NIACC was one of the top NJCAA programs in the country during its initial stint as a wrestling program from 1967-76, winning a national title in 1973 under head coach Kaye Young. This year's program is again nationally-ranked, fifth in the most recent polls heading into nationals. Head coach Richard Fergola's team is keyed by a pair of wrestlers that are ranked number one in their respective weight classes. Three others are ranked in the top 12 individually, making the Trojans a legitimate threat to take the team title.
At 149 pounds, top-ranked freshman Albert White (Harvey, IL/St Rita HS) has established himself as the favorite for an individual title, having beaten last year's 149 champion, Matt Burns of Iowa Central Community College, twice during the past month. The most recent win (a 6-3 triumph) occurred at the Region VIII (North Central) tournament on February 10 in Willmar, MN. White – who won four straight large school prep state titles in Illinois – posted a 200-4 mark in high school and has done nearly as well this season with an overall mark of 27-3 heading into nationals. Besides winning his region meet, White was first at the NIACC/Kaye Young Open, the Colby Community College (KS) Tournament of Champions and at the Central College Open.
White gets a first-round bye on Friday and will face either Ty Jaquess of Neosho County Community College (KS) or Darren Carrero of Gloucester County College (NJ) in round two. White beat Jaquess – second at the West Central District meet - by fall on December 7 in a dual meet. Carrero, who was a NJCAA national qualifier in 2007, finished fourth in the Eastern District II tournament two weekends ago. While White and Burns could meet again in the finals, another competitor to watch is Colby's third-rated T.J. Hepburn, who lost a 3-2 decision to White in the Colby TOC 149-pound finals on January 5.
At 157 pounds, another NIACC freshman, DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North), also enters this weekend's competition with a No. 1 ranking, having compiled a 35-5 mark. Perkins has beaten second-rated Carrington Banks of Iowa Central on four occasions this season, including the Region VIII finals. He also edged third-rated Joe Cornejo of Labette Community College (KS) in a 2-1 decision during a dual meet on January 14.
Like White, Perkins came to NIACC with an impressive resume, going 86-0 and winning large school state titles in each of his final three years of high school. He has returned to Nebraska twice to win open meets at the University of Nebraaks-Omaha and also finished first at Central College before winning at regionals. Perkins has a first-round bye on Friday and will face either fourth-rated Cole Garcia of Colby or Wade Granger of Minnesota West Technical Community College. Garcia was second at the West Central District meet while Granger was fifth at the Region VIII meet. While Perkins would seem to have a tough second round opponent, the other side of the bracket isn't any more forgiving, with Banks and Cornejo scheduled to meet in the second round.
At 174-pounds, sophomore Glenn Rhees (Atascadero, CA/HS) may be NIACC's next best hope to win an individual title. Rhees won his weight class at the Region VIII meet and has wrestled well after recovering from an injury suffered early in the season. A transfer from Dana College in Nebraska, Rhees has won individual titles at Central College and Colby's Tournament of Champions and had strong performances against four-year schools at meets held at Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He's rated fourth in his weight class heading into nationals and has compiled a record of 22-3.
Rhees has a first-round bye and will face either Colby's Scott Miller or Sean Sercu of Niagraa County Community College (NY) in round two. Miller was third at the West Central District meet while Sercu was third at the Region III meet. The top three ranked wrestlers at 174 are Darius Williams of Harper College (IL), Dirk Hurrin of St. Louis Community College-Meramac and Neosho County's Jason Green. Williams edged Hurrin at the Central District finals while Greene was first at the West Central District meet. Another competitor to watch is Pano Dreves of Highline Community College (WA), who was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler at the West District meet.
At 141, NIACC freshman T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel), is rated fourth heading into nationals. He placed second at the Region VIII, losing in the finals to No. 1-rated David Greenwald of Iowa Central. Moen is 24-10 this season, with two losses to Greenwald and another to third-rated Derek Ward of Labette. However, Moen beat fifth-rated Lyobomir Kubarov of the host school to win the Colby TOC and also won an individual title at Central College.
Moen has a first-round matchup with Highline's Ionica Hanson, who finished fourth at the West District meet in Oregon. If he wins, he'll face Carlos Morales of Spartanburg Community College (SC). Morales placed third at the Eastern District II meet on February 10.
At 133, NIACC freshman Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS) is the ninth-rated competitor in his division. He was third at the Region VIII meet and sports a 19-9 overall record with a 133-pound individual title at Central College. Hogan began the season at 125 before moving up a weight class in December.
Hogan has a first-round bye and will face either Pat Hegerty of Niagara County or John Sutten of Southwestern Oregon Community College in round two. Hegerty was second in the Region III meet while Sutten placed fourth in the West District competition.
Four other non-ranked Trojans could make some noise at nationals. At 197 pounds, NIACC sophomore Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) has compiled a 10-5 overall record since coming out for the team midway through the season. An All-Region XI wide receiver in football, Theilen placed second in the Region VIII meet. He faces Danny Miller of Harper in round one. Miller was fourth at the Midwest Region meet. Should Theilen win his first-round match, he'll face second-seeded Nathan Barzee of Northwest Wyoming Community College, the titlist at the West Central District meet.
At 285 pounds, Beau Tudor (Camp Verde, AZ/HS) heads into nationals after placing third in the Region VIII meet. Tudor has a first-round bye and will face either Joel Sasso of Niagara County or Izzy Torres of Yakima Valley Community College (WA) in the second round. Sasso was second at the Region III finals while Torres placed fourth at the West District meet.
At 125, Jordan Bartoszek (Mason City/HS) earned a berth at nationals by placing fourth at the Region VIII meet. He has a tough first-round matchup in third-rated Lyle Evans of Western Wyoming Community College. Meanwhile, NIACC's 165-pounder Tyler Hancock (Camp Verde, AZ/HS) faces third-seeded Mike Dace of Harper – the champion of the Midwest Division - in round one.
Iowa Central, the defending champion, seems to be the favorite in the team competition. The Tritons have six wrestlers rated in the top six of their weight classes, including top-seeded Greenwald at 141 and second-rated teammates Terrence Young (125), Burns (149) and Banks (157). Iowa Central defeated second-ranked St. Louis-Meramac NWCA/Cliff Kean national duals, but Meramac has eight competitors rated in the top 10, with 197-pounder Jamell Jones seeded first in his weight class and Aaron Senzee and Deron Winn ranked second at 141 and 184 respectively.
Third-rated Labette has third-seeded Ward and Cornejo at 141 and 157 respectively and five other qualifiers ranked in the top 10. Fourth-rated Colby has six wrestlers rated in the top six, led by top seed Chris Kern at 184. Sixth-ranked Western Wyoming has a trio of national title contenders in third-rated Evans at 125, second-rated Nick Mamlis at 133 and top-rated Brandon Rupp at 285.
More about NIACC wrestling can be found at www.niacc.edu/athletics under the wrestling icon.
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