INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - McKendree University men's wrestling placed four individuals and amassed 86.5 points to finish fifth among 44 Division II programs during the 42nd Annual Midwest Classic, hosted by UIndy. The Bearcats were led by redshirt sophomore Christian Mejia (125) and redshirt freshman Ian Kuehl (285/HWT), who both collected a top finish in their first tournament of the year. 

McKendree's team point total (86.5) placed them behind Central Oklahoma (106.5), host and GLVC-foe Indianapolis (97.5), Adams State (89.0), and UW-Parkside (88.5). Kuehl led the efforts, collecting 22.0 points enroute to his first-place finish while Mejia added 20.0 during his push to top placement. 

125lb Class:
Mejia, a product of Elkhart Memorial in Elkhart, Indiana, went 5-0 (20.0 points) in his first tournament of the season, opening his tournament with a pair of 5-0 decisions over Emmanuel's Gavin Hayes and then Christian Lopez (Colorado School of Mines). The redshirt sophomore then went on to the championship quarterfinal round against Matt Siszka of Pitt-Johnstown, which he took via 5-3 decision. Mejia then claimed a hard fought decision victory in overtime, 8-6, over Joe Arroyo of UW-Parkside. In the first-place match, Mejia took on Dawson Collins (Colorado Mesa) and won via by 10-6 decision.

285lb Class:
Kuehl, a native of Lena, Illinois, went undefeated at 5-0 (22.0 points) in his first tournament of the year. In the first two rounds of the championship bracket, Kuehl won the matches by a count of 7-4 over Ryan Herman (Maryville) and 5-0 against Johnny Green (Ouachita Baptist). He also took his quarterfinal match via decision (3-1) against UNC Pembroke's Zach Schaffer. In the semifinal contest, he won in a tiebreaker, 2-1 in the first overtime period over Colorado School of Mines' Weston Hunt, which moved him into the final against the Mercyhurst 285, Jacob Robb. In the first place match, Kuehl defeated Robb in a tighly contested bout, winning via fall at the 6:54 mark to claim the title. 

COMPLETE RESULTS:
125lb | Christian Mejia | 5-0, 1st (20.0 points)
133lb | Ryan Ripplinger | 2-2 (5.5 points)
141lb | Joey Semerad | 1-2 (0.5 points)
149lb | Noah Villarreal | 1-2 (1.0 points)
157lb | Jose Champagne | 2-2 (3.5 points)
165lb | Cory Peterson | 4-1, 2nd (20.0 points)
174lb | Joshua Jones | 4-2, 5th (13.0 points)
184lb | Rozell Baker | 1-2 (1.0 points)
197lb | Logan Kvien | 0-2 (medical withdraw)
285lb | Ian Kuehl | 5-0, 1st (22.0 points)

UP NEXT:
McKendree men's wrestling will be back in action on January 6-7 in the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky. 

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