Wrestling Finishes in Program-Best Third Overall at National Championships; Seven All-Americans

Wrestling Finishes in Program-Best Third Overall at National Championships; Seven All-Americans
Results Box Score
March 7, 2020

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

Photo Courtesy of Billy Mangum, Life (Ga.) Sports Information 

PARK CITY, Kan. – (Brackets | Team Scores) Eagle wrestling continues to make waves on a national level and set new standards as a program, after Reinhardt finished in third place out of 53 competing teams with 83 points in the 2020 NAIA Wrestling National Championships, hosted by Visit Wichita, Saturday night.

The hometown team was jumped by Menlo (Calif.) late in the championship rounds for national runners-up behind Grand View (Iowa), who claimed its ninth-straight red banner, breaking the NAIA record for most team championships in history.

The Eagles improved two spots from 2019 (fifth overall) and surpassed last year's mark for NAIA All-Americans (five) with their top-three finish and seven All-Americans this season.

Justin George (165 pounds) made individual history for Reinhardt after becoming the first student-athlete in the program to ever make a national final. The junior from Buford, Ga., appeared on ESPN3 and nearly earned a national championship before falling in a close 4-2 decision to second-seeded Brennan Swafford of Graceland (Iowa).

For his efforts, George took home 18 team points by himself.

Nolan Saxton lost in overtime in the national semifinals, but fought his way back to a sudden victory in the third-place match at 157 pounds. In the 184-pound bracket, Antonio Stewart came in fourth overall after being narrowly defeated in the third-place bout, 2-1.

Reinhardt wasn't done there with All-Americans, either, as the hometown group scratched across four more within the top eight finishers of the respective weight classes: Koby Milner (7th-place; 125 pounds), Trent Leon (5th-place; 141), Jody McAlister (7th-place; 141) and Michael Carew (6th-place; 174)

Top 10 Teams Final Scores

  1. Grand View (Iowa) 157.0
  2. Menlo (Calif.) 84.5
  3. Reinhardt (Ga.) 83.0
  4. Cumberlands (Ky.) 78.5
  5. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 76.5
  6. Baker (Kan.) 75.0
  7. Campbellsville (Ky.) 68.0
  8. Oklahoma City 53.5
  9. Southeastern (Fla.) 49.0
  10. Life (Ga.) 43.5

The lessons learned from this year's event will fuel the team even more as it continues to climb the mountain to a wrestling team title.

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For more information on Reinhardt Wrestling, please click here.