Thursday, March 21
Kansas City, Mo.
12:00 P.M. ET
Columbia University
vs
NCAA Wrestling Championships, Session I
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Wrestling Set for 2024 NCAA Championships
3/20/2024 3:55:00 PM | Wrestling
Four Lions will represent the squad in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Four Lions are set to compete at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling National Championships starting Thursday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Sophomore Kai Owen (141), senior Lennox Wolak (174), junior Aaron Ayzerov (184) and sophomore Jack Wehmeyer (197) make up the group that will represent Columbia at the NCAA Championships.
Wolak and Ayzerov qualified after winning EIWA Championships. This is the first time since 1953 that Columbia won two individual EIWA championships in the same season. It is also the first time since 2022 that a Columbia wrestler claimed an EIWA title. This marks the second year in a row Wolak will compete at the NCAA Championships.
Wolak defeated Army's Ben Pasiuk in a 5-1 decision to claim the 174 EIWA crown. Ayzerov posted an 8-5 decision victory against Princeton's Nate Dugan to claim the 184 EIWA title.
Wehmeyer finished fourth at 197 at the EIWA Championships to earn one of the qualifying spots in the NCAA Championships. Wehmeyer advanced through two rounds of consolation Saturday to reach the third-place match at 197. He lost in an 11-1 major decision to Binghamton's Lou Deprez to finish in fourth.
Owen earned an at-large spot in the 141 bracket when the complete field for the NCAA Championships was announced Tuesday. Owen finished seventh at the EIWA Championship.
Wolak earned the highest seed of the squad and will head into the championships as the No. 7 seed in the 174 bracket. Wolak will face Ivy League foe No. 26 Benny Baker from Cornell in the first match Thursday. Ayzerov secured the No. 13 seed in the 184 bracket and will meet Binghamton's Jacob Nolan in the first round. Wehmeyer will enter the field as the No. 28 seed at 197. Wehmeyer will take on Cornell's No. 5 Jacob Cardenas in the first match. Owen secured the No. 31 seed as an at-large qualifier and will battle Penn State's No. 2 Beau Bartlett Thursday.
"It's an opportunity to show a lifetime of hard work and compete with the best in the world," Wolak said. "It is a testing ground, a proving ground, and offers moments of greatness. Participating is purely the prerequisite and I am excited to battle."
SEEDED LIONS
141: No. 31 Kai Owen
174: No. 7 Lennox Wolak
184: No. 13 Aaron Ayzerov
197: No. 28 Jack Wehmeyer
FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
141: (31) Kai Owen vs. (2) Beau Bartlett (Penn State)
174: (7) Lennox Wolak vs. (26) Benny Baker (Cornell)
184: (13) Aaron Ayzerov vs. (20) Jacob Nolan (Binghamton)
197: (28) Jack Wehmeyer vs. (5) Jacob Cardenas (Cornell)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The NCAA Championships are divided into six sessions over three days of competition. Each day will consist of a morning and evening session. A look at the full schedule:
Thursday, March 21
Session 1 – 12 p.m. ET
Championship First Round
Session 2 - 7 p.m. ET
Championship Second Round & Consolation
Friday, March 22
Session 3 - 12 p.m. ET
Championship Quarterfinals & Consolation
Session 4 -8 p.m. ET
Semifinals & Blood Round
Saturday, March 23
Session 5 - 11 a.m. ET
Medal Round
Session 6 - 7 p.m. ET
Championship Matches
FOLLOWING THE ACTION
Each session of the 2024 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships will air nationally through ESPN networks. The morning sessions (1, 3, 5) can be seen entirely on ESPNU. The evening sessions (2, 4, 6) will be televised on ESPN each night. ESPN+ will also have coverage throughout the tournament with streams of individual mats to follow along with the Lions.
Updates will also be provided through the Columbia Wrestling Twitter account (@CULionsWR). Fans can follow the action online through live results at www.TrackWrestling.com.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Wrestling by following the Lions on X (@CULionsWR), Instagram (@culionswr) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Sophomore Kai Owen (141), senior Lennox Wolak (174), junior Aaron Ayzerov (184) and sophomore Jack Wehmeyer (197) make up the group that will represent Columbia at the NCAA Championships.
Wolak and Ayzerov qualified after winning EIWA Championships. This is the first time since 1953 that Columbia won two individual EIWA championships in the same season. It is also the first time since 2022 that a Columbia wrestler claimed an EIWA title. This marks the second year in a row Wolak will compete at the NCAA Championships.
Wolak defeated Army's Ben Pasiuk in a 5-1 decision to claim the 174 EIWA crown. Ayzerov posted an 8-5 decision victory against Princeton's Nate Dugan to claim the 184 EIWA title.
Wehmeyer finished fourth at 197 at the EIWA Championships to earn one of the qualifying spots in the NCAA Championships. Wehmeyer advanced through two rounds of consolation Saturday to reach the third-place match at 197. He lost in an 11-1 major decision to Binghamton's Lou Deprez to finish in fourth.
Owen earned an at-large spot in the 141 bracket when the complete field for the NCAA Championships was announced Tuesday. Owen finished seventh at the EIWA Championship.
Wolak earned the highest seed of the squad and will head into the championships as the No. 7 seed in the 174 bracket. Wolak will face Ivy League foe No. 26 Benny Baker from Cornell in the first match Thursday. Ayzerov secured the No. 13 seed in the 184 bracket and will meet Binghamton's Jacob Nolan in the first round. Wehmeyer will enter the field as the No. 28 seed at 197. Wehmeyer will take on Cornell's No. 5 Jacob Cardenas in the first match. Owen secured the No. 31 seed as an at-large qualifier and will battle Penn State's No. 2 Beau Bartlett Thursday.
"It's an opportunity to show a lifetime of hard work and compete with the best in the world," Wolak said. "It is a testing ground, a proving ground, and offers moments of greatness. Participating is purely the prerequisite and I am excited to battle."
SEEDED LIONS
141: No. 31 Kai Owen
174: No. 7 Lennox Wolak
184: No. 13 Aaron Ayzerov
197: No. 28 Jack Wehmeyer
FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
141: (31) Kai Owen vs. (2) Beau Bartlett (Penn State)
174: (7) Lennox Wolak vs. (26) Benny Baker (Cornell)
184: (13) Aaron Ayzerov vs. (20) Jacob Nolan (Binghamton)
197: (28) Jack Wehmeyer vs. (5) Jacob Cardenas (Cornell)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The NCAA Championships are divided into six sessions over three days of competition. Each day will consist of a morning and evening session. A look at the full schedule:
Thursday, March 21
Session 1 – 12 p.m. ET
Championship First Round
Session 2 - 7 p.m. ET
Championship Second Round & Consolation
Friday, March 22
Session 3 - 12 p.m. ET
Championship Quarterfinals & Consolation
Session 4 -8 p.m. ET
Semifinals & Blood Round
Saturday, March 23
Session 5 - 11 a.m. ET
Medal Round
Session 6 - 7 p.m. ET
Championship Matches
FOLLOWING THE ACTION
Each session of the 2024 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships will air nationally through ESPN networks. The morning sessions (1, 3, 5) can be seen entirely on ESPNU. The evening sessions (2, 4, 6) will be televised on ESPN each night. ESPN+ will also have coverage throughout the tournament with streams of individual mats to follow along with the Lions.
Updates will also be provided through the Columbia Wrestling Twitter account (@CULionsWR). Fans can follow the action online through live results at www.TrackWrestling.com.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Wrestling by following the Lions on X (@CULionsWR), Instagram (@culionswr) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Players Mentioned
Highlights: WR | Columbia at Hofstra
Sunday, November 16
Highlights: WR | Columbia 27, Brown 17
Sunday, February 16
Highlights: WR | Columbia 32, Harvard 8
Saturday, February 15
Highlights: WR | Columbia 20, Penn 24
Friday, January 24
