ADA, Ohio – Over the weekend your Mount St. Joseph University wrestling team traveled to Ohio Northern University to compete at the NCAA DIII Central Regional. The Lions joined the 18 other teams at the regional all seeking a chance to continue their season. Three Lions placed in the top eight including
Jorden Zigo (141lbs) earning 8
th place,
Dylan Deck (165lbs) earning 7
th place and
Desmond Diggs (133lbs) earning 2
nd place and qualifying for the NCAA DIII National Tournament for the second straight season.
Desmond Diggs punched his ticket to the NCAA DIII National Tournament for the second straight year after an impressive 3-1 weekend. After a bye in the opening round Diggs faced off against Olivet's Emilo Cabrera to begin his weekend. Diggs looked dominant in his opening match breezing to a 17-3 major decision victory. In the quarterfinal match, Diggs faced off against Jacob Gregg of Case Western Reserve. Diggs showed no signs of slowing down earning a 13-1 major decision victory advancing him to Day Two of the Central Regional.
In the semifinal match Diggs faced a familiar face in Ohio Northern's Dylan Le. Le and Diggs have battled multiple times this season with Diggs getting the upper-hand. In the semifinal match, it was more of the same for Diggs as he battled for a 4-1 decision victory successfully earning his spot in the NCAA DIII National Tournament. But, Diggs still had one match remaining, the 133lb Regional Championship match. Here, he would face off against Baldwin Wallace's Jaden Hinton. But, in the championship Diggs would fall short but still punched his ticket to the NCAA DIII National Tournament.
Dylan Deck also placed for the Lions over the weekend. Deck looked comfortable in his opening match dominating en route to a 19-3 technical fall victory. Deck would drop his next match but would answer back nicely in the consolation round. Deck got his second victory of the weekend over Manchester's James Bettcher via decision 8-5. Deck would fall again in the consolation round but still would wrestle in the 7
th Place match. Deck ended his weekend with a victory taking down Trine's Lakin Webb to earn 7
th Place in the 165lb weight class.
Jorden Zigo also put together a solid weekend for the Lions. Zigo fell in his opening match but would answer back with a dominant win pinning Hiram's Will Brodbeck in just one minute. Zigo kept the momentum going taking down Adrian's Tanner Smith by decision 8-5. But, Zigo would fall in his final two matches of the weekend but still took home 8
th Place in the 141lb weight class.
UP NEXT:
Desmond Diggs will await his seeding for the NCAA DIII National Tournament. The bracket release is scheduled to come out on Tuesday, March 12
th. Diggs will wrestle at the NCAA DIII National Tournament in La Crosse, Wisconsin taking place on March 15
th & 16
th. Please tune into msjlions.com and follow us on X @MSJ_Lions for continued coverage of your MSJ Wrestling team!
