Kearney, Neb. – The number one-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team picked up its fourth national title in dominating fashion, scoring a program-record 127.0 points, having eight All-Americans and three national finalists.

The two-day NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships was held in St. Louis with the action starting Friday morning and running until late Saturday night.

UNK's point total bests the previous record of 108.50, set in 2007 and in again in 2008. The Lopers placed first that season as well as in 2012 and 2013. This is Dalton Jensen's first national title as a head coach; he was a member of the 2012 team.

The 127 points is also the most for a national championship winning team in 12 years. Three-time defending national champion St. Cloud State and second-ranked Central Oklahoma were supposed to be the competition but both suffered key losses each day. UCO came in second (86.0) with the Huskies fourth (67.0) and West Liberty of West Virginia third (75.5). 

Coming first was super senior Matt Malcom (165 lbs.) with super seniors Josh Portillo (125 lbs.) and Sam Turner (149 lbs.) national runners up. Next, super senior Wesley Dawkins (133 lbs.) and redshirt sophomore Billy Higgins (184 lbs.) came in third with redshirt junior Austin Eldredge fourth (174 lbs.). Finally, redshirt junior heavy weight Lee Herrington and redshirt sophomore Nick James (141 lbs.) each finished fifth.

Malcom (Glenwood, Ia.) capped off a five-year All-American career by going 30-2 and winning his second national title (2019; 157 lbs.). The top-seed at 165 pounds, he had to beat second-seed and previously unbeaten Shane Gantz of Wisconsin-Parkside. Malcom's escape to start the second period was the lone point scored as Gantz went neutral to start the third. Malcom fought off every shot attempt and mat return to go unbeaten vs. D2 competition this winter. He also picked up D2's "Most Dominant Wrestler of the Year" Award.

Turner (Colorado Springs) saw his luck run out as he fell in sudden victory to third-seed Noah Hermosillo of Adams State, 3-1. Turner had won his two previous matches in overtime. To start the night, Portillo (Clarion, Ia.) fell to returning national champion Cole Laya of West Liberty, 9-0. This was Portillo's second national finals appearance (2019 runner up).

In the semifinals to start the long day, Portillo slipped past Tyshawn White of Shippensburg, 5-4, in the closing seconds with Turner taking down top seed Isiah Royal of Newberry (SC) eight seconds into OT, 3-1. Malcom recorded another tech fall, 16-0, with both Eldredge (McPherson) falling in OT and Higgins (Omaha Skutt) losing 8-2.


125 lbs. - #6 Josh Portillo (C-Sr., Clarion, Ia., 22-6)
Prelim - Josh Portillo won by fall over Matt Siszka (Pittsburgh-Johnstown) (Fall 6:18)
Champ. Round 1 - Josh Portillo won by maj decision over Manuel Leija (Davenport, Mich.) (MD 12-2)
Quarterfinal - Josh Portillo won by fall over Cody Fatzinger (Western Colorado) (Fall 6:17)
Semifinal - Josh Portillo won by decision over Tyshawn White (Shippensburg, Pa.) (Dec 5-4)
1st Place Match – Top-seed Cole Laya (West Liberty, WV) won by maj dec over Josh Portillo (MD 9-0)
 
133 lbs. -  #2 Wesley Dawkins (C-Sr., Lincoln, 17-2)
Champ. Round 1 - Wesley Dawkins won by fall over Elijah Lusk (Lander, SC) (Fall 1:36)
Quarterfinal – 7th-seed Garrett Vos (St. Cloud) won by decision over Wesley Dawkins (Dec 8-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Wesley Dawkins won by decision over 1st-seed Tanner Cole (Central Okla.) (Dec 3-0)
Cons. Round 3 - Wesley Dawkins won by fall over thrid-seed Jack Huffman (Augustana) (Fall 1:03)
Cons. Semi - Wesley Dawkins won by decision over Corey Gamet (Lake Erie) (Dec 5-1)
3rd Place Match - Wesley Dawkins won by major decision over fifth-seed Reece Barnhardt (Mary) (MD 11-3)

141 lbs. #6 Nick James (R-So., Kearney, 23-10)
Champ. Round 1 - Nick James won by decision over Tyler Warner (West Liberty) (Dec 3-1)
Quarterfinal – 3rd-seed Colby Smith (Lindenwood) won by decision over Nick James (Dec 6-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Nick James won by maj dec over Grayston DiBlasi (Colorado Mines) (MD 10-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Nick James won by decision over seventh-seed Peter Kuster (Drury) (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Semi – Top-seed Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State) won by major decision over Nick James (MD 12-0)
5th Place Match - Nick James won by medical forfeit over 3rd-seed Colby Smith (Lindenwood) (M. For.)

149 lbs. - #5 Sam Turner (C-Sr., Colorado Springs, 19-5)
Champ. Round 1 - Sam Turner won by decision over Hunter Burnett (Augustana) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal - Sam Turner won in SV - 1 over 4th-seed Jacob Ealy (Pitt-Johnstown) (SV-1 6-4)
Semifinal - Sam Turner won in sudden victory - 1 over 1st-seed Isiah Royal (Newberry) (SV-1 3-1)
1st Place Match – 3rd-seed Noah Hermosillo (Adams State) won in SV - 1 over Sam Turner (SV-1 6-4)

165 lbs. - #1 Matt Malcom (C-Sr, Glenwood, Ia., 30-2)
Champ. Round 1 - Matt Malcom won by major decision over Talon Seitz (Newberry) (MD 15-2)
Quarterfinal - Matt Malcom won by maj dec over 8th-seed Nate Trepanier (Lindenwood) (MD 8-0)
Semifinal - Matt Malcom won by tech fall over Drew Wiechers (Ashland) (TF-1.5 3:32; 16-0)
1st Place Match - Matt Malcom won by decision over Shane Gantz (UW-Parkside) (Dec 1-0)
 
174 lbs. - #1 Austin Eldredge (R-Jr., McPherson, Kan., 26-6)
Champ. Round 1 - Austin Eldredge won by decision over Connor Weeks (Belmont Abbey) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal - Austin Eldredge won by decision over 8th-seed Job Ayala (UW-Parkside) (Dec 9-3)
Semifinal – 4th-seed Trevor Turriff (Minnesota State) won in SV - 1 over Austin Eldredge (SV-1 9-7)
Cons. Semi - Austin Eldredge won by decision over Dillon Walker (Mercyhurst, Pa.) (Dec 9-7)
3rd Place Match – 5th-seed Ty McGeary (West Liberty, WV) by decision over Austin Eldredge (6-4)

184 lbs. - #3 Billy Higgins (R-So., Omaha, 21-7)
Champ. Round 1 - Billy Higgins won by maj dec over Jovaun Johnson (UNC-Pembroke) (MD 18-5)
Quarterfinal - Billy Higgins won by decision over 6th-seed Martin Verhaeghe (Fort Hays) (Dec 5-4)
Semifinal – 2nd-seed Heath Gray (Central Oklahoma) won by decision over Billy Higgins (Dec 8-2)
Cons. Semi - Billy Higgins won by decision over 5th-sed Caden Steffen (SW Minn. St.) (Dec 7-2)
3rd Place Match - Billy Higgins won in SV- 1 over 4th-seed Dan Filipek (McKendree, Ill.) (SV-1 5-3)

197 lbs. - # 6 Hayden Prince (R-Sr., Goose Creek, S.C., 19-10)
Prelim – 8th-seed Gino Sita (Alderson Broaddus) won by maj dec over Hayden Prince (MD 11-2)
Champ. Round 1 - Logan Kemp (West Liberty) won by decision over Hayden Prince (Dec 3-2)

285 lbs. - #6 Lee Herrington (R-Jr., Kearney, 22-9)
Champ. Round 1 - Lee Herrington won by decision over David Henson (Tiffin) (Dec 3-0)
Quarterfinal – 3rd-seed Shawn Streck (Central Okla.) won in SV - 1 over Lee Herrington (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Lee Herrington won by fall over Cameron Coffman (Lander, SC) (Fall 4:55)
Cons. Round 3 - Lee Herrington won by major decision over AJ Cooper (Fort Hays) (MD 11-3)
Cons. Semi – 4th-seed Kameron Teacher (St. Cloud) won by maj dec over Lee Herrington (MD 12-3)
5th Place Match - Lee Herrington won by forfeit over 3rd-seed Shawn Streck (Central Okla.) (For.)