CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The West Liberty University men's wrestling team closed out the NWCA Division II National Duals in emphatic fashion on Saturday, winning the 13–16 bracket and securing a first-place finish in the division inside the UNI-Dome.

West Liberty opened the day with a dominant semifinal victory over Maryville before closing the tournament with a decisive win against Upper Iowa in the first-place dual.

Semifinal: West Liberty 31, Maryville 9

The Hilltoppers set the tone early against Maryville, rolling to a 31-9 victory behind strong performances throughout the lineup.

Logan Davis kicked off the dual with a 16-9 decision at 125 pounds, while Khyvon Grace followed with a gritty 1-0 win at 141. West Liberty seized control in the middle weights as Anthony Wood delivered an 18-0 technical fall at 149, Nico Taddy ended his bout in just 57 seconds with a pin at 157, and Bodie Morgan added a 13-4 major decision at 165.

The momentum continued with Carter Winegardner (14-4 major decision at 174) and Gabe Blissenbach (5-4 decision at 184), while heavyweight Parker Bentley sealed the dual with a 6-4 decision.

13–16 Bracket Championship: West Liberty 25, Upper Iowa 14

West Liberty capped the weekend with a 25-14 victory over No.21 Upper Iowa in the bracket championship match, showcasing both resilience and depth against a strong Peacock lineup.

Davis opened with a sudden-victory win at 125, scoring a 4-1 decision, and Grace continued his outstanding weekend with a 15-1 major decision at 141. Taddy added another bonus-point victory at 157 with a 14-5 major decision.

One of the biggest momentum swings came at 165 pounds, where Jordan Watters recorded a fall at the 2:22 mark to push West Liberty in front. Winegardner followed with an 8-5 decision at 174, and Bentley closed the dual in impressive fashion at heavyweight, posting a 19-4 technical fall.


 

West Liberty defeated Maryville 31-9

• 125 - Logan Davis (West Liberty) over Elijah Almarinez (Maryville) Dec 16-9
• 133 - JP Homfeld (Maryville) over James Armstrong Jr (West Liberty) Dec 3-0
• 141 - Khyvon Grace (West Liberty) over Caleb Carter (Maryville) Dec 1-0
• 149 - Anthony Wood (West Liberty) over Leo Buchheit (Maryville) TF 18-0
• 157 - Nico Taddy (West Liberty) over Nicolas Zamora (Maryville) Fall 0:57
• 165 - Bodie Morgan (West Liberty) over Javier Gutierrez (Maryville) Maj 13-4
• 174 - Carter Winegardner (West Liberty) over Mustafa Salimi (Maryville) Maj 14-4
• 184 - Gabe Blissenbach (West Liberty) over Evan Morris (Maryville) Dec 5-4
• 197 - Jeremiah Larson (Maryville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 285 - Parker Bentley (West Liberty) over John Gholson (Maryville) Dec 6-4

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West Liberty defeated Upper Iowa 25-14

• 125 - Logan Davis (West Liberty) over Jackson Heaston (Upper Iowa) SV-1 4-1
• 133 - Dawson Schmit (Upper Iowa) over James Armstrong Jr (West Liberty) Dec 9-8
• 141 - Khyvon Grace (West Liberty) over Tanner Arjes (Upper Iowa) Maj 15-1
• 149 - Owen Denstad (Upper Iowa) over Anthony Wood (West Liberty) Dec 7-1
• 157 - Nico Taddy (West Liberty) over Preston Klostermann (Upper Iowa) Maj 14-5
• 165 - Jordan Watters (West Liberty) over Reily Dolan (Upper Iowa) Fall 2:22
• 174 - Carter Winegardner (West Liberty) over Lucas Henderson (Upper Iowa) Dec 8-5
• 184 - Braxton Westendorf (Upper Iowa) over Gabe Blissenbach (West Liberty) SV-1 7-4
• 197 - Matthew Marcum (Upper Iowa) over Levi Abbott (West Liberty) TF 16-0
• 285 - Parker Bentley (West Liberty) over Jose DelToro (Upper Iowa) TF 19-4

West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.