No. 3 Coast Guard heading to NWCA Div. 3 nationals this weekend

No. 3 Coast Guard will be competing at the NWCA Division III nationals this weekend in Iowa. (Graphic courtesy Coast Guard Academy)

NEW LONDON, March 11, 2021 – No. 3 Coast Guard will be among 34 teams competing at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III national championship tournament this weekend at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

The emerging COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA to cancel the 2020 Division III national tournament last March. This year on February 3, the NCAA cancelled the 2021 Div. III national tournament because not enough schools were fielding wrestling teams this winter due to the pandemic.

In Connecticut, Coast Guard wrestled two dual meets in late February and early March but Wesleyan and Trinity College in Hartford did not field teams this year.

USA Wrestling is hosting the tournament and the event is following the health requirements of Iowa and local health authorities. Masks are required to be worn at all times in the facility. The athletes do not have to wrestle in masks. A limited number of fans will be allowed in the building.

The top eight wrestlers will earn NWCA All-American honors. There will be no team points awarded and no team awards presented.

Coast Guard (2-0) has six wrestlers who are ranked in the top 12 of their respective weight classes including a pair of No. 1 seeds – Paul Detwiler (184) and Jon Wagner (197).

Montville’s Noah Caskey (149) is seeded No. 8 for Coast Guard while No. 11 Tony Ulaszek (157), No. 2 Phil Rogers (165) and No. 12 David McCullough (174) are also ranked for the Bears, who are the only New England team in the tournament.

Southington’s Caleb Brick (157) is also wrestling in the tournament representing the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Brick faces Ulaszek in the first round of the tournament.

The tournament will be streamed live by FloWrestling.