Armdrag.com: RIT takes 4th at NWCA National Duals

WRE | #RIT takes 4th at NWCA National Duals https://t.co/WpUSXrGc74
— RIT Athletics (@RITathletics) January 8, 2022

LOUISVILLE, KY. - Senior Kaidon Winters led RIT to a fourth-place finish at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals with a pair of major decisions at the Kentucky International Convention Center, Friday.

No. 18 RIT started the day with a 24-16 setback to No. 5 Wabash in the semifinals, before falling 24-10 to No. 1 North Central (Ill.) in the third-place bout.

It was the best finish at the NWCA National Duals for RIT wrestling and its first appearance in the NWCA Final Four.

"The growth, development, and chemistry that has been built within this team over the last few years is now tangible," RIT wrestling head coach Jason Bovenzi said.

"To be able to come to a culminating event like this one and have the guys perform on a national stage is incredible to see. It is a testament to the amount of work that they put in day-in and day-out. The remarkable aspect is this is just the beginning. While we have terrific leadership from our upperclassmen, we have youth, depth and prospective student-athletes that are hungry to compete at a high level."

Against Wabash, the Tigers took four matches with Winters (157 pounds) taking a 13-2 win. Seniors Christopher Horton (141 pounds) and Zach Stedeford (174 pounds) took decisions, while sophomore Michael Glynn III (149 pounds) won by forfeit.

Against North Central, RIT was victorious three times with Winters taking a 10-0 win. Senior Shane Murphy (141 pounds) and junior Nathan Parker (184 pounds) earned decisions for the Tigers.

Over the two-day event, Winters went 3-0 with two of his wins over nationally-ranked opponents. Six RIT wrestlers finished with a pair of wins each and include junior Austin Lamb (165 pounds), freshman Josh Harkless (197 pounds), Glynn, Stedeford, Murphy and Parker. RIT faced 11 NWCA nationally-ranked opponents that included a pair of No. 1 wrestlers. Both of those matches were decided by four-point decisions with impressive challenges from Lamb and junior Calik Kennedy (285 pounds).

Wisconsin-La Crosse finished first with a 31-9 victory over Wabash in the title match after beating North Central, 21-16, in the semifinals. The tournament kicked off with 73 teams in six different divisions. RIT entered the Final Four as the eighth-seed, the lowest of the field after knocking off top-seed Coe the previous day. UW-La Crosse was seeded second, while North Central was seeded third and Wabash fifth.

The Tigers next travel on Saturday, Jan. 15 to Ithaca for the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Championship for a 10 a.m. start, and to Castleton, Vt., for the Castleton Duals with an 11 a.m. start.