LIBERTY, Mo. – The McKendree University men's powerlifting team competed in its first full team event of the 2022-23 season here this past weekend as the Bearcats placed second overall as a team at the Midwest Collegiate Regional hosted by William Jewell College.

McKendree, who opened its season in October by sending its freshmen lifters to the USAPL Missouri State Championships, sent 13 men's lifters to this past weekend's one-day event and nine of the 13 Bearcats that competed recorded national qualifying marks for this year's USAPL Collegiate Nationals, which are scheduled for April 13-16, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.

In addition to having nine of its 13 men's lifters earn qualifying marks for nationals, three Bearcat lifters took home first place honors in their respective weight classes.

Sophomore 75kg Jake Waltzer (Elkton, Md./North East) was the first of three Bearcat lifters to win their weight class as he placed first at 75kg with a combined total of 650 kilograms to qualify for nationals. Waltzer recorded a 222.5kg in the squat, a 135kg in the bench press and a 292.5kg in the deadlift to earn first place. Waltzer tallied a total of 471.62 points at the event.

The second Bearcat lifter to win their weight class was freshman Dawson Stebbins (Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek) as he won first place in the 90 kilogram class with a total of 630 kilograms to qualify for nationals. He recorded a 227.5kg in the squats, a 137.5kg in the bench press and a 265 in the deadlift for a total of 413.79 points.

McKendree's third weight class winner was freshman Steven Singleton (Nashville, Tenn./Currey Ingram) as he took home first place in the 100 kilogram class with a combined total of 685 kilograms to qualify for nationals. He recorded a 245kg in the squats, a 152.5kg in the bench press and a 287.5kg in the deadlift for a total of 424.81 points.

Freshman Daniel Hughston (Victoria, Texas/Cuero) was third in the 60 kilogram weight class as he finished with a combined total of 417.5 kilograms to qualify for nationals. Hughston had a 152.5kg squat, an 87.5 bench press and a 177.5 deadlift for a total of 360.93 points.

Another national qualifier was sophomore Maxon Karnes (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) as he was second in the 67.5 kilometer weight class with a combined total of 517.5 kilograms. He had a 177.5kg squat, a 120kg bench press and a 220kg deadlift for a total of 400.15 points.

The sixth national qualifier for the Bearcats was senior Jared Trantina (Sibley, Ill./GCMS) as he was second in the 100 kilogram weight class with a combined total of 682.5 kilograms. He recorded a squat of 262.5kg, a bench press of 152.5 and a deadlift of 267.5 to tally 433.13 points.

McKendree's seventh national qualifier came in the 110 kilometer weight class as senior Jordon Spence (Cornith, Miss./Cornith) was second in the 110kg class with a combined total of 732.5 kilograms. Spence had a 267.5kg squat, 145kg bench press and a 320kg deadlift to tally 441.60 points.

The eighth national qualifier for the Bearcats was junior Cadin Colehour (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) as he finished second in the 125 kilogram weight class with a combined total of 722.5 kilograms. Colehour had a squat of 265kg, a 185kg bench press and a 272.5kg deadlift for a total of 423.68 points.

Freshman Devin Pedescleaux (Gonzales, La./Ascension Catholic) was the final Bearcat to qualify for nationals as he was second in the 140 kilogram weight class with a combined total of 660 kilograms. He had a 265kg squat, a 132.5kg bench press and a 262.5kg deadlift for a total of 373.40 points.

In addition to those nine national qualifiers, the other Bearcats that competed at the meet were Anthony Butler, freshman Dillan Hempel (Salado, Texas/Salado), freshman Brogan Black (Brookeville, Md./Sherwood) and freshman Charles Haddad (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg).

Butler was fifth in the 82.5 kilogram weight class with combined total of 457.5 kilograms (165kg squat, 92.5kg bench press and 200kg deadlift). Hempel was third in the 110 kilogram weight class with a combined total of 612.5 kilograms (240kg squat, 145kg bench press and 227.5 deadlift). Black was fourth in the 125 kilogram weight class with a combined total of 605 kilograms (235kg squat, 120kg bench press and 250kg deadlift) and Haddad was second in the 140+ kilogram weight class with a combined total of 635 kilograms (250kg squat, 165kg bench press and 220 deadlift).

McKendree will next be in action on Feb. 4 as they host the Beast of the Metro East at the McKendree Sports Performance Center in Lebanon, Ill.