WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Josiah Gehr and Ryder Slayton will be heading to the NCAA Division III National Championships in LaCrosse, Wis. in two weeks. Gehr was the runner-up in the 141 lbs weight class while Slayton earned a third-place finish at 184 lbs.
 
Gehr started his day by picking up a fall in just 1:55 in the semifinals over Alvernia's Avery Leonard to secure his spot in Wisconsin. In the finals, the Falcon would go up against the top-seed and the number two-ranked wrestler in the country, Josh Wilson (Greensboro). Gehr started the match strong picking up a quick takedown in the first period and would follow that by putting Wilson on his back momentarily. The fifth-year senior would rally up the score to 13-2 going into the final period. Wilson would battle back to put the falcon on his back and earn the fall over Gehr in the final seconds. This will be Gehr's third trip to the National Tournament.
 
Slayton commenced his day in the consi-quarterfinal round earning a 16-0 tech fall over Jack McCusker (Washington & Lee). He followed that by earning an 11-8 decision over second-seeded Nicholas Hall (Deleware Valley). Slayton would set himself up for a shot to make it to nationals in the third-place match and would avenge his loss from day one to Rylan Moose (Marymount) in the third-place match by a score of 5-3 to advance to his first-ever national tournament.
 
Along with Gehr and Slayton, four more falcons advanced to day two of competition which automatically put them on the podium.
 
Place Winners for Falcons
Garret Cornell (157 lbs) - Fourth Place
Clay Gainer (165 lbs) - Sixth Place
Austin Brass (174 lbs) - Eighth Place
Hayden Benner (285 lbs) - Sixth Place
 
As a team, the Falcons finished in seventh place out of 22 teams competing. Stevens would win the Regional tournament with 164.5 points while Averett would be the runner-up with 146.5 points. Roanoke (145.5), Delaware Valley (118.0), and Washington & Lee (102.0) would round out the top five in team standings.

Day One Update - Friday, March 1, 2024
The Messiah wrestling team wrapped up Day One of action at Lycoming College for the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional Wrestling Championships. Six Falcons survived Day One and will represent Messiah tomorrow as they look to punch their ticket to the National Championships. Josiah Gehr (141 lbs.) and Garret Cornell (157 lbs.) are the lone Falcons to advance to the semifinals tomorrow morning. Both Gehr and Cornell will need just one victory in the semifinals to qualify for the National Championships.
 
As a team, the Falcons sit in eighth place with 62.0 points heading into Day Two of the competition. Stevens leads the Tournament with 98 points while Roanoke (96), Delaware Valley (91), Averett (87.5), and Washington & Lee (73.5) complete the top five in team standings.
 
Along with Gehr and Cornell, four more Falcons advanced to the second day of competition. Clay Gainer (165 lbs.), Austin Brass (174 lbs.), Ryder Slayton (184 lbs.), and Hayden Benner (285 lbs.) will compete in the Consolation Bracket tomorrow, needing three-straight victories on Saturday to advance to Nationals.

Gehr started the day in the first round with a fall in just 54 seconds over Jake Brown (Penn State Behr). He followed that pin with a 16-0 tech fall over Jack Baur (Wilkes) in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals. Gehr will wrestle Avery Leonard (Alvernia) in the semifinals tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
 
Cornell began his run in the prelims with a victory over Shennadoah's Cannon Long by fall in 2:53. The Falcon would then earn another pin in his second-round match in just 1:32 over Andrew McDougal (Roanoke). Cornell will wrestle second-seeded Jaryn Hartranft (Wilkes) in the semifinals tomorrow morning.
 
Clay Gainer, Ryder Slayton, and Hayden Benner would go 3-1 on the day to advance to the second day of competition while Austin Brass went 2-1 to do the same. At 165 lbs, Clay Gainer dropped a tight 10-5 decision against Mark Troni (Washington & Lee). Gainer would respond by earning three straight victories in the consolation bracket including taking out second-seeded Christopher Stathopoulos (Stevens) by a score of 8-7. 

At 174 lbs, Austin Brass started his day earning a victory in the prelims but would drop a 5-0 decision to second-seeded Stefan Major (Stevens). Brass would win one match in the consolation bracket, highlighting his day with a 25-13 major decision victory over Logan Bechtold (St. Vincent).
 
Ryder Slayton would also go 3-1 on the day after losing his overtime quarterfinal match by a score of 4-1 to Rylan Moose (Marymount). Slayton battled back earning a 10-3 decision in the consolation bracket to survive day one.
 
Hayden Benner would be the last Falcon to survive the first day of competition after dropping his match in the prelims in a tight 4-3 content. Benner would drop to the consolation bracket and earn three victories. A 13-3 major decision over Robbie West (Lycoming) would send him to day two of the competition.

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