Millikin Wrestlers Go 3-1 at National Duals

         The Millikin wresting team posted a 3-1 record on the first day of the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The Big Blue will continue in the tournament on Saturday. Millikin improves to 7-4 on the season in dual matches.
         In the opening match, Millikin defeated Heidelberg 31-15. Freshman Ren Dazey scored the Big Blue's first points winning at 133 pounds 9-8 over Mason Brainard. Chris Williams won at 141 by major decision 13-1 over Richard Bogetich. Tristan Birt game Millikin a 10-6 advantage with a 7-3 win over Slade Todd at 149.
         Millikin Head Coach Ryan Birt then used the depth of his Big Blue squad-inserting sophomore Jesse Ellis at 157 where he won 8-4. Bradan Birt then wrestled up a weight class winning at 165 by fall at 2:18 over Micah Mydloski.
         Austin Hedrick scored a pin fall win at 174 pinning Jeremiah Slage at 1:11 and Frank Tomaskovic scored the Big Blue's final win by fall at 3:18 over Christian Climer.
         In its second round match, Millikin lost to third ranked Johnson & Wales 31-18.
         Williams won at 141 pounds in a match featuring two wrestlers ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Fourth ranked Williams defeated seventh ranked Joe Ferinde 5-0. The bout was a rematch from last year's NCAA Championships where Williams won 5-4.
         Bradan Birt won at 157 pounds, where he is ranked eighth in the country, 5-2 over Thomas Grippi.
         Millikin's Keajion Jennings (197 pounds) and Diata Drayton (285 pounds) picked up wins by forfeit to close out the match.
         Millikin stayed alive in the Consolation Round winning its third match of the day 26-11 over Johns Hopkins University.
         The Big Blue's Elijah Diaz won at 125 pounds 7-1 over Jeremy Berger. Williams followed with a 14-4 major decision win over Lucas Escobar at 141 pounds.
         The Birt brothers scored back-to-back wins with Tristan Birt winning at 149 pounds by major decision 11-0 over Yosef Ellis-Rech and Bradan Birt winning at 157 by technical fall 16-0.
         Hedrick won by a 5-3 decision at 174 pounds and Griffin Meeker edged Isaac Morales at 184 4-2.
         Jennings, ranked third in the nation at 197 pounds, scored an 18-5 major decision victory over William Gilliam.
         Millikin advanced to Saturday's competition with a   win over #13 Roger Williams.
         After the Big Blue dropped its opening match, Millikin's Dazey rallied late in his match to force an overtime session where he won 9-7 over Tristan Haviland at 133 pounds.
         Millikin then jumped ahead with pin fall wins from Williams at 141 pounds, Bradan Birt at 157 and Hedrick at 174. Williams is now 5-1 on the season while Bradan Birt improves to 13-2 and Hedrick went to 7-1.
         Meeker scored a 6-4 decision at 184 pounds and the Big Blue sealed the match with a pin fall win from Jennings at 197 improving his season record to 13-1. Drayton closed out the match for Millikin with a 5-1 win at 285.
         The Big Blue will face #10 Wisconsin-La Crosse on Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.

Millikin 31 Heidelberg 15 Results

Johnson & Wales 31 Millikin 18 Results

Millikin 26 Johns Hopkins 11 Results

Millikin 33 Rogers Williams 12 Results

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Players Mentioned

Frank Tomaskovic: Freshman; 285

Tristan Birt: Sophomore; 149

Austin Hedrick: Junior; 174

Keajion Jennings: Junior; 197

Chris Williams: Junior; 141

Bradan Birt: Freshman; 149

Diata Drayton: Freshman; 285

Jesse Ellis: Freshman; 149

Griffin Meeker: Freshman; 184

Elijah Diaz: Sophomore; 125

Ren Dazey: Freshman; 133

Players Mentioned

Frank Tomaskovic
: Freshman; 285

Tristan Birt
: Sophomore; 149

Austin Hedrick
: Junior; 174

Keajion Jennings
: Junior; 197

Chris Williams
: Junior; 141

Bradan Birt
: Freshman; 149

Diata Drayton
: Freshman; 285

Jesse Ellis
: Freshman; 149

Griffin Meeker
: Freshman; 184

Elijah Diaz
: Sophomore; 125

Ren Dazey
: Freshman; 133