(ADA, Ohio) – The Wilmington College wrestling team completed day one of the NCAA Region IV Championships today at Ohio Northern University. They sit in 14th place as a team with 24 points.

Leading the charge for the Quakers was sophomore Thane McCoy at 157 pounds, as he was their lone competitor to qualify for day two tomorrow. He wrestled a pair of familiar opponents today in Washington & Jefferson College's Jackson Sandor and the University of Mount Union's Giovanni Duniec. He defeated both these competitors earlier this season. McCoy beat Sandor by way of 19-3 tech. fall in 3:44 before taking care of Duniec by 11-5 decision to move into the semifinals and be one win away from qualifying for the Division III National Championship tournament. He is now 30-2 overall this season.

McCoy takes on junior Casey Smith from Roanoke College in Virginia, who is 22-7 overall this season with six wins by tech. fall and five wins by fall.

Both sophomore Asher LeBeau at 149 pounds and freshman Zander Ward at 141 pounds finished their days going 2-2. After a loss to start the day, LeBeau pinned Muskingum University's Aiden Johnson in 4:34 before beating Randolph College's Noah Williams by 17-1 tech. fall in 2:45. LeBeau then faced Drew Miller from Heidelberg University, who he pinned in a match earlier this season. However, Miller won this match by 10-4 decision to end LeBeau's season.

Ward lost his first match but bounced back with a close 6-4 decision win over Averett University's Mauricio Reyes. He followed this with his second win of the season over Hiram College's Jt Hagood, this time by 17-2 tech. fall in 3:38. He dropped a heart breaker to end his tournament by way of a 1-0 decision against Leonidas Zoganas from Muskingum University. Zoganas won on a single escape with 1:33 remaining in the third period.

Sophomore Gavyn Grim lost his first match, but came back with a fall victory over Washington & Jeffersons Holden DuBois in 2:02. He then dropped his final match of the tournament.

Sophomore Hunter Randall lost his first match and then won by medical forfeit before losing a tight 10-8 decision to Greensboro College's Ethan Kring. After falling behind 8-4 heading into the final period, Randall fought back to within a point on two separate occasions, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Both sophomores Andre Lewis and Quintez Pratt ended their tournaments 0-2.

What's Up Next
Thane McCoy returns to action tomorrow with a chance to be the Quakers first national qualifier since the program returned in 2018-19. Wrestling begins at 10:00 A.M.