YORK, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team saw success Friday with eight of its 10 wrestlers advancing to tomorrow's bouts at the 2023 NCAA Southeast Regional Wrestling Championships at M&T Bank Field House hosted by York College. Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central), and Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) positioned themselves just one Semifinal victory away from earning a NCAA Championships berth and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) earned two falls on the day to reach 22 for the season, a new single-season program record.

The Colonels are fourth of 21 teams with 67.5 points on day one.

Full Results

At 125-pounds Fashouer earned a Preliminary Round victory by fall over Jajuan Givens of Greensboro College in the first period at 1:10. The victory moved the sophomore into the First Round of the bracket where he defeated Adrian Samano of Ferrum College by an 11-0 major decision. Fashouer earned six points in the first period as he scored the initial takedown one minute in and converted four nearfall points shortly after. He added a reversal in the second period and a takedown in the third along with a riding time point. Fashouer then punched his ticket to tomorrow's Semifinal Round with a Quarterfinal victory over Jared Kuhns, nationally ranked seventh by the NWCA, of York. Fashouer earned the 6-5 decision with a reversal in the third period with 46 seconds remaining. He scored a takedown in the second period to take a 2-1. Kuhns took the lead in the third with two nearfall points before a reversal by Fashouer put him back ahead 4-3. The action packed third period saw Kuhns reverse for the lead before Fashouer's final reversal to seal the win. Fashouer will wrestle in the Semifinals tomorrow looking to earn his second trip to the NCAA Championships.

Bauer earned a First Round decision at 133-pounds with a late takedown of Daniel Porter of Averett University. The senior trailed 3-2 late in the third period but Bauer was able to execute a takedown with 21 seconds left to win 4-3. In the Quarterfinals Bauer earned a fall in 1:24 over Sean Hall of Roanoke College. He led 4-1 at the time of the fall using two takedowns and will compete tomorrow in a Semifinal to clinch his first career national qualification.

Butka, nationally ranked 13th at 197-pounds, won his First Round bout with an 8-3 decision over Brendan Newbury of Stevens Institute of Technology. The sophomore earned a takedown in the first period, an escape and a takedown in the second and a takedown in the third plus riding time. Butka then defeated John Ryan Sedovy of Washington and Lee University by a 5-3 decision in the Quarterfinals. He used a first period takedown and a second period escape to lead 3-1 heading to the third. Following a Sedovy escape, Butka earned a final takedown to seal the win with 44 seconds left. Butka will wrestle for his first national qualification tomorrow in the Semifinal Round.

Burkhart lost his First Round bout at 285-pounds against Jacob Feese of King's College by fall. His record-breaking 21st pin came at 1:45 of the first period in his consolation opener over Seth Phillips of Thiel College. The sophomore led 6-2 at the time of the fall as he scored a takedown two nearfall points and a reversal. Burkhart advanced again in the consolation side, adding to his pin total by knocking off John Fulmer, nationally ranked fourth at 285, of Lycoming College at 4:24. Fulmer had a takedown to open the scoring but then Burkhart scored a reversal and four nearfall points near the end of the first period to go ahead 6-2. An escape and a takedown brought his lead to 9-2 at the time of his fall. Burkhart will wrestle in the Consolation Quarterfinals tomorrow looking to place third with three more wins and advance to the NCAA Championships.

Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) earned a Preliminary Round victory at 149-pounds in the first-year's NCAA regional debut with a 7-4 decision over Morgan Robinson of Roanoke. Hartranft trailed 2-1 after the first period but took the lead in the second with a reversal and later a takedown. Peyton Hearn of Thiel earned a third period fall at 6:13 in the First Round to send Hartranft into the consolation bracket. Hartranft began wrestling back with a 14-6 major decision over Gettysburg College's Eric Mougalian. A 7-0 second period was the key to the victory as he scored an escape, takedown, and four nearfall points. He then beat Hayden Funck of Ferrum by a 7-2 decision as he scored on a takedown two reversals and a penalty point. Hartranft will wrestle tomorrow looking for three wins to place third.

Charles Everdale (Freeland, PA/Hazleton Area) made his NCAA regional debut at 157-pounds as the sophomore defeated Heath Rudolph of Gettysburg in the Preliminary Round by a 3-0 decision on a first period takedown and a second period escape. Everdale then defeated Greg Croce of Delaware Valley University in the First Round with a 7-2 decision with all the scoring in the third period. Everdale started the scoring with an escape then a takedown and scored four nearfall points near the end of the bout to clinch the victory. Jesse Alvarado of Averett earned a fall in the Quarterfinals. Everdale then beat Hunter O'Connor of Lycoming by an 11-1 major decision to advance to tomorrow's Consolation Quarterfinals as he looks for three more wins to place third. In that bout her scored a 7-0 second period with an escape, takedown, and four nearfall points.

Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) lost his First Round bout to Luke Moore of Delaware Valley at 174-pounds by a third period fall. The sophomore then began wrestling back with a fall over Brian Himes of Penn State Behrend at the 1:00 mark. Nuss then beat Kyle Lee of Roanoke with a 3-1 decision as he had a first period takedown and a second period escape. He advanced to tomorrow with his third straight win, a 3-2 decision over Dylan Weaver of Shenandoah University. Nuss had a first period takedown before Weaver tied up the bout with two escape points. He earned the win with an escape 17 seconds into the third period. Nuss needs three more wins tomorrow to place third and gain national qualification.

Hunter Lowe (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill) won his 184-pound first round bout over Khalil Mitchell of Averett in a high octane 13-11 decision. The junior trailed 10-7 heading to the third period. Following a penalty point for Mitchell, Lowe who chose top for the third, earned two nearfall points and then four nearfall points to earn the 13-11 win. Lowe then lost an 8-1 decision to Cameron Blizard of Washington and Lee in the Quarterfinals. Lowe then pinned Ayden Bishoff of Waynesburg University in 4:29 to advance to the Consolation Quarterfinals tomorrow.

Braden Sitton (Cross Junction, VA/James Wood) made his NCAA regional debut, dropping his First Round bout at 141-pounds by a 12-0 major decision to Evan Linder of Washington and Lee. He then lost in the consolation bracket by a 7-4 decision to Mateo Hernandez of Marymount University to end his season with a 4-16 record and regional experience.

James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) won his 165-pound preliminary bout 4-2 over Harrison Hinojosa of Stevens. He scored on an escape, two nearfall points, and another escape. The junior then beat Justin Richey of Gettysburg by fall at 1:41 in the First Round to move into the Quarterfinals. There, Harrison Kelly of Washington and Lee won an 8-0 major decision. Hinojosa then won by fall at 5:44 in the consolation bracket to end Geiger's run with a 2-2 record on the day and a 20-12 record this season.

Action will start tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with the Semifinals of the Championship Bracket and Quarterfinals of the Consolation Bracket followed by the Semifinals of the Consolation Bracket at 1:00 p.m. The Championship, 3rd, 5th, and 7th place matches will start at 2:30 p.m.