Indiana Tech Wrestling finishes 16th at NAIA National Championships
By: Randy Ziemnik
Updated: March 4, 2013
COURTESY: Indiana Tech Athletics
Des Moines, Iowa - The Indiana Tech wrestling team finished in 16th place and crowned two All-Americans at the 2013 NAIA Wrestling National Championships on Saturday at the Jacobson Exhibition Center.
Grand View University won its second straight national championship after edging out Southern Oregon 159-153.
The Warriors, along with Wayland Baptist, finished in 16th with 24.5 points.
Leading the way for Tech was the All-American duo of Travis Barroquillo (Wolcottville, IN/Prairie Heights) and Kris McKinley (Ft. Wayne, IN/Northrop). Barroquillo finished in seventh place at 133-lbs to earn his second straight All-America honor while McKinley also grabbed a seventh place finish at 125-lbs to secure his first.
Barroquillo guaranteed himself the honor after day one of the tournament posting a 2-1 record. Following a first round bye, he pinned No. 14 Dennis Welch from Missouri Valley in 1:55. Barroquillo, the 4th ranked grappler in the division, was then defeated in the next round by No. 2 Angel Garcia of Menlo 6-2, but he bounced back with a 7-2 decision win over Hastings' Alec Chanthapatheth.
The final day of competition began with a 3-2 loss to Southern Oregon's Miguel Baltazar, which sent Barroquillo into the match for seventh place. There, he defeated Campbellsville's Tyler Alsip 9-2.
McKinley had also locked up All-America status after an outstanding first day notching four wins that included victories over No. 16 Travis Shelnutt (Central Baptist), No. 9 Ryan Stearns (Missouri Valley), No. 6 Sean Blumhardt (Jamestown), and No. 7 Sean Silva (Embry-Riddle). His only loss came at the hands of No. 1 ranked Mitchell Lofstedt (Southern Oregon).
Like Barroquillo, McKinley was defeated in his first match on the final day which sent him into the bout for seventh place where he came out on top with a 4-1 decision over Aspen Kmiec of Midland University.
The Warriors had four other wrestlers in matches to become All-Americans, including 2012 All-American Tanner Martin (Ft. Wayne, IN/Snider) and Adam Fahs (Portage, MI/Trine), who was also one win shy of earning the honor last season.
Tech's 16th place finish qualifies them to compete in the National Dual Meet Championship once again next January.
