Flames deeper than ever going into NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Liberty men's wrestling coaches Josh McIlhenny and Jesse Castro — Assistant Coach Josh McIlhenny and Head Coach Jesse Castro exhort a Liberty wrestler in the MAC Tournament. (Photos by Ethan Smith)

Liberty University's men's wrestling team has its largest number of competitors qualified for this Thursday's through Saturday's NCWA Grand National Championships, with 21 making the trip on Tuesday to the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City near Shreveport, La.

However, that quantity of wrestlers does not guarantee the Flames as strong a showing as they have become accustomed to in recent seasons, with back-to-back runner-up finishes in Puerto Rico and Louisiana following an NCWA-record four consecutive Grand National team titles from 2018-22 in Allen, Texas. (The event was canceled by COVID-19 in 2021.)

"We had some heavy point scorers back then," Castro said of three-time NCWA Grand National individual champions such as heavyweight Rick Weaver, and 197-pounders Josiah Murphy and Austin Amos as well as four-time 235-pound champion Jeff Allen. "The way tournament wrestling works for team scoring, the higher quality of individuals you have usually manifests itself in total points scored. In order for us to have a stellar tournament and to make a mark, the whole team is going to have to step up."

Matox Allen Liberty freshman wrestler MAC champion — Freshman Matox Allen is seeded sixth at 157 pounds after winning the MAC championship on March 2 at the LaHaye Multipurpose Center.

He is hopeful there are those in Liberty's ranks that can replicate what Ashton Robinson did in 2018, helping to boost the Flames to a narrow Grand Nationals team triumph over MAC rival Apprentice School after Amos' dramatic last-second reversal clinched his first crown and the Flames' second in four years.

"(Robinson) got a wildcard out of our (Mid-Atlantic) Conference after not even winning a match there and ended up having the tournament of his life and earning All-American honors at nationals," Castro said. "Someone could have a breakthrough like that this year."

Though they saw their 12-year run as MAC Tournament champions snapped by the Builders March 2 at the LaHaye Multipurpose Center, the Flames have shown tremendous strides in recent months in what Castro considers a rebuilding year.

"I liked the way they competed for sure," he said of Liberty's performance at the MAC Tournament. "A lot of guys stepped up and some guys did not. Our freshmen have done a terrific job in filling gaps. As young as they are and with the expectations that we've placed on them, they really have developed well to fulfill those expectations and even exceed them."

He said it may be more difficult for the Flames to stay fired up competing on the road.

"Factors like wrestling at home are very helpful, and being in a national tournament with a bigger arena with a lot of people in the stands could play in their heads," Castro said. "Liberty's been so dominant for so long that there is a tendency to inspire others to root against us. How they handle that is going to be important."

He is hesitant to suggest that the Flames enter the tournament with an underdog mentality.

"We are still trying to determine the mental state going into the tournament for the guys," Castro said. "There is a certain advantage when you have a returning championship team, a dominant team. There is a psychological aspect that can benefit a team before they even go out onto the mat. I want my guys to capitalize on that fact, the perception that other teams have. I would equate that to a positive, the sense of pride there that when they put on a Liberty singlet, they are held to high expectations, and opponents have to believe that they're in for a fight or a battle."

After placing third behind Life (Ga.) University, an NCWA/NAIA program, and Apprentice at the NCWA National Duals, Castro knows the Flames will be in for the fight of their lives as they challenge the top teams in the nation, including a couple that — like champion Bellarmine was the past two seasons— are transitioning to the NCAA ranks.

"Teams we saw at the national duals will be there, but there's some other more formidable teams from the West Coast that weren't there, like Menlo (Calif.) College, an NAIA team transitioning to the NCAA Division II ranks that will be entering a Division I and a Division II team," Castro said, noting the Oaks placed third at the NAIA Nationals last year. "That is probably the team to beat, and then, of course, there is Life University, which is still NAIA and dual enrolled in the NCWA. They have over 110 men's wrestlers on their roster and are nationally ranked."

The Flames received some favorable seedings for this weekend's tournament.

Junior Aiden Scheeringa, the MAC champion at 125 pounds and one of the Liberty's two returning All-Americans, is seeded second in a 64-man bracket and will wait to face the winner between No. 31 Matthew McGarry of Florida State and Grand Canyon's No. 34-seeded Ryan Garcia in the second round.

Ronnie Black Liberty freshman wrestler — Flames freshman Ronnie Black won the 174-pound Mid-Atlantic Conference championship decisively and is seeded fifth at nationals.

At 174 pounds, the Flames have two wrestlers seeded in the top 10: freshman MAC champion Ronnie Black is the fifth seed and will wrestle the winner of Iowa State University's No. 28-seeded Zachary Fern and Rowan (N.J.) University's No. 37-seeded Brendan Colbert in the second round; and senior Zachary Kaminsky is seeded No. 9 and will meet the winner between Eastern Washington University's No. 24 Dalton Buffas and Thomas More (Ky.) University's No. 41 Caleb Lake.

Liberty has two wrestlers seeded in the top 20 at 165 pounds — No. 5-seeded freshman Drake Bowers, the MAC champion who will meet Akron's No. 60-seeded Hamza Sawalha in his first match, and No. 19-seeded sophomore Josiah Foss, who will challenge Louisiana Tech's No. 46-seeded Micah Thompson.

At 133 pounds, Flames freshman Blaise Verdino is seeded fifth and will wrestle MIT's No. 60-seeded Tsegazeab Beteselassie in the first round. Junior Chase Arnestad, Liberty's other returning All-American from last season, is seeded ninth after recovering from a dislocated knee that sidelined him for eight weeks.

Chase Arnestad Liberty junior All-American — Liberty 133-pound junior Chase Arnestad is a returning All-American seeded ninth, behind No. 5-seeded freshman Blaise Verdino.

"We are about as ready as we can be as far as physically and mentally, but we do have a few obstacles in terms of nagging injuries that we will have to keep under wraps," Castro said, noting Club Sports Senior Associate Athletic Trainer Tiffany Campbell, who traveled with the team, treated Arnestad's injury on the mat. "Tiffany always does a great job. She has been around enough to have the experience, and she knows our guys, so she is intuitive."

Liberty freshman Matox Allen, the MAC champion at 157 pounds, will be seeded sixth and take on LSU's No. 59-seeded Mohammed Gaber.

Flames senior Garrett Good, an All-American as a sophomore, is seeded eighth at 141 pounds and will meet Utah Tech's No. 57-seeded Tanner Wilde in the first round. Liberty freshman Paul Moore is seeded eighth at 184 and will wrestle the winner of Central Florida's No. 25-seeded Noel DeLeon and UMass's No. 40-seeded Ethan Mayo in the second round.

Garrett Good Liberty wrestler MAC tournament — Flames senior Garrett Good, a MAC runner-up on March 2, is the team's third All-American, which he accomplished as a sophomore.

At 197 pounds, despite being the MAC champion, Flames senior Gabe Hayes is seeded ninth while Liberty junior Wade Wheeler is seeded sixth at 285 and graduate Seth Ellsmore is seeded seventh at 235 as MAC runners-up. Junior Josh Hermann, the MAC consolation champion, is seeded 18th at heavyweight.

"In some sense, the tournament brackets are all wide open, though some of our wrestlers have a more difficult road than others (to the finals)," Castro said. "Certainly, in weight classes where we're seeded a lot higher, I like our chances much better."

He said more than individual performances or team results, he is interested in seeing his team represent Liberty as Champions for Christ on and off the mats.

"As a university, who we are and what we are trying to accomplish as a team culture is based on humility," Castro said. "We are who we are by the grace of God. Any success that we have experienced in the past has been based upon His blessing."

Faith Kiefer Liberty women's wrestler — Lady Flames freshman Faith Kiefer won her 180-pound division at the MAC Championships and is seeded third in Louisiana.

In the women's bracket, Liberty's only MAC champion, freshman Faith Kiefer, will be seeded third and meet Kansas State's No. 14-seeded Rose Latta in the first round. Lady Flames senior Claire Wortz is seeded sixth at 131 pounds while sophomore fellow MAC runner-up Anna-Mari Servin is ranked sixth at 145 and will face Ottawa University Arizona's No. 27-seeded Danica Medina in the first round. Liberty junior MAC runner-up Chloe Rowland will be seeded 15th at 160 and will meet Western Washington's Peityn Munoz in the first round.

"We finished seventh place last year out of 35 women's teams, so I would like to do that or better," Lady Flames Head Coach Charisse McIlhenny said. "That is the goal, and we are hoping for two to three All-Americans. That would be awesome."

Complete seedings for both the men's and women's brackets are available online.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

Flames deeper than ever going into NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Matox Allen

Chase Arnestad

Drake Bowers

Seth Ellsmore

Josiah Foss

Garrett Good

Paul Moore

Aiden Scheeringa

Blaise Verdino

Wade Wheeler

Flames deeper than ever going into NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Matox Allen

Chase Arnestad

Drake Bowers

Seth Ellsmore

Josiah Foss

Garrett Good

Paul Moore

Aiden Scheeringa

Blaise Verdino

Wade Wheeler

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