Four RIT wrestlers ready for NCAA Championships this weekend in Iowa
SOURCE: ritathletics.com
March 10, 2022

 


CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - The NCAA resumes its Division III National Championships in wrestling for the first time since 2019 with four RIT athletes in the hunt for All-American status this weekend at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse and hosted by American Rivers Conference.

Seniors Kaidon Winters and Zach Stedeford, join junior Austin Lamb and freshman Josh Harkless as they attempt to make RIT history in the two-day event beginning Friday, March 11 at 12 p.m. (EST) and Saturday, March 12 at 11 a.m. (EST). The four have amassed more than 100 wins collectively for RIT this season.

Winters is ranked No. 1 at 157 pounds and is a four-time national qualifier with impressive credentials. The NCAA ranks Winters as the D-III Most Dominant Wrestler with a nation-leading 5.64 (out of 6) average points per bout. Winters is also tied with Joe Salerno (Washington and Lee) for the most D-III pins at 21 this season.

The fifth-year senior finished first in four tournaments this season; Ned McGinley Invitational, NYS Collegiate Championships, RIT Invitational and the NCAA Regionals.

"As a four-time NCAA tournament qualifier, Kaidon is a veteran of this tournament. He definitely is operating from a position of experience. Kaidon's goal is to win and has done everything he can do to prepare himself to realize that goal," RIT head wrestling coach Jason Bovenzi said.

Bovenzi traveled to Winters' high school in Athens, Pa. to recruit him after one state championship appearance and a podium finish.

Winters' wrestling career began at a young age after looking for a high school combat sport that complimented his taekwondo training. The match between the two benefited Winters well as RIT's all-time pin leader. The fifth-year Tiger is one pin away from matching another RIT record for most pins in a season; a record that he currently holds. Winters attributes his success through hard physical work and mental training that allows him to dominate his opponents.

"My goal is to be a national champion," said Winters. He is set to open the NCAA National Championship Tournament against Trent Furman of NYU.

Stedeford is in his first NCAA Championship Tournament and took the toughest journey to get the opportunity. With only the top-three Regional winners advancing, Stedeford needed to win all four wrestlebacks for a chance to advance and did.

Stedeford is looking to cementing his legacy at RIT with an All-American finish after never having qualified for a state tournament in high school.

"Zach comes from one of the more storied program ls in Pennsylvania history. Wrestling in the WPIAL, he has been in the fire as it pertains to big matches and tough competition. He is a senior who has been close to qualifying before and finally has punched his ticket," RIT Coach Bovenzi said.

"It's always been a dream of mine to qualify for the National Tournament. My experience at RIT has been fantastic. We all work so hard and we all have that goal of being the best that we can be," Stedeford said.

Stedeford begins his journey in the 174-pound bracket against Zane Mulder of Wartburg.

Lamb entered RIT after placing three times at the NYSPHAA Championships out of Tioga High School and punched his ticket to Iowa after a second-place finish at Regionals. Lamb fell in love with sport after watching WWE matches on television as a child.

The junior finished first in two tournaments this season in the NYS Collegiate Championship and the RIT Invitational.

"If I put a solid tournament together, I can definitely be on the podium this weekend," Lamb said.

"Austin, much like Zach, is a very tactical wrestler. He comes from a terrific high school program and has a good amount of experience in big matches," RIT Coach Bovenzi said.

Lamb's first match Friday is against Preston Morgan of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the 165-pound division.

Harkless is the first RIT freshman since Winters to make the National Tournament in his first year of eligibility.

"Josh is a freshman who has wrestled the best kids in the country this year. He will be an opponent that nobody wants to see because of his conditioning and physical style of wrestling," RIT Coach Bovenzi said.

A two-time state qualifier and runner-up his senior year at Wilson West Lawn High School (Pa.), Harkless is excited about the opportunity this weekend.

The freshman finished first in two tournaments this season in the Ohio Intercollegiate Open and the RIT Invitational.

"It feels pretty good and pretty rewarding. I know I worked really hard and I'm looking forward to it. I know as long as I wrestle as hard as I can and to the best of my ability, good things will happen," said Harkless, who was drawn to RIT by its engineering program and a chance to wrestle for Coach Bovenzi.

"He (Bovenzi) loves to coach and helping the team and he really invests in his wrestlers," Harkless said.

Of the four Tigers going for a national title, Harkless may have the toughest start as he goes against the 197-pound bracket's top-seed, Cody Baldrige of North Central.


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