Photos courtesy of Northern State Athletic Communications Left: SMSU’s Caden Steffen (far right) stands on the podium after placing third at the NCAA Super Region V tournament on Saturday. Steffen will advance to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. on March 12-13. Right: SMSU’s Jackson Ryan fights for control with an opponent during their match at the NCAA Super Region V tournament on Saturday. Ryan earned third place, but will find out today if he earned one of the region’s five wild card spots to advance to the NCAA Championships.

ABERDEEN, S.D. — Southwest Minnesota State’s Caden Steffen finished third at 184 pounds, winning four straight matches, and has qualified for the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. SMSU’s Jackson Ryan also earned third place at 197 and awaits word from the NCAA today if he has earned one of the region’s five wild card spots and earn a spot to the NCAA Championships.

It’s the fourth straight season SMSU has had a national qualifier. Ryan is expected to be one of the five wild cards from the the region. He entered the region tournament undefeated and was ranked No. 10 nationally.

Steffen would start the day off by winning a medical forfeit and advancing to the quarter finals. He would then lose a 3-2 decision sending him to the consolation side of the bracket, where he would go onto win the next four bouts. Steffen would win in the consolation third round 2-0, before earning a 3-2 victory in the consolation semifinals. He closed the night winning his last two matches by fall, including in the true-second place match over Wisconsin-Parkside’s Mark Reece by fall at the 5:15. Despite winning the true-second place match, per NCAA rules, Steffen is officially the third place finisher. The true second place match was for NCAA Championship qualification purposes only.

The top two finishers at each weight class, along with five wild card positions, qualified for the NCAA Championships. The wild cards, voted on by the region’s 10 head coaches will officially be announced today. The NCAA Championships will be held at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Mo., on March 12-13.

SMSU was able to advance six of the 10 wrestlers into the quarterfinals with five of the six awarded byes in the first round, Steffen earned his victory by medical forfeit. Ben Emrich fell at 125 along with Jackson Stauffacher suffering a tech fall (16-0) at 133. Sean Howk would lose a 2-1 decision along with Hayden Voxland suffering a defeat at 174 in an 8-5 decision.

In the championship quarterfinals, SMSU would advance both Jackson Ryan and Jacob Dykes. Ryan earned a 3-2 decision along Dykes recording an 8-6 decision. The other four wrestlers, Sampson, Peterson, Marx and Steffen would lose and be sent to the consolation side of the bracket at their respective weights.

Stauffacher would advance in the second round of consolation with a 12-7 decision and again in the third round with a 7-2 decision but would lose in a 3-1 decision in the consolation semifinals. Sampson, Peterson and Steffen would all advance to the semifinals on the consolation side of the bracket Sampson and Peterson would suffer defeats. Sampson with a fall at the 4:15 mark, Peterson suffering a 12-3 major decision, Steffen would earn a 3-2 victory advancing him to the consolation finals.

Ryan and Dykes would both suffer defeats in the Championship semifinals at their respective weights with Ryan suffering a 5-2 decision and Dykes tech falling at the 6:16 mark (21-6). Both Dykes and Ryan would battle back on the consolation side of their brackets with Ryan winning in a 3-1 decision and Dykes winning in a 13-3 major decision advancing both of them to the finals on the consolation side of the bracket.

Steffen would start the Mustangs off at 184 securing a third place finish with a fall at the 2:27 mark, Ryan would continue the success with a 9-2 decision at 197 and Dykes would finish the night earning fourth suffering a fall at the 2:14 mark in the consolation final.

As a team, SMSU placed seventh scoring 31 points.

As of 10:20 p.m. Saturday

Championship First Round

125 – Ben Emrich (1-4) loss by fall at 2:19 to Oscar Nellis (7-3) MINO

133 – Jackson Stauffacher (3-2) loss by TF at 4:47(16-0) to Garrett Vos (4-0) SCSU

141 – Justin Sampson (0-5) BYE

149 – Luke Peterson (3-0) BYE

157 – Sean Howk (1-4) loss by decision (2-1) to Ben Durocher (0-1) UWP

165 – Carter Marx (0-5) BYE

174 – Hayden Voxland (3-2) loss by decision (8-5) to Cole Huss (2-2) NSU

184 – Caden Steffen (3-2) wins by Medical Forfeit agianst Marcus Placide (1-4) NSU

197 – Jackson Ryan (5-0) BYE

285 – Jacob Dykes (3-2) BYE

Championship Quarter Finals

125-

133-

141- Justin Sampson (0-5) loss by decision (3-1) to Kolton Roth (5-0) NSU

149- Luke Peterson (3-0) loss by decision (10-8) to Wyatt Turnquist (5-1) NSU

157-

165- Carter Marx (0-5) loss by TF at 2:45 (18-1) to Devin Fitzpatric (4-1) SCSU

174-

184- Caden Steffen (3-2) loss by decision (7-4) to Dalton Hahn (3-3) UIU

197- Jackson Ryan (5-0) wins by decision (3-2) against Matt Blome (3-4) MSM

285- Jacob Dykes (3-2) wins by decision (8-6) against Michael Loyola (4-2) NSU

Consolation Round 2

125- Ben Emrich (1-5) loss by fall at 2:05 to Paxton Creese (3-3) SCSU

133- Jackson Stauffacher (3-3) wins by decision (12-7) against Laken Boese (1-5) MARY

141- Justin Sampson (0-5) BYE

149- Luke Peterson (3-0) BYE

157- Sean Howk (1-5) loss by decision (10-3) to Tell Ward (1-3) MOOR

165- Carter Marx (0-6) loss by decision (8-4) to Scott Kellenberger (2-5) UIU

174- Hayden Voxland (3-3) loss by major decision (13-2) to Gage Roaldson (4-2) MOOR

184- Caden Steffen (3-0) BYE

Consolation Round 3

133- Jackson Stauffacher (4-3) wins by decision (7-2) over Lucas Schevikhoven (1-1) UWP

141- Justin Sampson (0-6) wins by decision (14-7) against Mason Schulz (2-4) MOOR

149- Luke Peterson (3-1) wins by fall at 1:20 against Angel Rios (2-4) MOOR

184- Caden Steffen (4-3) wins by decision (2-0) over Dylan Butts (3-5) MSM

Championship Semi Finals

197- Jackson Ryan (6-0) loss by decision (5-2) to Noah Ryan (5-1) SCSU

285- Jacob Dykes (4-2) loss by TF (21-6) at 6:16 to Kameron Teacher (6-0) SCSU

Consolation Semi Finals

133- Jackson Stauffacher (5-3) loss by decision (3-1) to Donny Schmit (3-5) UIU

141- Justin Sampson (1-6) loss by fall at 4:15 to Tate Murty (4-5) UIU

149- Luke Peterson (5-3) loss by major decision (12-3) to Eric Faught (5-2) UIU

184- Caden Steffen (5-3) wins by decision (3-2) over Keegan Berry (6-2) MINO

197- Jackson Ryan (6-1) wins by decision (3-1) over Noe Garcia (4-2) MINO

285- Jacob Dykes (4-3) wins by major decision (13-3) over Jordan Baumler (4-3) UIU

Consolation Finals

184- Caden Steffen (6-3) wins by fall at 2:27 against Kolby Kost (6-2) AUG

197- Jackson Ryan (7-1) wins by decision (9-2) over Job Ayala (4-1) UWP

285- Jacob Dykes (5-3) loss by fall at 2:14 against Michael Loyola (6-3) NSU

True 2nd Place (qualification reasons)

184- Caden Steffen (7-3) wins by fall at 5:15 against Reece Woracheck (4-1) UWP

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications