KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Southeastern University redshirt sophomore Wyatt Kirkham was named the NAIA Wrestler of the Week for his work on Saturday to help the Fire defeat No. 15 Hastings.
 
The Stuart native defeated third-ranked Taygen Smith in his 165-pound match during the Fire Duals to help SEU to a 37-9 victory and improve to 10-2 on the year. Kirkham took a 3-2 lead to start the third after choosing bottom and being given an escape. He then had to fight off multiple shots by the returning All-American before scoring a takedown with 37 seconds left to come away with a 5-2 win and improve to 11-7 on the year.
 
Kirkham is just the second Fire wrestler since 2015 to earn this award, joining current graduate assistant Olson Delisca on November 22, 2017.
 
Southeastern returns to action this weekend at the Missouri Valley Invitational.

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LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 7 Southeastern finished the Fire Duals with a 2-0 record, knocking off Keiser and No. 15 Hastings both by the scores of 37-6.
 
Against Keiser, the Fire picked up a forfeit at 197, and a pin by Trillyon Fils-Aime at 184. Sal Silvastarted the match with an 18-3 technical fall at 157. Stephen Kelle (174), and Kael Brisker (141) also scored techs.
 
In the match against Hastings, the Broncos took the first match and a 3-0 lead after a tough loss for Trace Braun who got the first takedown of the match but followed with an upset win by Wyatt Kirkham over No. 3 and returning All-American Taygen Smith by the count of 5-2. With the bout tied 2-2 going to the third, Kirkham was given an escape to start the period and fended off numerous shots by Smith and ultimately scored on a takedown with 36 seconds remaining and rode out the match for the win.
 
“I knew that I needed to stick with my leg attacks and I would be alright,” Kirkham said. “It gives me more confidence because it’s pretty much my first year wrestling in college after redshirting and coming back from an injury, so it feels good to finally be able to wrestle.”
 
Gage Braun picked up another win at 285, coming away with a technical fall, as did Xavier Williamsonat 133.
 
“I thought they were two good team wins and pretty unique we finished with the same score,” said coach Travis Patrick. “We had a ton of good matches across the board, even in losses.”
 
The Fire will head to the Missouri Valley Invitational next weekend in Marshall, Mo.  
 
SOUTHEASTERN 37, KEISER 6
157 – Salvador Silva (Southeastern) over George Zertopoulis (Keiser University ) TF 18-3
165 – Dominick Lomazzo (Southeastern) over Adam El-Damir (Keiser University ) Dec 6-4
174 – Stephen Kelle (Southeastern) over Mitchell Clark (Keiser University ) TF 17-2
184 – Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern) over Brett Bosserman (Keiser University ) Fall 2:55
197 – Blake Rypel (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
285 – Earnest Johnson (Keiser University ) over Caleb Hardeman (Southeastern) Dec 6-2
125 – Isaac Crowell (Southeastern) over Riley Stevens (Keiser University ) Dec 6-0
133 – Bryce Gonzalez (Keiser University ) over Michael Bush (Southeastern) Dec 4-1
141 – Kael Brisker (Southeastern) over James Berline (Keiser University ) TF 21-6
149 – Andreus Bond (Southeastern) over Carlos Bogan (Keiser University ) Maj 19-5
 
SOUTHEASTERN 37, HASTINGS 6
157 – Thomas Stevenson (Hastings (Neb.)) over Trace Braun (Southeastern) Dec 9-4
165 – Wyatt Kirkham (Southeastern) over Taygen Smith (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 5-2
174 – Trenton Munoz (Hastings (Neb.)) over Stephen Kelle (Southeastern) Dec 8-2
184 – Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern) over Dominick Leon (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 6-0
197 – Blake Rypel (Southeastern) over Riley Dement (Hastings (Neb.)) Fall 0:26
285 – Gage Braun (Southeastern) over Henry Jones (Hastings (Neb.)) TF 16-1
125 – Isaac Crowell (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
133 – Xavier Williamson (Southeastern) over Andy Rojas (Hastings (Neb.)) TF 21-4
141 – Kael Brisker (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
149 – Maxwell Kauffman (Southeastern) over Dylan Crawford (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 9-4

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MARIETTA, Ga. – It was a tough day on the mats in Georgia for the Fire in another Top 5 dual this season.

Southeastern won just two matches with the Running Eagles getting bonus points in six of their eight victories in a 37-6 loss to second-ranked Life Saturday afternoon.

Adrian Ayala improved to 7-2 on the year with a 7-1 decision in his 141-pound bout against Logan Sims. Alton Meeks also notched a decision victory with a 6-3 win over Diallo Matsimella, the fifth-ranked 197-pound wrestler.

Southeastern had some success in the three extra matches, getting two wins including a wild comeback by Stephen Kelle in an 11-10 win. Max Kauffman was an 8-4 winner in the extra matches as well. Freshman Trevor Borom wrestled hard in his extra match against Randy McCray, who is ranked second at 125, but ended up on the short end of a 9-3 decision after the match with six of McCray’s points coming in the third period.

The Fire return to action on Friday at Brewton-Parker.

NO. 2 LIFE 37, NO. 5 SOUTHEASTERN 6
125: Brandon Orum (LIUN) over Isaac Crowell (SOEA) (SV-1 11-7)
133: Gabriel McGlamery (LIUN) over Xavier Williamson (SOEA) (Fall 4:15)
141: Adrian Ayala (SOEA) over Logan Sims (LIUN) (Dec 7-1)
149: Denver Stonecheck (LIUN) over Jaquan English (SOEA) (TF 20-2 6:09)
157: Jack Bass (LIUN) over (SOEA) (For.)
165: Sid Ohl (LIUN) over Cody Walsh (SOEA) (MD 16-5)
174: Asher Eichert (LIUN) over Carlos Diaz (SOEA) (MD 15-5)
184: Myles Starke (LIUN) over Kohl Drake (SOEA) (Dec 11-4)
197: Zane Lanham (LIUN) over Trillyon Fils-Aime (SOEA) (Fall 6:26)
285: Alton Meeks (SOEA) over Diallo Matsimella (LIUN) (Dec 6-3)

EXTRA MATCHES
125: Randy McCray (LIUN) over Trevor Borom (SOEA) (Dec. 9-3)
141: Maxwell Kauffman (SOEA) over Jordan Mitchell (LIUN) (Dec. 8-4)
165: Stephen Kelle (SOEA) over Michael Gibson (LIUN) (Dec. 11-10)

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LAKELAND, Fla. – A veteran lineup racked up 98 team points in its two duals against upstart Florida programs Keiser and St. Thomas during the Florida Duals.

Against St. Thomas, the Fire scored first in every match, and in the first period in nine of the 10 bouts and against Keiser, scored first in six of the eight contested matches. SEU also scored on top, picking up a total of 48 nearfall points against Keiser and another 36 against the Bobcats.

“I think we stepped up and performed really well today,” said coach Brandon Jorge. “It helps when most of your lineup is returners and former qualifiers especially against younger programs.”

Blake Rypel won both of his matches at 184, scoring an 11-5 decision against Keiser’s Josh Crandall and a pin in just 42 seconds against Jonathan Evans of St. Thomas. Mason Kump was also 2-0 on the day and picked up 12 team points and needed just 1:29 to accomplish his two pins.

“The focus this week was scoring first and scoring a lot and that’s a mentality we have to have in every match,” said Jorge.

Andreus Bond (149) and Kyle Kirkham (157) also both went 2-0 with Kirkham scoring a pair of falls. Bond scored bonus points with a first period technical fall against Gerge Zertopoulis of Keiser.

The Fire will be back on the mat December 13^th at the Reinhardt Duals, facing Lindsey Wilson and Truett McConnell in addition to the hosts.

SOUTHEASTERN 47, KEISER 4
174: Carlos Diaz (SOEA) over Dominic Pappalardo (Kei) (TF 19-4 7:00)
184: Blake Rypel (SOEA) over Josh Crandall (Kei) (Dec 11-5)
197: Mason Kump (SOEA) over Dante Cooper (Kei) (Fall 0:54)
285: Jesse Pryor (SOEA) over Alex Saint-Jean (Kei) (TF 17-0 4:33)
125: Isaac Crowell (SOEA) over (Kei) (For.)
133: Xavier Williamson (SOEA) over (Kei) (For.)
141: Austin Ramsey (SOEA) over Zachary Fix (Kei) (TF 16-1 5:38)
149: Andreus Bond (SOEA) over George Zertopoulis (Kei) (TF 16-0 3:00)
157: Kyle Kirkham (SOEA) over Carlos Bogan (Kei) (Fall 3:58)
165: Carl Guess (Kei) over Stephen Kelle (SOEA) (MD 14-1)

SOUTHEASTERN 51, ST. THOMAS 0
174: Coleman Bryant (SOEA) over Rivaldo Valmy (St.Tom) (TF 21-2 5:15)
184: Blake Rypel (SOEA) over Jonathan Evans (St.Tom) (Fall 0:42)
197: Mason Kump (SOEA) over Estaban Hoyos (St.Tom) (Fall 0:35)
285: Sanford Meeks (SOEA) over Micke Olesco (St.Tom) (Fall 2:18)
125: Isaac Crowell (SOEA) over Nick Foster (St.Tom) (MD 15-3)
133: Xavier Williamson (SOEA) over Malik Cook-Bey (St.Tom) (TF 16-0 2:12)
141: Jaquan English (SOEA) over Osniel Carnesolta (St.Tom) (Fall 0:49)
149: Andreus Bond (SOEA) over Drake Campbell (St.Tom) (Dec 4-0)
157: Kyle Kirkham (SOEA) over Edens Valmy (St.Tom) (Fall 4:50)
165: Stephen Kelle (SOEA) over Brent Becera (St.Tom) (MD 10-0)

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INDIANAPOLIS – Acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling will be added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in Division I, the Division I Council decided Wednesday. The Council met virtually.

Members noted that some schools already have committed to adding these sports as part of their strategic plans for athletics, and having these sports part of the emerging sports program could convince others to do the same.

“The Council acknowledged the need to give maximum flexibility to schools as they make decisions surrounding sport sponsorship,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Penn.  “Acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling have both done everything required to be named to the emerging sports for women list, and some schools may choose to augment their programs with these new sports.”

The sports were recommended for the emerging sports program by the Committee on Women’s Athletics. The program is a pipeline supporting the advancement of women’s sports to NCAA championship status. The program also provides athletics opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship options for colleges and universities. Schools also may use an emerging sport to help meet minimum sports-sponsorship and financial aid requirements.

A sport must have a minimum of 20 varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that have competed in a minimum of five contests to be considered for the emerging sports program. The sport must reach 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration.

The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association currently has 30 NCAA colleges and universities sponsoring the sport, which is a discipline of gymnastics involving tumbling, tosses, acrobatic lifts and pyramids. The Wrestle Like a Girl organization, in conjunction with USA Wrestling, indicated there are 35 NCAA schools currently sponsoring the sport.

The Emerging Sports for Women program has been in existence since 1994. In the past 21 years, several sports have reached championship status, including beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo and bowling.

Before the latest additions, the program had three sports: equestrian, rugby and triathlon.  Sports have 10 years to gain championship status or make meaningful progress toward that goal in order to remain on the list.

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