CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A busy day of wrestling came to a close on Friday night after Session II of the 2018 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Peacocks tallied 33.5 points as a team on the day, and are currently tied for fourth place heading into the final day of action. Maleek Williams (125), Josh Walker (133), Damian Penichet (149), and Nick Baumler (197) each earned All-American honors, with the first three all wrestling in the semifinals Saturday. Baumler bounced back after a loss to ensure at least an eighth-place finish.

The defending national champion Falcons of Notre Dame College (Ohio) used a late surge to push themselves into first place after day one, accumulating 48.5 points. St. Cloud State University, the only school to bring all 10 wrestlers to the championships, are two points behind in second place with 46.5 points. California Baptist is in third place with 41 points, and the Peacocks are tied with Nebraska-Kearney with 33.5 points.

Session III gets underway inside the U.S. Cellular Center on Saturday, March 10 at 10 a.m., and the champions will be decided in Session IV, beginning at 7 p.m. The team awards ceremony is slated for approximately 9 p.m., following the championship matches.
 
For everything involving the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, click HERE.

Maleek Williams continued to display greatness on the championship side of the bracket at 125 lbs, earning his second major decision of the day in the quarterfinals. Williams topped Seton Hill's Vincent Distefanis 13-4 to earn All-American honors, and advance to the semifinals. With his  20-8 major against Blake Glogouski from Lake Erie College, the redshirt junior put together a 33-12 day one. Williams tallied points with a plethora of takedowns and nearfall points to improve to 29-9 on the season, and will advance to take on Josh Portillo of Nebraska-Kearney (12-5), who earned a pair of falls in the first two sessions.

At 133 lbs, Josh Walker showed another side in the quarterfinal match. In the opening round, the Central Region champion put on a quick show against Noah Au-yeung of Colorado School of Mines, earning a pin in just 1:20. However, in the quarters, the redshirt-senior had to battle the entire way with Kelan McKenna of Notre Dame (Ohio). Walker picked up an escape in the second period take the lead, and added a late point at the end to earn hard-fought, 2-0 decision. The Tulsa, Okla. native (34-6) now takes on Nebraska-Kearney's Bryce Shoemaker (20-3), who earned a fall and a 3-0 decision to move to the semifinals.

Damian Penichet earned his first All-American honors at 149 lbs, and fought til the end to do it. He trailed early in both bouts Friday, but put together great performances to advance. After picking up a 12-2 major decision over Findlay's Josh Wimer in the opening round, Penichet (28-10) had to fight back with nearfall points to earn a 5-3 decision over Taylor Misuna of Notre Dame, handing Misuna just his second loss of the season. The Miami, Fla. native advances to the semifinals Saturday, where he will face California-Baptist's Daxton Gordon (23-2), who earned a major decision and a fall in his first two bouts.

Nick Baumler's day at 197 lbs followed a roller coaster, with a loss sandwiched in between a pair of victories. Baumler opened with the 3-1 victory over Jake Temple of Seton Hill, but fell in the quarterfinals to Luke Cramer of Ashland, 5-0. The loss moved the sophomore to the consolation side of the bracket, where he earned a hard-fought 5-3 decision to earn All-American honors. Baumler can place as high as third, and ensured no less than an eighth-place finish with the consolation victory. Baumler (32-10) brings the total to four All-Americans for Upper Iowa.

Dalton Hahn (184 lbs) went 0-2 at the Championships with losses to Javaughn Perkins of Colorado State-Pueblo and Tony Vezzetti of Notre Dame. Hahn trailed early on in both bouts, and could not find enough points to comeback. The freshman capped off an outstanding season with a 25-17 record, and his first trip to the NCAA Championships.

Redshirt-senior Logan Hopp's remarkable career came to a close Saturday, with a pair of losses at heavyweight to Indianapolis' Dylan Faulkenberg and Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Damon Sims Jr. Hopp battled hard, but ultimately lost via fall at 6:29 in the consolation match, and wraps up his career with an 11-5 record as a redshirt-senior.

SESSION I & II RESULTS
125
Maleek Williams (29-9) placed 6th and scored 10.00 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Maleek Williams (Upper Iowa) 29-9 won by major decision over Blake Glogouski (Lake Erie) 18-8 (MD 20-8)
• Quarterfinal - Maleek Williams (Upper Iowa) 29-9 won by major decision over Vincent Distefanis (Seton Hill) 21-10 (MD 13-4)

133
Josh Walker (34-6) placed 6th and scored 10.00 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Josh Walker (Upper Iowa) 34-6 won by fall over Noah Au-Yeung (Colo. Sch. of Mines) 14-10 (Fall 1:20)
• Quarterfinal - Josh Walker (Upper Iowa) 34-6 won by decision over Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame (OH)) 19-8 (Dec 2-0)

149
Damian Penichet (28-10) placed 6th and scored 9.00 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Damian Penichet (Upper Iowa) 28-10 won by major decision over Josh Wimer (Findlay) 19-15 (MD 12-2)
• Quarterfinal - Damian Penichet (Upper Iowa) 28-10 won by decision over Taylor Misuna (Notre Dame (OH)) 26-2 (Dec 5-3)

184
Dalton Hahn (25-17) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - JaVaughn Perkins (Colorado St.-Pueblo) 15-2 won by major decision over Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) 25-17 (MD 9-1)
• Cons. Round 1 - Tony Vezzetti (Notre Dame (OH)) 17-6 won by decision over Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) 25-17 (Dec 7-2)

197
Nick Baumler (32-10) placed 8th and scored 4.50 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) 32-10 won by decision over Jake Temple (Seton Hill) 20-10 (Dec 3-1)
• Quarterfinal - Luke Cramer (Ashland) 23-1 won by decision over Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) 32-10 (Dec 5-0)
• Cons. Round 2 - Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) 32-10 won by decision over Samuel Reeves (Truman) 17-10 (Dec 5-3)

285
Logan Hopp (11-5) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Faulkenberg (UIndy) 29-4 won by decision over Logan Hopp (Upper Iowa) 11-5 (Dec 8-4)
• Cons. Round 1 - Damon Sims Jr. (Pitt.-Johnstown) 17-8 won by fall over Logan Hopp (Upper Iowa) 11-5 (Fall 6:29)