By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The No. 14 Fort Hays State wrestling team competes at home for the final time this season Sunday (March 1) when the Tigers host 10 other schools for the 2020 NCAA Division II Super Region 4 Wrestling Championships. Wrestling will begin at 10 a.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, with doors opening to the public at 9 a.m.
104 wrestlers are scheduled to compete in the regional, with the top three wrestlers in each weight class earning a trip to the 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. March 13-14.
Eight of the 11 teams in Super Region 4 are recognized in the latest NWCA Division II national poll, with a total of 25 wrestlers listed in their respective weight class in the individual ranks.
| Super Region 4 Participating Teams | ||
| School | NWCA Team Ranking |
Individuals Ranked |
| Bellarmine | NR | 0 |
| Central Missouri | NR | 0 |
| Central Oklahoma | No. 5 | 5 |
| Drury | RV | 1 |
| Fort Hays State | No. 14 | 3 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | NR | 0 |
| Lindenwood | No. 7 | 4 |
| Maryville | RV | 2 |
| McKendree | No. 2 | 6 |
| Newman | No. 25 | 3 |
| Ouachita Baptist | RV | 1 |
Live video is available via Trackcast on Trackwrestling at the link above. Fans
with a Trackwrestling Gold+ account will have instant access to the event, with
other packages also available. Fans can purchase access to Sunday’s Super
Region 4 content only for $19.95 or can purchase a complete NCAA Postseason
Package for $44.99.
The Tigers last hosted the regional championship in 2012, when the Tigers sent
six wrestlers on to the national championship.
Fort Hays State’s projected lineup includes three seniors, two juniors, four
sophomores and one redshirt-freshman. Half of the Tiger lineup has participated
in regionals, while five wrestlers will be making their postseason debut for
FHSU.
125 | Mason
Turner is slated to compete in his first regional at 125
pounds. The redshirt-freshman is 14-5 this season, including just one loss in
2020 (6-1). He placed third at the Kaufman/Brand/Bayly Open earlier this
season.
133 | Dy’Juan
Carney will compete in the regionals for a second time after
picking up one win in 2017-18. The redshirt-senior is 11-13 this season. He
already has one podium finish inside the Coliseum this season, placing third at
the Bob Smith Open in December.
141 |
No. 2 Brandon
Ball will look to secure his fourth trip to the National
Championships at 141 pounds. The senior is a two-time regional champion,
winning as a redshirt-freshman in 2017 and as a junior in 2019 while advancing
to nationals with a fourth-place finish in 2018. Ball is 14-0 on the year,
entering the postseason undefeated for the second year in a row. He is 12-2
all-time in regional competition. The Great Bend, Kan. native is one of two
ranked wrestlers at 141 pounds that will be competing this weekend.
149 |
No. 12 Anthony
Scantlin is making his first appearance in the regional
championships after a strong sophomore campaign. The Mulvane, Kan. native ranks
second on the team with 27 wins this season, accumulating a 27-11 record to
date. He finished second in two tournaments this year (Swede Open, RWC-Jet
Invite) while placing third in two other events (Younes Hospitality Open, Bob
Smith Open). Scantlin is one of two ranked wrestlers at 149 pounds in the
region.
157 | Tristan
Porsch is scheduled to compete in his first regional as a
Tiger. The sophomore is 2-5 on the year after joining the Tigers at semester.
165 | Conrad
Vajnar will be competing in the postseason for the first time
at 165 pounds. The Hays native is 5-10 on the season, including three pins. The
sophomore placed third at the RWC-Jet Invite last month.
174 | Marty
Verhaeghe is entering his third regional tournament at Fort
Hays State. The junior narrowly missed a trip to nationals last year, placing
fourth last year thanks to three wins. Verhaeghe is 26-11 on the year,
including an 11-3 mark since the holiday break. The Bucyrus, Kan. native was
the champion of the Swede Open and finished runner-up at the RWC-Jet Invite.
184 |
No. 7 Aryus
Jones is appearing in the regional tournament for the second
year in a row after placing fourth as a redshirt-freshman. He enters the
postseason tied for sixth in Division II with five tech fall victories so far
this season. The Junction City, Kan. sophomore is 24-8 on the year, including
12 wins in his last 14 matches. Jones was the champion of the Swede Open, the
Bob Smith Open and the RWC-Jet Invite this season and finished the year with a
dual record of 9-3.
197 | Jordan
Davis will wrestle for the Tigers in the Super Region 4
championship for the first time at 197 pounds. The senior is 10-8 on the year,
including a 6-3 mark at 197 pounds. The St. Louis, Mo. native opened the year
with four-straight wins before finishing second at the Kaufman/Brand/Bayly
Open.
285 | A.J.
Cooper is making his second trip to the regional tournament
after competing for the Tigers at 285 pounds last year. The junior is 33-9 on
the year, taking first place in the Swede Open and the RWC-Jet Invite while
reaching the placement matches in four other tournaments. His 13 pins are
second-most in Division II this season.