Season Preview

The 2011-12 Hannibal-LaGrange University wrestling season is just around the corner! In preparation for the start of regular practices we have ran our regular lifting and conditioning practices and have had some open mats. One highlight over the last couple of weeks was our annual Labor Day camp out. As a team we were able participate in several outdoor activities which included swimming, fishing, boating and geode hunting. This year the Trojans welcome back two sophomores Bryce Alexander and Dan Capp who both tied the HLGU season win record last season with 27 wins. Bryce Alexander, Dan Capp, Ian Taylor, Tommy Pickens and Nathan Downs all return as national tournament qualifiers for the Trojans. Pickens and Downs took a year off and are working diligently to get back into the groove. This year the Trojans will have every weight class filled and will be wrestling off at some weights to see who will claim the top spot at each weight class. This season keep an eye on our new comers like Bobby McCarl (125), Richie Nedlic (125/133),Cole Arms (133), Chucka Willis (141), Cody Bergquist (197), Tyler Cook (HWT). Jake Hare is the most improved returning wrestler for the Trojans from last season and we will see if he can claim the varsity spot at heavy weight this year. We have a few wrestlers who will be redshirting this year and they are Aaron Angel, Mason Hymer, and James Jordan.

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Cook Signs with HLGU

Hannibal, MO – The Hannibal-LaGrange University wrestling program is pleased to have signed Tyler Cook from St. Joseph, MI. Cook will graduate from St. Joseph High School this May.

Cook’s high school coaches have commented that he is the hardest working wrestler on his team and has excellent character as well. His high school assistant coach has even stated that Cook is the only wrestler he would allow to take his little sister to prom.

“Over the last several months I’ve become well acquainted with Tyler and his parents,” commented Coach Scott Hawes. “I have been impressed with Tyler’s work ethic and desire to improve. Besides being a decent wrestler Cook has good character and that is why I believe he will be a good fit for the Trojan Wrestling Program. I believe Tyler Cook will have the mindset to work to get better every day. As a captain on his high school team, he knows how to be a leader. I’m excited about having Tyler as part of our wrestling family and I can’t wait to see how he improves as a wrestler throughout his career.”

Cook is coming to HLGU with a senior season varsity record of 30-11. He plans to wrestle in the 197 lbs. weight class.

Cook is the son of Steve and Denise and will be majoring in premedical/nursing at HLGU.

HLGU is a Division I NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) school and a member of the American Midwest Conference).

Don't Forget Your Early Registration Discount By Registering Before June 1st!

Bobby McCarl Signs with HLGU Wrestling

Hannibal, MO - The Hannibal-LaGrange University Wrestling program is pleased to have signed Bobby McCarl from Adrian, MO. McCarl will graduate from Adrian RIII High School in May of 2011.

This season McCarl compiled an impressive record of 39-5 and an overall career record of 125-27. McCarl is a 3 time state tournament qualifier qualifying in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. His freshmen season was cut short due to injury. McCarl had a strong showing at the 2011 Missouri State Championships making it to the finals and finishing 2nd at 119 lbs. McCarl’s previous best finish in the state tournament was 6th place. “Bobby McCarl is a tough wrestler and a hard worker. McCarl improved every season of his high school career and he knows how to work through the disappointment of injury as a result of his freshmen season experience. McCarl didn’t stay down he bounced back and continued to get better every season after that. I’m looking forward to him making this next step of wrestling for me at the college level. McCarl has what it takes to be a competitive collegiate wrestler,” said HLGU Head Wrestling Coach Scott Hawes. “Bobby will be a great addition to our program. I’m excited to see what Bobby will accomplish as a freshman." McCarl will be wrestling in the 125 lb weight class next year for HLGU.

McCarl plans on majoring in Criminal Justice at HLGU.

McCarl is the son of Robert and Trina McCarl.

HLGU is a Division I NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) school and a member of the American Midwest Conference.

Horizons National Tournament Summary

Below is an article that was published in Horizons which is a HLGU student newspaper

By Megan Shadrick

The Hannibal-LaGrange University wrestling team went to nationals this past month. Five members from the team competed in the competition. The five members were sophomore Zach Fish and freshmen Bryce Alexander, Ian Taylor, Dan Capp and Mitch Burnaugh. This was a very young group of wrestlers advancing to the highest level, but they did a great job competing. Bryce Alexander drew a tough match against the number one seed,

eventually losing his match. Dan Capp was the team member who advanced the farthest. Zach Fish remarked about Nationals: “It was a lot of fun... We all wrestled really hard.” He also noted that the Trojan wrestling team is doing extremely well, despite being such a young group. Out of all the wrestlers each team member faced, only two were freshmen. This means that the wrestlers have a lot more to look forward to in the coming years—and will already have the experience of Nationals competition behind them. Fish and his other teammates are excited for the future. Coach Hawes agreed that the retention rate for this year “looks good.” He is also talking to a lot of prospects who look good. This will add more wrestlers who can make a difference for next year. The team plans to hold for a camp this summer for 9th – 12th graders from June 26th to the 30th (with Olympic Gold Medal winner Ben Peterson). This is an opportunity for the team to do something great for their community and affect the lives of young men in the surrounding area.

5 Trojan Wrestlers Competing in the 2011 NAIA National Championships

Tomorrow at 11 am Five Trojan Wrestlers will step onto the mat in competition at the 2011 NAIA National Wrestling Championships. Those wrestlers are Zach Fish (141 lbs), Bryce Alexander (157 lbs), Ian Taylor (165 lbs), Dan Capp (174 lbs), and Mitch Burnaugh (184). For more information on the 2011 NAIA Wrestling Champions click here.

2011 NAIA Wrestling National Championships Preview

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 2011 NAIA Wrestling National Championships will get underway Thursday at 11 a.m. CST at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 54th annual event runs through Saturday and features six sessions of action, capped off with the championship finals. Brackets for each weight class will be posted Wednesday by 9 p.m. CST.

Cedar Rapids will welcome 324 individuals representing 39 teams descending upon the U.S. Cellular Center and of those qualifiers, 86 are freshmen, 82 are sophomores, 95 are juniors and 61 are seniors. Thirty-two of the qualifiers have previously earned All-America accolades by placing in the top-six of their respective weight class (a seventh- or eighth-place finisher was named honorable mention). Each weight class will have at least one returning All-American in action, with both 141 and 165 pounds featuring five All-Americans.

Among the returning All-Americans, seven have twice earned the distinction. McKendree’s (Ill.) Andrew Sanchez is the only three-time All-American among the field, earning all of his honors at 197 pounds. Sanchez, who is in his senior campaign, was the 2009 national champion at 197.

Sanchez is one of seven grapplers that have previously taken home top-honors in their respective weight class that will be eyeing a second title in Cedar Rapids. Vying for a repeat performance will be Campbellsville’s (Ky.) Tommy Pretty, Glenn Rhees of Grand View (Iowa) at 174 pounds and the Notre Dame (Ohio) trio of Jeffrey Pelton (149), Thomas Straugh (157) and Derek Foore (197). Pretty captured the 133-pound national championship a season ago, but has bumped up to 141 pounds in his junior season. Grand View’s Matt Burns finished first at 149 pounds as a sophomore in 2009.

Six of 2010’s All-Americans have shifted weight class, including Myles Mazurkiewicz of Great Falls (Mont.) moving from 133 to 141 and Cumberland’s (Tenn.) James Casadaban bumping up from 157 to 165. Both Chris Chionuma of Lindenwood (Mo.) and Hastings’ (Neb.) Jameon Rush climbed to 174 after spending last season at 165.

In the event’s 53 years, 107 programs have had an individual finish on top of the podium. Simon Fraser (B.C.) has had the most wrestlers finish first in their respective weight class, with 40 national champions. Montana State-Northern is a distant second with 29.

Shifting to the team race, reigning team champion Notre Dame has qualified 12 individuals and is looking to become the ninth team to win back-to-back national titles. The Falcons won their first national championship in 2010, denying Lindenwood a record-tying fourth-straight national championship. In the history of the event, a team has won consecutive national titles 15 times.

There have been 18 programs that have previously taken home the team title. Adams State (Colo.) and Central State (Okla.) each took home eight, the most in 53 years. Of the current NAIA programs, Montana State-Northern leads the way with six national championships, with the last coming in 2004.

The largest margin of victory in 53 years came in 1981 with Central State taking top honors with an 85.75 point cushion on runner-up Adams State’s (Colo.) 69.5 points. On the flip side, Lock Haven State (Pa.) edged Bloomsburg State (Pa.) by one point in 1963, 61-60, for the closest team finish. In 1994, Southern Oregon and Western Montana tied for top-honors with 94.5 points. It is the only time the title has been shared.

There have been 14 programs that have finished second, but have not taken home a banner, four of which will take to the mat in Cedar Rapids. These teams include: Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), Jamestown (N.D.), McKendree and Menlo (Calif.).

The 54th annual NAIA Wrestling National Championships is making its first visit to Cedar Rapids, marking the 33rd site to host the event. The NAIA Wrestling National Championships have traveled to 19 states, from coast-to-coast, in its history.

Real-time results from all mats during all six sessions of action will be available through the NWCA Live Scorebook by clicking here.

NeuLion will stream live all 10 individual weight class championship bouts and will be available to view Saturday starting at approximately 7 p.m. A fee of $7.95 is set to view the finals. Click here for more information.

Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information and Media Services, adahl@naia.org