Holland Reporter

The Grand Valley State men's wrestling team, ranked sixth nationally, is set to compete in the NCAA Regional at Tiffin University. This competition will determine which wrestlers advance to the NCAA Championships scheduled for March 14-15 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Only the top three finishers in each of the ten weight categories will qualify for the championships.

Head coach Joey Simcoe expressed confidence in his team's preparation: "We are ready to go mentally and physically, and we know that we will have to compete for seven minutes or more per match." He emphasized the difficulty of the regional tournament due to its high stakes and limited advancement opportunities: "The NCAA Regional wrestling tournament is the toughest one-day tournament we have in the sport because of the implications and the fact that only three advance per weight."

Grand Valley State has six wrestlers who are nationally ranked, with four among the top five. The roster includes Orion Wilson (125 lbs) with a record of 14-13, Jak Keller (133 lbs), ranked tenth nationally with a 21-11 record, CJ Poole (141 lbs) at 11-8, Chris Donathan (149 lbs), who holds a number one ranking with an undefeated 8-0 record, Maddox Simcoe (157 lbs) at 7-11, Maclain Morency (165 lbs) at 13-13, Josh Kenny (174 lbs), ranked third nationally with a 15-4 record, Brayden Mirjavadi (184 lbs), ranked fifth with an 18-10 record, Wyatt Miller (197 lbs), ranked fourteenth with a 5-6 record, and Carter Blough (285 lbs), also ranked third nationally with a strong 22-4 record.