No. 16 Fort Hays State University sends four wrestlers into the final weekend of competition this Friday and Saturday (March 13-14) at the 2015 NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. Noah Killip (141), Bradley Little (157), Jon Inman (184) and Trey Page (285) will represent the Tigers at nationals this season. The two-day event is held at Chaifetz Arena.
Killip took fourth place at the NCAA West Super Regionals last weekend, reaching the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career. The junior is 29-5 this season and was previously ranked eighth in the Feb. 25 version of the national poll. Killip will wrestle Daniel Ownbey (29-2) of UNC Pembroke in the first round, with a second round contest against either Darren Wynn (McKendree) or Sam Hanau (Pittsburgh-Johnstown). Ownbey is the defending national champion at 141 pounds, defeating former FHSU wrestler C.J. Napier in the semifinals at last year’s national tournament.
Little qualified for his first NCAA Championships after finishing third at the NCAA West Super Regional. Little, a junior, is 28-15 overall this year and is set to wrestle Derrick Weller of Lindenwood (27-20) in the first round. The two have wrestled twice this season, splitting overtime decisions. Looking ahead, Little will have either Jonatan Rivera (Notre Dame [Ohio]) or Daniel Callahan (Belmont Abbey) in the second round of the championship or consolation bracket.
Inman is the lone two-time NCAA Championships representative for the Tigers this season, finishing third in the Super Regional round. The sophomore went 1-2 at last year’s national tournament but failed to reach day two. This season, Inman is back with a 36-6 record and will take on Jon Vogt (McKendree) in the first round. Vogt is 39-12 on the year and defeated Inman earlier this season at the NWCA National Duals. After the opening round, Inman, ranked eighth nationally, will take on either Garrett Lineberger (Notre Dame [Ohio]) or Caleb Rivera (Limestone).
Page enters the tournament ranked fourth at heavyweight and won the NCAA West Super Regional two weeks ago. At 42-2 on the year, Page’s only losses have come to a Division I opponent and Austin Goergen of St. Cloud State (ranked fourth nationally). Page will face off with Pittsburgh-Johnstown’s Damon Sims (14-10) in the first round, and either Cole Wilson (Southwest Minnesota State) or Chris Giddens (UNC Pembroke) in the second round.