WPU 12th at Missouri Valley Invite
William Penn University Athletics
Marshall, Mo.–In what will prove to be its best preview of next month’s national-qualifying tournament, the Statesmen wrestling team battled hard at the Missouri Valley Invitational Friday and Saturday.
William Penn placed 12th out of 18 programs with 39 points, while NCAA Division II Maryville (Mo.) won the team crown with 163.5 points. Nearly all of the squads that will be in February 22’s NAIA Central Qualifier were in action, paced by second-place Missouri Valley.
141-pounder Joao Vicente (So., East Providence, R.I., Secondary Education) was the top navy and gold finisher, going 3-2 with two falls to place fifth.
125-pounder Andrew Gorman (Fr., Madison Heights, Mich., Business Management) and 149-pounder Angelo Kelly (So., Ottumwa, Iowa, Physical Education) both went 2-2, finishing just one win shy of being in the top six.
Lane Colwell (So., Knoxville, Iowa, Computer Science), with one fall at 141 pounds, and Nick Wise (So., Phoenix, Ariz., Biology), at 174 pounds, also tallied 2-2 marks.
Kyle Soderblom (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Biology) pinned one foe at 197 pounds, while 157-pounder Charlton Benjamin (Jr., Atlanta, Ga., Sociology) and 174-pounder Ishmael Rempson (Jr., Olympia Heights, Ill., Industrial Technology) also claimed a victory at the Invite.
Next: William Penn travels to Des Moines next Saturday to compete in the Grand View Open. Action begins at 9 a.m.
