Washington and Lee University senior Ryan Luth placed fifth at 157-pounds at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships held on Friday and Saturday at the Berglund Center Coliseum in Roanoke.
In the fifth-place match, Luth claimed his spot on the podium the hard way. He trailed 3-0 after the second period after Wartburg College’s David Hollinsworth chose bottom and was awarded an escape point followed by a takedown with 15 seconds remaining in the stanza.
Luth opted for the same choice at the start of the third period, escaped nine seconds in, and then posted his own takedown. He rode out the rest of the match to earn a riding time point, which gave him the 4-3 advantage for the podium match win.
Earlier in the day the senior defeated Stevens Institute of Technology’s Ryan Smith with a 7-0 decision and missed out on the third place match in the consolation semifinal 4-0 loss to Loras College’s Zeke Smith.
One of the most decorated wrestlers in W&L history, Luth became a three-time NCAA All-American and two-time place finisher with his 4-2 weekend record. Last year, Luth placed fourth.
W&L’s two other national qualifiers, senior Cameron Blizard (197-pounds) and sophomore Harrison Kelly (165), were eliminated from the event after being defeated in the first round of the championship bracket and the preliminary round of the consolation draw on Friday.
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G amble, Todd
At NCAAs
W&L junior sprinter Katelyn Gamble and senior distance runner Carolyn Todd completed the 2023 indoor track and field season at the NCAA Division III Women’s Track and Field Championships on Friday in Birmingham, Ala.
Gamble placed 15th in the 60-meter dash in 7.72 seconds, and Todd finished 18th in the 5000-meter run in 17:30.42.
The Generals will play host for the W&L Track and Field Carnival this Friday and Saturday at Wilson Field in the first outdoor meet of the year.