MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team will send three wrestlers to the NCAA Division III Championships after a third-place finish at the Region VII Championships at Augsburg on Saturday. Ian Pepple (So. - Hastings, Minn.), Zach Sato (Sr. - Oswego, Ill.) and Jared Stricker (Sr. - High Bridge, Wis./Ashland) all earned trips to nationals by placing in the top three of their respective weight classes on Saturday.

Stricker was the 174-pound regional champion, earning the third regional championship of his career. He will compete at the NCAA Championships for the fourth time and look to defend his national title from a year ago.

Sato and Pepple place third at 149 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively, to earn their trips to nationals. Sato will compete at nationals for the third time in his career, while Pepple will make his first NCAA Championship appearance.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Blugolds tallied 144.5 points to finish third in the team standings. UW-La Crosse won the regional with 192.5 points and Augsburg finished second with 186.
• Stricker moved to 39-0 this season with two more wins in the 174-pound bracket on Saturday. He defeated UW-Stevens Point's Carson Trotzer by 9-1 major decision in the semifinals before clinching the title with a 9-3 victory over Augsburg's Seth Goetzinger in the finals. Both opponents were ranked in the top 10 in Division III.
• Sato dropped his 149-pound semifinal to Concordia Moorhead's Aidan Ruddy by 7-6 decision, but rallied with two wins in wrestlebacks to earn a spot at nationals. He defeated Aurora's Ashton Massaro by technical fall in the consolation semis and won the third-place match in thrilling fashion, pinning UW-La Crosse's Josh Cherba in 5:30. It cemented Sato's second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. He placed fifth at nationals last season.
• Pepple dropped his semifinal by fall to Augsburg's Parker Venz, but won twice in the consolation bracket to advance to nationals. He pinned UW-Stevens Point's Logan Neitzel in 15 seconds in the consolation semis and booked his first career trip to nationals with a pin in 1:37 against Augustana's Jacob Badger in the third-place match.
• All 10 of the Blugolds' wrestlers placed at the tournament. Landon Church (So. - Jordan, Minn./Scott West) took fourth at 157 pounds. Izzy Balsiger (Jr. - Chippewa Falls, Wis.), Travis Moelter (So. - River Falls, Wis.) and Preston Carlisle (Jr. - Red Wing, Minn./Cannon Falls) took fifth at 125, 133 and 165, respectively. Niall Schoenfelder (Sr. - Antioch, Ill.) and Sloan Welch (So. - Arpin, Wis./Auburndale) took sixth at 184 and 285. Finn Bloomquist (Fr. - Prior Lake, Minn.) took seventh at 141.

UP NEXT

Pepple, Sato and Stricker will open up the NCAA Championships on March 14 in Providence, Rhode Island. The championships run through March 15.

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