13.

Wilkes will head to Williamsport, Pa. to compete at the Budd Whitehill Duals on Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14 in the event hosted by Lycoming College.

Cortland 32, WU 13
125 – A. Fashouer (W) dec. C. Merwin (C) 7-4
133 – J. Cardenas (C) fall M. Richardson (W) 2:39
141 – C. Donovan (C) dec. J. Bauer (W) 4-0
149 – A. Centrone (C) major dec. B. Grater (W) 18-7
157 – K. Klein (C) dec. C. Dix (W) 3-2
165 – H. Hughes (C) fall J. Geiger (W) 0:51
174 – P. Ross (C) fall C. Nuss (W) 4:20
184 – S. Gazzillo (C) major dec. J. Devito (W) 11-1
197 – C. Butka (W) major dec. T. Goodemote (C) 16-6
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall D. Houseknecht 4:55
 
WU 33, Mount Union 9
125 – J. Stanley (M) dec. A. Fashouer (W) 5-4
133 – M. Richardson (W) dec. M. McCarty (M) 7-1
141 – J. Bauer (W) win by forfeit
149 – R. Kneeland (M) dec. B. Grater (W) 2-0
157 – N. Nettleton (M) dec. C. Dix (W) 5-1
165 – J. Geiger (W) win by forfeit
174 – C. Nuss (W) fall C. Zimmerman (M) 2:51
184 – J. Devito (W) dec. N. Chaddock (M) 14-11
197 – C. Butka (W) dec. A. Lunardi (M) 4-0
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall A. Ryder (M) 2:08

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