CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Washington and Lee wrestling team finished 14th overall out of 30 teams at the NCAA Division III Championship held at Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
W&L achieved its finish with just two wrestlers participating in the championship.  Juniors Riley Parker (Virginia Beach, Va. / First Colonial) and Ryan Luth (Milford, Conn. / Joseph A. Foran) both finished on the podium, the first for a W&L wrestler since Rich Redfoot '89 placed fifth in the 1989 NCAA Championship.  Both earned All-America citations based on their finishes.
 
The 14th-place finish is W&L's highest as a program since tying for seventh overall at the 1936 NCAA Division I Championship which was hosted by Washington and Lee in Doremus Gymnasium.
 
Luth completed the championship with a 3-2 overall record, placing fourth overall in the 157-pound bracket.  That represents the highest placing for a W&L wrestler since Hugo Bonino '36 finished as the runner-up at heavyweight during the same championship in 1936.
 
After going 2-1 in his matches on Friday, Luth won his first match on Saturday by posting an 11-7 decision over Luke Reicosky of John Carroll.  He advanced to the third-place match when his second opponent, second-seeded David Hollingsworth of Wartburg, was a medical forfeit.
 
In the third-place match, Luth had a rematch with fifth-seeded Tyler Shilson of Augsburg.  Shilson had defeated Luth 16-0 in the quarterfinals.  This time, Luth opened with a takedown for a 2-0 lead, but fell by a score of 9-2.
 
Luth completes his junior campaign with a 32-3 overall record.  He carries a 78-8 career mark into his senior season.
 
Parker wrestled seven matches in the championship, finishing with a 4-3 overall mark en route to placing sixth in the 125-pound weight class.  After going 3-1 on Friday, Parker opened Saturday's action with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Tommy Russell of Millikin.  He then met third-seeded Shandon Akeo of Centenary for a chance to advance to the third-place match.  Parker was tied 3-3 late in the third period, before Akeo notched a takedown with 17 seconds left that resulted in a pin two seconds later.
 
Parker squared off against fourth-seeded Brady Kyner of Wartburg in the fifth-place match and gave him all he could handle before eventually falling by a score of 6-4.
 
Parker completed his junior year with a 35-10 overall record, setting a new program standard for wins in a season.  Zach Bylykbashi '19 had held the record with 34 wins (34-10) in 2016.  Parker will carry a 61-23 career record into his final season.
 
With the conclusion of the championship, the Generals have now completed their 2021-22 season.  W&L finished with an 11-5 record, a Centennial Conference Championship, a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Southeast Regional and the 14th-place finish nationally.
   
125 Pounds
Riley Parker (W&L) d. #8 Derek Steele (Augsburg); MD 15-6
Riley Parker (W&L) d. Jack Stanley (Mount Union); Fall 4:50
#1 Jacob Decatur (Baldwin Wallace) d. Riley Parker (W&L); 7-3
Riley Parker (W&L) d. Joey Manginelli (Springfield); Fall 6:59
Riley Parker (W&L) d. Tommy Russell (Millikin); 3-2
#3 Shandon Akeo (Centenary) d. Riley Parker (W&L); Fall 6:45
#4 Brady Kyner (Wartburg) d. Riley Parker (W&L); 6-4 – Fifth-Place Match
 
157 Pounds
#4 Ryan Luth (W&L) d. Matthew Sacco (TCNJ); 8-2
#5 Tyler Shilson (Augsburg) d. #4 Ryan Luth (W&L); TF, 16-0
#4 Ryan Luth (W&L) d. Trent Furman (NYU); 6-2
#4 Ryan Luth (W&L) d. Luke Reicosky (John Carroll); 11-7
#4 Ryan Luth (W&L) d. #2 David Hollingsworth (Wartburg); Medical Forfeit
#5 Tyler Shilson (Augsburg) d. #4 Ryan Luth (W&L); 9-2 – Third-Place Match