By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team had three wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championships for the first time in school history. On Saturday, Ramsey Bloy (Jr.-Freedom, WI), Seth Vosters (So.-Freedom, WI), and Tyler Demo (Fr.-Loves Park, IL/Belvidere North) all finished in the top-three of their respective weight classes at the Upper Midwest Regional to advance to nationals.
Bloy became the first regional champion since Nathaniel Behnke in 2014, winning the 197-pound bracket. He added a pair of victories on Saturday to his growing, impressive résumé. In the semifinals, Bloy won the rubber match over Augsburg's Lance Benick by a 7-3 decision. He finished off his tournament with a 2-1 win over Dylan Diebitz of UW-Stevens Point. After qualifying for the NAIA National Championships the past two seasons at University of the Cumberlands, this will be the first time he has made it to the NCAA Tournament.
Vosters joined Bloy in transferring to UW-Eau Claire this season, and now he will be joining his former high school teammate at the National Tournament as well. After losing his first round match on Friday, the sophomore won six straight matches to wrestle back for third place in the 157-pound bracket. On the second day of action, Vosters won a trio of matches by decision, including a 5-2 win to clinch his spot at Nationals.
Demo lost a close 3-1 decision in the 133-pound semifinals to Elmhurst College's Anthony Munoz. After that, the freshman rallied together two big wins, including a 16-2 major decision and a 10-7 decision win in the third place match over UW-La Crosse's Josh Stenger.
Chase Schmidt (Fr.-Rice Lake, WI) also wrestled on Saturday, and though winless, he finished in sixth place in the 165-pound weight class and ended his first season as a Blugold with 29 wins.
The three national qualifiers are now set to compete in Cleveland, Ohio on March 10-11.
Follow the action for all sports this season on Blugold Game Day.
