The Wabash wrestling team competed Thursday and Friday at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals for the fourth consecutive year. The Little Giants drew three nationally-ranked programs in the tournament, finishing 1-2 over two days of competition.
 
Wabash, ranked seventh in the latest NWCA poll, opened Thursday morning against 21^st-ranked Olivet College with a 26-19 victory. The Comets took the early lead with wins in three of the first four bouts. Owen Doster provided a 6-2 victory over Jared Brickley at 133 pounds to earn the first team points for Wabash. The Little Giants rallied from the 12-3 deficit with four straight wins, starting with a pin by Nick Bova at the 4:414 mark of his 157-pound match versus Kevin Papak. Connor Brummett followed with dominating performance against Olivet's Ross Pennock at 165 pounds, eventually scoring a 26-11 technical fall to add five points to the Wabash total to make the score 14-12 in favor of the Little Giants. Darden Schurg increased the lead to 20-12 with pin at 3:13 of the 174-pound match against Tyler Grimsley. After a tight 3-2 contest that went in favor of Olivet at 184 pounds, Riley Lefever put the dual away by pinning Olivet's Kyle Carter 51 seconds into their 197-pound bout to give Wabash the 26-15 scoring edge before the Comets closed with a major decision at heavyweight.
 
The win moved the Little Giants into the quarterfinals of the duals bracket to face sixth-ranked Johnson & Wales. Bova, the second-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds in the NWCA polls, and Brummett both scored victories by decision for Wabash --- Bova earning a 6-2 and Brummett producing a 7-1 victory at 165 pounds where he is currently ranked tenth in Division III. Lefever, the top-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds, earned a second pin for the day, this time 40 seconds into his competition versus Khamri Thomas. The Wildcats posted wins in the other seven bouts to take a 24-12 victory, sending Wabash into the consolation bracket.
 
The Little Giants wrestled against 12^th-ranked Coe College Friday morning with winner advancing to the placing rounds in the afternoon session. Doster picked up three points early in the 133-pound match with a 6-4 decision over Fletcher Green. Griffin Schermer scored another three points for the Little Giants with an 8-4 victory at 149 pounds to cut the Kohawks advantage to 9-6. Bova gave Wabash a 12-9 lead by earning a pin at 1:25 of his 157-pound bout against Nate Olsen. Brummett extended the Little Giants' advantage to 16-9 with his 12-3 major decision over Ryan Harrington. Coe answered with a pair of wins to move back in front 20-16 with two bouts remaining. Lefever put Wabash up once again with his third pin of the tournament, this time at 1:11 against Josh Allen. The Kohawks sealed the team victory by a final score of 24-22 with a four-point major decision in the final match of the dual meet.
 
Wabash returns to action Saturday at the University of Chicago Duals. The Little Giants face Saint John's University in the opening round of action at 2 p.m. (EST) before competing against the University of Dubuque in the second round.
 
#7 Wabash 26, #21 Olivet 19
125 – Michael Schmidt (OLI) over Chris Diaz (WAB) 8-5
133 – Owen Doster (WAB) over Jared   Brickley (OLI) 6-2
141 – Curtis  Blackwell (OLI) over  Brice Everson (WAB); Fall 1:37
149 – Austin Kelley (OLI) over Griffen Schermer (WAB) 6-1
157 – Nick Bova (WAB) over Kevin Papak (OLI); Fall 4:14
165 – Connor Brummett (WAB) over Ross Pennock (OLI) TF 26-11
174 – Darden Schurg (WAB) over Tyler Grimsley (OLI); Fall 3:13
184 – Rodney Harvey (OLI) over Nick Fox (WAB) 3-2
197 – Riley Lefever (WAB) over Kyle Carter (OLI); Fall 0:51
285 – Jesse Judge (OLI) over Sam Hipple (WAB) Maj 10-1
 
#6 Johnson & Wales 24, #7 Wabash 12
125 – Bobby Jordan (J&W) over Chris Diaz (WAB) Maj 9-1
133 – Jay Albis (J&W) over Owen Doster (WAB) 5-3
141 – DJ Tirelli (J&W) over Brice Everson (WAB) 4-2
149 – Joseph Ferinde (J&W) over Griffin Schermer (WAB) 4-3
157 – Nick Bova (WAB) over Daniel McBrinn (J&W) 6-2
165 – Connor Brummett (WAB) over Michael Gargano (J&W) 7-1
174 – Stephen Jarrell (J&W) over Darden Schurg (WAB) 5-1
184 – Michael Labell (J&W) over Nick Fox (WAB) Maj 12-0
197 – Riley Lefever (WAB) over Khamri Thomas (J&W); Fall 0:40
285 – Jonah Aurelio (J&W) over Sam Hipple (WAB); Maj 8-0
 
#12 Coe 24, #7 Wabash 22
125 – Jan Rosenberg (COE) over Chris Diaz (WAB); Fall 3:00
133 – Owen Doster (WAB) over Fletcher Green (COE) 6-4
141 – Levi Azinger (COE) over Brice Everson (WAB) 7-5
149 – Griffin Schermer (WAB) over John Clymer (COE) 8-4
157 – Nick Bova (WAB) over Nate Olsen (COE); Fall 1:25
165 – Connor  Brummett (WAB) over Ryan Harrington (COE); Maj 12-3
174 – Jake Voss (COE) over Darden Schurg (WAB) TF 17-0
184 – Taylor Mehmen (COE) over Nick Fox (WAB); Fall 4:40
197 – Riley Lefever (WAB) over Josh Allen (COE); Fall 1:11
285 – Andrew Holladay (COE) over Sam Hipple (WAB) Maj 15-2