Wrestlers gearing up for this weekend’s NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Jahleel-Armstrong-Liberty-133-pound-wrestler — Flames freshman Jahleel Armstrong, seeded No. 1 at 133 pounds, is one of Liberty's top-ranked wrestlers. (Photos by Robert Leek)

Though one short of the men's wrestling program record set in 2022, when it won seven individual titles and a record fourth consecutive NCWA Grand National Championship title with 20 competitors in Allen, Texas, Liberty University's men's wrestling team has more qualifiers (19) than any of the 91 other colleges and universities represented at this week's event, held for the first time near Shreveport, La.

After having its winning streak halted by Bellarmine (Ky.) University — which is in its final season competing in the NCWA as it transitions to the NCAA Division I ranks — last March in Puerto Rico, the Flames are looking to reclaim their crown from the Knights. Bellarmine also won the past two NCWA National Duals in Louisville, Ky., its hometown, in January 2023 and in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this past January.

The Knights only feature one wrestler in 10 different weight classes, rather than two or more as Liberty does in many divisions, but only one designated wrestler can earn points in each weight class.

"You can only have 11 total wrestlers that score, whereas the other wrestlers can displace other teams' top competitors," Liberty Head Coach Jesse Castro said.

Lindenwood (Mo.) University, which is transitioning to the NCAA Division II ranks, is another team to watch out for with 12 wrestlers in the field, along with Thomas More (Ky.) University, which is moving up from NAIA to NCAA Division II and brought 10 to the tournament.

"It's going to be a tougher tournament, and there are so many variables, from how we wrestle, to individual matchups, to how other teams do against Bellarmine, or Lindenwood," Castro said. "I like where we are seeded, for the most part. It's legit, and I think the boys are ready."

Liberty won its first Grand National championship in 2015 and added four more in a row from 2018-22.

The Flames take plenty of momentum and confidence from winning their 12th consecutive Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship on March 3, held for the first time in the Liberty Indoor Track & Field Complex.

As has been the case every year since COVID-19 canceled the 2021 event, the field for this weekend's championships is a record size with 509 men's wrestlers and 161 women expected.

Flames graduate 235-pound wrestler Josiah Murphy, who bumped up from 197 where he is the two-time defending NCWA Grand National champion, and graduate heavyweight Rick Weaver are both No. 1 seeds as they contend for their third consecutive titles, seeking to join three-time 197-pound champion Austin Amos (2018-20) at that milestone. Last year, 235-pound graduate Jeff Allen tied a program record with his fourth national crown, matching the standard set by Head Coach Jesse Castro in the NCCAA ranks from 1976-81 and women's Assistant Coach Cendall (Manley) Murphy in the NCWA women's Grand National tournament from 2017-20.

Jahleel Armstrong is seeded No. 1 at 133 pounds while fellow Flames freshman Aiden Scheeringa is seeded No. 3 at 125. Graduate 157-pounder Reid Stewart, son of Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame wrestler Warren Stewart, is seeded third after finishing third at nationals as a freshman. He transferred to NCAA Division II Presbyterian (S.C.) before returning to Liberty this season.

Carder-Miller-Liberty-197-pounder — Flames freshman Carder Miller is seeded third at 197 pounds after Murphy bumped up to 235.

Freshman Carder Miller also secured a No. 3 seeding at 197 pounds with his MAC championship run. Senior David Over, meanwhile, earned a No. 4 seed at 165 pounds, and sophomore Wade Wheeler is seeded fifth at heavyweight.

One of the most stacked weight classes will be at heavyweight, where Weaver, who played at defensive lineman for the Flames Football team this past season, is the No. 1 seed despite his 3-1 record.

Castro expects him to be severely challenged by the likes of Lindenwood's No. 5-seeded David Hernandez, Bellarmine's No. 4-seeded Thadd Huff, Caribbean (Puerto Rico) University's No. 3-seeded Jonovan Smith, and Thomas More's No. 2-seeded Daulton Mayer.

"Heavyweight's going to be loaded," Castro said, noting that Weaver's transition from football to wrestling shape has taken a couple months, but he is now ready to rumble. "Rick lost 70 pounds in five weeks and when he competed in his first tournament at Messiah (Pa. University on Feb. 10), he wrestled a really tough (NCAA) Division I kid and lost in double overtime. He had not been on a mat in months, and he was horribly out of shape, so that was impressive. Now, he is in a lot better wrestling shape."

Castro said for the Flames to contend for the team title, they may need six or more championship finalists and to win four or more.

"For things to come together, all of those variables have to be (favorable), from our matchups, to other teams performing well against Bellarmine, to our guys pulling off some upsets," Castro said. "Our guys have got to wrestle above themselves. They're going to have to compete."

Liberty's women's team has 10 competitors, tied for fourth most out of 41 schools at the tournament. They are led by seniors Maile Ka'ahanui, seeded No. 1 at 170 pounds, Claudia Keanini, seeded second at 136, and Ashley Asselin, seeded fifth at 130. View the complete men's and women's brackets on the NCWA Grand National Championships website operated by FloWrestling.

Action gets underway with men's preliminary rounds on Thursday morning and women's preliminaries on Friday morning and continues through Saturday's consolation and championship finals at 2 p.m. EST (women) and 7 p.m. EST (men). Follow all the matches streamed live by FloWrestling.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

Reid-Stewart-157-pound-wrestler — Reid Stewart, who placed third at nationals as a freshman at 141, is seeded third at 157 as a graduate student this year.

Wrestlers gearing up for this weekend’s NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jahleel Armstrong

Ashley Asselin

Maile Ka'ahanui

Claudia Keanini

Carder Miller

Josiah Murphy

David Over

Aiden Scheeringa

Rick Weaver

Wade Wheeler

Wrestlers gearing up for this weekend’s NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jahleel Armstrong

Ashley Asselin

Maile Ka'ahanui

Claudia Keanini

Carder Miller

Josiah Murphy

David Over

Aiden Scheeringa

Rick Weaver

Wade Wheeler

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