OKLAHOMA CITY - Fulton's own, Elijah Brocksmith, was named American Midwest Conference Freshman of the Year and became William Woods University's second national qualifier in as many seasons as the Owls placed fifth out of nine teams overall and second out of four AMC teams with 87½ points in the AMC/Sooner Athletic Conference Championships, hosted by No. 21 Oklahoma City University Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.

"We came to wrestle today," William Woods wrestling coach Jacob Lorentz said. "A year ago, we scored 26 points. This year, we finished with 87½, fifth overall, and second in the AMC. One year ago, we had two place winners; this year, we had seven. Elijah wrestled well to clinch his spot at nationals. Xander (Sederburg) will have to wait and see if he can snag an at-large bid. I was proud of our growth and development this season, and look forward to even more next year."

Brocksmith (174 pounds) placed second with 13 points from two decision victories. After he received a bye in Round 1, Brocksmith won by a 13-6 decision over Oklahoma City's Daxton DeFrange - ranked 24th in the NAIA at 174 - in the quarterfinals. Earning another win against a formidable foe, Brocksmith took a 12-9 decision over No. 16 Joel Campbell of (RV) Missouri Baptist University in the semifinals. Battling point for point and pushing it to overtime in the first-place bout, Brocksmith fell by an 8-5 sudden victory-1 to No. 25 Johnathan Ward of (RV) Texas Wesleyan University. Not only did Brocksmith shine on the mat this season, but also did off of it as he was selected WWU's Champions of Character representative.

First-team All-AMC selection Xander Sederburg (165), another Owl with a tremendous campaign and their first-ever Champions of Character honoree, also placed second, with 17 points from two pinfalls and a decision triumph. Sederburg reached the 165 championship by winning an 8-4 decision over Texas Wesleyan's Zeb Fulmer in Round 1, pinning Central Baptist College's Alfredo Zapata in 2:49 in the quarterfinals and OCU's Alex Wilson in 4:44 in the semifinals. Coming up against the 15th-ranked grappler in the NAIA at 165, Sederburg lost by an 11-3 major decision to TWU's Braeden Baller in the championship.

Easton DeMilia (125) joined Sederburg as a first-team All-AMC selection for WWU. Placing third, DeMilia scored 16½ points from two technical falls and a pinfall. Following a bye in Round 1, DeMilia pinned Williams Baptist University's Noel Mejia in 2:07 in the quarterfinals. Dropping to the consolation bracket after his semifinal defeat, DeMilia won by a 23-5, 4:32 technical fall over Jarvis Christian University's Joshua Arevalo in the consolation semifinals. DeMilia took third after beating (RV) Wayland Baptist University's Jarrett Quinlan by a 19-2, 4:46 technical fall.

Tallying the most points of The Woods' two fourth-place wrestlers with 13½, Ben Stephens (197) had two pinfalls. Stephens earned a 27-second pin over MBU's Blake Johnson in the quarterfinals and a 1:19 fall victory against Central Baptist's Jordan Allen-Smith in the consolation semifinals.

Kael Glenn (141) also placed fourth for the Owls, notching 12 points from a major decision and technical fall. He won by a 15-7 major decision over the Rams' Camden Whitehead in the quarterfinals and took a 15-0, 1:50 technical fall over Central Christian College's Coby Vollmer in the consolation semifinals.

Dominic Mullin (184) picked up a fifth-place win for WWU, registering 7½ points from a 17-2, 46-second technical fall over Wiliams Baptist's Micah Oltmanns in the fifth-place match.

Rounding out the Owls' seven placers, Whit Nichols (157) was sixth with six points at 157. He had a 5-4 decision victory over the Stars' Mercer Ashley in the quarterfinals.

Brocksmith competes on Day 1 of the 68th Annual NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championship at 11 a.m. March 6 at Park City Arena in Park City, Kansas. That day, the championship/consolation first- and second-round bouts occur.

"It will be another grind as we move to the Heart of America, but we have the foundation to keep getting better," Lorentz said. "To become what we want, we have to keep doing the right things. We appreciate all of the support this season and are happy to have another one representing William Woods on the national stage."

WWU Results

125
Easton DeMilia (12-9) placed third and scored 16½ team points.

Championship Round 1: Easton DeMilia (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Easton DeMilia (William Woods) won by a 2:07 pinfall over Noel Mejia (1-3; Williams Baptist)
Semifinals: Nehemiah Ventura (17-9; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by a 22-5, 4:55 technical fall over Easton DeMilia (William Woods).
Consolation Semifinals: Easton DeMilia (William Woods) won by a 23-5, 4:32 technical fall over Joshua Arevalo (4-6; Jarvis Christian).
Third-Place Match: Easton DeMilia (William Woods) won by a 19-2, 4:46 technical fall over Jarrett Quinlan (10-16; RV Wayland Baptist).

141
Kael Glenn (9-11) placed fourth and scored 12 team points.
Championship Round 1: Kael Glenn (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Kael Glenn (William Woods) won by a 15-7 major decision over Camden Whitehead (14-13; RV Texas Wesleyan).
Semifinals: No. 5 Caden Manion (16-4; No. 21 Oklahoma City) won by a :39 pinfall over Kael Glenn (William Woods).
Consolation Semifinals: Kael Glenn (William Woods) won by a 15-0, 1:50 technical fall over Coby Vollmer (0-6; Central Christian).
Third-Place Match: Nathaniel Ruiz (23-10; RV Wayland Baptist) won by an 18-2, 2:02 technical fall over Kael Glenn (William Woods).

149
Hudson Karr (1-13) didn't place and scored zero points.

Championship Round 1: Brandon Bollinger (23-14; RV Missouri Baptist) won by a :17 pinfall over Hudson Karr (William Woods).
Consolation Round 1: Hudson Karr (William Woods) received a bye.
Consolation Round 2: Timmy Murabito (12-11; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by a :56 pinfall over Hudson Karr (William Woods).

149
Michael Moore-Fondren (0-2) didn't place and scored zero points.

Championship Round 1: Michael Moore-Fondren (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: No. 12 Alex Pena (22-9; RV Wayland Baptist) won by a 2:55 pinfall over Michael Moore-Fondren (William Woods).
Consolation Round 2: Michael Moore-Fondren (William Woods) received a bye.
Consolation Round 3: Timmy Murabito (12-11; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by disqualification over Michael Moore-Fondren (William Woods).

157
Whit Nichols (12-16) placed sixth and scored six points.

Championship Round 1: Whit Nichols (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Whit Nichols (William Woods) won by a 5-4 decision over Mercer Ashley (11-17; No. 21 Oklahoma City).
Semifinals: No. 23 Ettien Rodgers Jr. (14-4; RV Missouri Baptist) won by a 16-1, 3:14 technical fall over Whit Nichols (William Woods).
Consolation Semifinals: Noah Richardson (26-23; RV Missouri Baptist) won by an 8-0 major decision over Whit Nichols (William Woods).
Fifth-Place Match: Dylan Milster (19-12; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by a 6-3 decision over Whit Nichols (William Woods).

165
Xander Sederburg (17-3) placed second and scored 17 points.

Championship Round 1: Sederburg (William Woods) won by an 8-4 decision over Zeb Fulmer (1-2; RV Texas Wesleyan).
Quarterfinals: Xander Sederburg (William Woods) won by a 2:49 pinfall over Alfredo Zapata (9-6; Central Baptist).
Semifinals: Xander Sederburg (William Woods) won by a 4:44 pinfall over Alex Wilson (10-19; No. 21 Oklahoma City).
First-Place Match: No. 15 Braeden Baller (7-0; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by an 11-3 major decision over Xander Sederburg (William Woods).

165
Josef Planansky (2-12) didn't place and scored three points.

Championship Round 1: Josef Planansky (William Woods) won by forfeit over Grayson Pennison (0-2; Williams Baptist).
Quarterfinals: No. 15 Braeden Baller (7-0; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by a 1:26 pinfall over Josef Planansky (William Woods).
Consolation Round 2: Zeb Fulmer (1-2; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by a 1:48 pinfall over Josef Planansky (William Woods).

174
Elijah Brocksmith (15-13) placed second and scored 13 points.

Championship Round 1: Elijah Brocksmith (Wililam Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Elijah Brocksmith (William Woods) won by a 13-6 decision over No. 24 Daxton DeFrange (15-10; No. 21 Oklahoma City).
Semifinals: Elijah Brocksmith (William Woods) won by a 12-9 decision over No. 16 Joel Campbell (34-13; RV Missouri Baptist).
First-Place Match: No. 25 Johnathan Ward (20-9; RV Texas Wesleyan) won by an 8-5 sudden victory-1 over Elijah Brocksmith (William Woods).

184
Dominic Mullin (5-19) placed fifth and scored 7½ points.

Championship Round 1: Dominic Mullin (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Jaykob Mills (6-6; RV Wayland Baptist) won by a 3:31 pinfall over Dominic Mullin (William Woods).
Consolation Round 2: Dominic Mullin (Wiliam Woods) received a bye.
Consolation Round 3: Dominic Mullin (William Woods) received a bye.
Consolation Semifinals: Nick Keim (22-23; RV Missouri Baptist) won by a 1:19 pinfall over Dominic Mullin (William Woods).
Fifth-Place Match: Dominic Mullin (William Woods) won by a 17-2, ;46 technical fall over Micah Oltmanns (0-3; Williams Baptist).

197
Ben Stephens (5-9) placed fourth and scored 13½ points.

Championship Round 1: Ben Stephens (William Woods) received a bye.
Quarterfinals: Ben Stephens (William Woods) won by a :27 pinfall over Blake Johnson (16-21; RV Missouri Baptist).
Semifinals: No. 22 John Bray (18-8; RV Wayland Baptist) won by a :37 pinfall over Ben Stephens (William Woods).
Consolation Semifinals: Ben Stephens (William Woods) won by a 1:19 pinfall over Jordan Allen-Smith (1-18; Central Baptist).
Third-Place Match: Braeden Stotts (19-18; RV Missouri Baptist) won by a 2:29 pinfall over Ben Stephens (William Woods).

Team Leaderboard
1. (RV) Wayland Baptist - SAC, 180 points
2. No. 21 Oklahoma City - SAC, 153 points
3. (RV) Missouri Baptist - AMC, 151½ points
4. (RV) Texas Wesleyan - SAC, 131 points
5. William Woods - AMC, 87½ points
6. Central Baptist - AMC, 34 points
7. Williams Baptist - AMC, 19 points
8. Jarvis Christian - SAC, 14½ points
9. Central Christian - SAC, eight points

2024-25 AMC Wrestling Awards
Wrestler of the Year: Daryl Mills, Missouri Baptist
Newcomer of the Year: Tyler Deen, Missouri Baptist
Freshman of the Year: Elijah Brocksmith, William Woods
Coach of the Year: Caleb McElfresh, Missouri Baptist

All-AMC
125 - Easton DeMilia, William Woods
133 - Dillon Witt, Missouri Baptist; Daryl Mills, Missouri Baptist 
141 - Tyler Deen, Missouri Baptist
149 - Brandon Bollinger, Missouri Baptist
157 - E.T. Rodgers, Missouri Baptist; Noah Richardson, Missouri Baptist
165 - Xander Sederburg, William Woods
174 - Joel Campbell, Missouri Baptist
184 - Nick Keim, Missouri Baptist
197 - Braeden Stotts, Missouri Baptist
Hwt. - Amad Soufi, Missouri Baptist