There has been only one thing that has been predictable about the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships over the last three decades.

The answer to that is quite obvious. Since 1995, it has been either Wartburg College or Augsburg University that has captured the team title.

On the eve of the 2023 championships set to be hosted by Ferrum College at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Va., there is a strong chance that streak could be snapped.

It was nearly stopped last year when Wartburg edged Wabash, 79-78, to claim its 15th NCAA Division III title.

The Knights have seven qualifiers, which trails Augsburg and Baldwin Wallace by one.

All seven Wartburg wrestlers are seeded, including top seeds Zayren Terukina at 141 and David Hollinsworth at 157. Zane Mulder at 174 and Massoma Endene at 197 are seeded second.

Five of the Knights are returning All-Americans — Joe Pins, Terukina, Kris Rumph, Hollingsworth and Mulder, and Endene was a 2022 NCJAA National runner-up.

“Ultimately, when you think about it, we are prepared,” Wartburg head coach Eric Keller said. “Our schedule has prepared us. We’ve been tested. This is a team that has been progressing all year long.

“If each and every guy goes out and gives it everything he has, believes in all the work he has put in … at the end of the week points wise, we are usually where we want to be.”

Keller adds the Knights aren’t feeling any pressure because they don’t focus on a team race in a championship event that hasn’t had a single contested match, yet.

Keller, in fact, calls that counterproductive to the end goal.

“Obviously, like any tournament, we are focusing on the match that is in front of us first.” Keller said. “I talk to the guys a lot about this, all season long really, and how we perform, how we compete for all our competitions…this event should be no different.

“Keep the focus on us and what we have to do to execute. That is what you can control. If you focus on you…all that talk on the outside … that goes away because you know you are ready.”

The Team Title Contenders

Lonnie Moore’s Johnson & Wales squad has six qualifiers, but three of them are seeded second or better and that is a lot of potential points.

Campbell transfer Joziah Fry has dominated everybody he’s faced at 125, and Michael Ross, a one-time Wartburg All-American is seeded #1 at 174.

Jamie Gibbs at Baldwin Wallace has also put together a formidable team as the Yellow Jackets have eight qualifiers, including four seeded higher than three.

Defending 125-pound champion Jacob Decatur is #2 at 125 and Jaden Hinton is seeded second at 133. Michael Petrella is the top seed at 149, and Doug Byrne is seeded third at 197.

Augsburg has six seeded wrestlers, the highest are Tyler Shilson and Tyler Kim, both fourth at 157 and 285, respectively.

Wisconsin-La Crosse, with seven qualifiers, and North Central with just four — but all seeded sixth or better — also could factor into the team trophy race.

Four Champs Return

Decatur at 125, Robbie Precin of North Central at 133, Nathan Lackman of Rhode Island College at 165 (won at 157 last year), and Jarritt Shinhoster of Wisconsin-Whitewater at 184.

Additionally, there are six returning national runner-ups — Andrew Perelka of John Carroll at 133, Wartburg’s Terukina at 141, Petrella of Baldwin Wallace at 149, Ross of Johnson & Wales at 174, Jack Heidt of Wabash at 197 (now at 285) and Donovan King of Olivet at 285.

Seeds Beware

One of the great things about the Division III championships is its unpredictability on the individual side. On a yearly basis top seeds lose in the first round.

Last year, 18 seeded wrestlers lost their opening matches, including one #1 seed. Only one weight class (184) saw all eight seeds win their first-round match.

The seeds that lost the most…the 8 (six) and the 4 (five).

Brotherly Love

If the bracket at 165 sticks to the chalk line and the #1 and #2 seeds reach the finals, the two opponents will be quite familiar with each other.

Rhode Island College's Nathan Lackman, the defending champ at 157, is the top seed at 165. His brother, Matt of Alvernia University is seeded second. Matt Lackman was fifth at 165 last year in Cedar Rapids.

Back early in the season, Nathan said it was cool he and Matt were #1 and #2, but didn’t want to get into what ifs about the national championships.

“A lot…a lot has to happen. We both have to qualify for nationals,” Nathan said back in January. “To us, rankings are just rankings. Whether it really happens or not, right now it is awesome we are one and two.”

Finals Predictions 

125 – Joziah Fry vs. Jacob Decatur

133 – Robbie Precin vs. Jaden Hinton

141 – Zayren Terukina vs. Josh Wilson

149 – Michael Petrella vs. Hayden Brown

157 – David Hollingsworth vs. Nolan Hertel

165 – Nathan Lackman vs. Matt Lackman

174 – Mike Ross vs. Zane Mulder

184 – Jarritt Shinhoster vs. Shane Liegel

197 – Chibueze Chukwuezi vs. Massoma Endene

285 – Tyler Kim vs. Kaleb Reeves