FULTON, Mo. – History inside Anderson Arena tonight as William Woods University men's wrestling took home their first home victory against the Avila Eagles, 26-24. This is the first match win under first-year head coach Tony Eierman and the first win for the Owls in 2025-26.
The match opened at 124 with WWU grappler Kelley Brown II going up against Avila's Romero. Brown opened the match with fire but fell by pin not long after the halfway point through the first period to set the match 6-0 in favor of the Eagles. The standout newcomer Braden Werdehausen went the distance with Pina in bout two, taking a major decision win against the Eagles in the 133 class.
The Eagles responded immediately, taking the matchup in the 141-weight class by pin to grow their match lead to 12-4. William Woods battled back thanks to a great outing from freshman Jake Hall. The five-foot-ten Stevens Point, Wisc., native pinned his opponent with twenty-six seconds remaining in the second period to push the score to 12-10.
The electrifying action continued in the 157-weight class with familiar face Whit Nichols. Nichols started the meeting slow but took control in set two to take a victory by tech fall to give the Owls their first team lead in the match, 15-12. Another familiar face, Xander Sederburg, continued his dominance on the mat at the 165-weight class to win by pin and push The Woods' lead out to 21-12. The 174-weight class was left open for Woods, inching Avila back into the match, 21-18.
Fulton native Elijah Brocksmith, wrestling at 184, ignited the home crowd, taking an early six-point lead. Carrying the early momentum, Brocksmith pinned his opponent nine seconds before the first buzzer to grow the lead further to 26-18 with only two matchups remaining.
Former NCAA DIII National Qualifier Austen Wetzel went the distance with Avila's RJ Trotter. The Eagles grappler handled the pressure from the home crowd well, maneuvering out of several tough situations in the first two periods. In the third period, Trotter used a late swing in momentum to take a narrow one-point win, leaving the match in the hands of Ian Nelson with a 26-21 scoreline.
Nelson, an NAIA National Championship Qualifier for the Owls in their first season, returned to the mat in Anderson for the first time since that dominant inaugural campaign. The heavyweights went three periods with swings in momentum throughout. A late push from Avila's Gavin Howes found Nelson on his back in the fleeting seconds of the third period. Nelson countered out of the pin attempt with three seconds left. Although losing the match, Nelson cemented a 26-24 win for the Owls.
Woods is on the road in their next matchup in Davenport, Iowa, at Saint Ambrose University for the Heart of America Duals. The matchup takes place at 9 a.m. on December 13th.
