WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team has completed the first day of competition at the 2024 NCAA Division III Southeast Regional Wrestling Tournament hosted by Lycoming College at the Keiper Recreation Center on Friday. Five of the 10 Colonels have advanced to Saturday's action with national qualification on the line including Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua), Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) who advanced to the Semifinal Round of their respective weight classes.

Full Results / Brackets

Following Friday's matches Wilkes currently stands in ninth place out of 22 teams with 59.0 team points.

Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) are still in contention to place third in their respective weight classes after picking up a consolation win following a loss in the Quarterfinals.

The top three placers in each weight class will earn automatic bids to the NCAA Division III Championships March 15-16 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Hartranft, at 157-pounds, was able to win his Round of 16 bout over Xavier Swanson of Averett University by an 8-6 decision. The sophomore trailed 5-4 entering the third period but used an escape and then a takedown with 38 seconds left to earn the win. Hartranft then won his Quarterfinal by a 12-4 major decision over Nic Zamaloff of Washington & Lee University on the strength of two first period takedowns and another in the second. Hartranft wrestles in the Semifinals with a national qualification spot on the line against Garret Cornell of Messiah University tomorrow.

Butka, at 197-pounds, began with a First Round win over Messiah's Sawyer Dereszynski by an 8-5 decision. The junior had a takedown and two nearfall points in the first period to take a 5-1 lead after three minutes to gain control of the bout. Butka, ranked No. 9 in the nation by the NWCA, won his Round of 16 bout by fall over Matthew Caldwell of Penn State Behrend. He worked a takedown 14 seconds in and completed the pin at the 29 second mark. Butka continued his strong wrestling with a fall in 37 seconds over Jamar Christian of Averett in the Quarterfinals. His initial takedown came at the 22 second mark. Butka will look to clinch a national qualification spot tomorrow in the Semifinals against John Satnowski of Washington & Lee.

Burkhart, at 285-pounds, won his Round of 16 bout by fall at 0:34 over Amarion Wilson of Greensboro College following a quick takedown at the 11 second mark. It was his 20th overall fall of the season. The junior then won by a 5-0 decision in the Quarterfinals over John Ryan Sedovy of Washington & Lee. Following a scoreless first period, Burkhart used an escape in the second period to go ahead 1-0. Sedovy then chose bottom to start the third period and Burkhart turned that into four nearfall points to seal the trip to the Semifinals. Burkhart wrestles Rayshawn Dixon of Ferrum College tomorrow with national qualification on the line.

Bauer, at 141-pounds, was able to win his Round of 16 bout over Brian Diaz of York College (Pa.) by a fall at 1:31 after his initial takedown 45 seconds into the match. The graduate student then dropped his Quarterfinal bout to Josiah Gehr by a 16-0 technical fall. Bauer stayed in contention for third place by winning his first consolation bout over Hunter Swedish of Washington & Jefferson College by a 17-0 technical fall in 2:55. Bauer faces Nico Diaz of Stevens Institute of Technology in the next round of the consolation bracket tomorrow as he looks for three wins to clinch national qualification.

Nuss, at 184-pounds, won his Round of 16 bout over Joseph Toner of Ferrum by a 9-4 decision. Nuss used a reversal and a takedown plus riding time for a strong 6-2 third period to earn the win. The junior lost his Quarterfinal bout to George Moseley of Averet by fall. Nuss followed with a fall of his own in his first consolation match over James Ellis of Lycoming. The fall came at 5:33 as he entered the third period trailing 5-3. Nuss wrestles Vincenzo Corvetto of Roanoke College tomorrow as he tries to win three times to place third.

Connor Kerwin (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) went 1-2 at 125-pounds in his first NCAA Regional. He finished his first year with a 20-16 overall record.

Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) was 2-2 at 133-pounds. The senior who plans to return to the Colonels for a fifth year went 19-15 overall this season.

Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) was 1-2 at 149-pounds. The sophomore finished the season with a 17-19 overall record.

Trevor DuBoff (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland) went 0-2 at 165-pounds as the senior finished his Wilkes career by being in the lineup at the NCAA Regional.

Melquan Warren (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) was 0-2 at 174-pounds as the first year finished his season with a 14-16 overall record.

Wilkes was tied for second among all 22 teams on Friday with eight falls.

Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with the Semifinal Round and the next round of the consolation bracket for each weight class. The Consolation Semifinals are set for approximately 1:00 p.m. The Championship Finals, Third, Fifth, and Seventh place matches will start at approximately 2:30 p.m.