(CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa) – For the first time since the return of the program in 2018-19, the Wilmington College wrestling team has a national qualifier.

Sophomore Thane McCoy punched his ticket at 157 pounds in the NCAA Region IV Championships a few weeks ago in Ada, Ohio at fellow Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) institution Ohio Northern University. He started the tournament 3-0, taking him to the finals and guaranteeing him a top-three spot and qualifying him for the national tournament at 157 pounds.

McCoy is 31-3 this season, with only two matches where he lost to a competitor on the mat, and the other coming via medical forfeit. His 31 wins is the most for a Quaker since the return of the program, while his 11 tech. falls breaks his previous single season record of seven.

He comes into the tournament having wrestled two other qualifiers at 157 pounds. He defeated Ohio Northern's Londen Murphy earlier this season by 11-2 major decision in dual action and dropped an 8-3 decision to undefeated Liam Flanagan of Washington & Lee University in the regional finals match.

McCoy is the No. 10 seed in the bracket and starts off his championships by battling the No. 7 seed Ryan Smith of Stevens Institute of Technology. Smith is 26-3 overall this season. If he gets past Smith, he will wrestle one of Thomas Wagner (Case Western Reserve University), Braden Kmak (Ursinus College), or No. 2 seed Trent Mahoney of Albright College. If McCoy loses, he falls into the wrestlebacks.

The championships begin on Friday morning at 11:00 A.M. eastern time.