No. 11 NIACC to send nine wrestlers to nationals

COUNCIL BLUFFS - No. 11 NIACC will send nine wrestlers to Friday and Saturday's NJCAA national tournament at the Mid-America Center.

NIACC, which placed fifth at the NJCAA North Central district tournament on Feb. 14, was led by third-ranked 133-pounder Shiquan Hall, who placed second at the district tournament.

The Trojans also received third-place finishes from Paul Mascarenas (125), Jake Niichel (149), seventh-ranked Kyler Mathews (197) and Mario Pena (285).

Also qualifying for nationals for the Trojans were Taylor Lehman (141), seventh-ranked Quincy Kalkbrenner (157), Tristan Luther (174) and Ben Wallace (184).

Mascarenas earned all-American honors last season with his sixth-place finish at 125 pounds. Hall was also an all-American a year ago when he placed fourth at 133 pounds.

Kalkbrenner, Wallace and Mathews will also be wrestling at the national tournament for the second time.

Ticket information:

An adult tournament pass is $45 for two days/four sessions. An adult session pass is $18.

A student tournament pass is $30 for two days/four sessions. A student session pass is $10 per session.

Children under the age of three are admitted free.

Tickets are available at the door.

Friday's schedule

9:30 a.m. - Frst-round preliminaries.

Noon - Second-round preliminaries, first-round consolation, second-round consolation.

6:15 p.m. - Championship quarterfinals, third-round consolation, fourth-round consolation.

Saturday's schedule

10:30 a.m. - Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals.

Noon - Consolation semifinals.

1:15 p.m. - Consolation finals (third-place matches, fifth-place matches, seventh-place matches).

6:30 p.m. - Parade of All-Americans and Wrestling Coaches Association awards presentation.

7 p.m. - Championship finals.

NIACC's first-round matches

125 - NIACC's Paul Mascarenas (14-6) has a first-round bye. Mascarenas faces winner of James Gallardo (Triton)/Jay Maxville (Neosho).

133 - NIACC's Shiquan Hall (11-4) has a first-round bye. Hall faces winner of Nicholas Arroyo (Springfield Tech)/Dy'Juan Carney (Pratt).

141 - NIACC's Taylor Lehman (12-14) vs. James Henry (Bergen).

149 - NIACC's Jake Niichel (15-12) vs. Pedro Martinez (Triton).

157 - NIACC's Quincy Kalkbrenner (14-6) vs. Jeff Fresch (Lincoln).

174 - NIACC's Tristan Luther (11-7) vs. Tamchybai Turusbekov (Harper).

184 - NIACC's Ben Wallace (1-5) vs. Ean Eichert (Triton).

197 - NIACC's Kyler Mathews (6-6) has a first-round bye. Mathews faces winner of Travis Quarterman (Pratt)/Philip Jackson (Northland).

285 - NIACC's Mario Pena (17-8) vs. DeVante Ragland (Colby).