With just under a month until the CCIW Championship and just under two months until the NCAA Championships, the NCC men’s wrestling team will look to continue their hot streak heading into postseason competition.
The majority of the season is behind the Cardinals, who currently sit at 9-2. The most recent NWCA Division III poll ranked them sixth in the nation. The season’s homestretch is underway, with only two regular season meets remaining.
Individual accolades
A strength for the Cardinal’s wrestling squad has been the amount of nationally recognized talent they have. As of the fourth NWCA Division III rankings list for the season, the team boasts seven ranked wrestlers in their respective classes.
Christian Guzman, ’26, and Robbie Precin, ’24, highlight the Cardinals’ spots on the rankings, as they rank one in the 125-pound and 133-pound weight classes, respectively. The accolades are justified for these two, as Guzman holds a 22-2 record, and Precin holds a 6-0 record, with both coming off All-American seasons.
The five other ranked team members include Bradley Rosen, ’24, Javen Estrada, ’25, Alex Villar, ’24, Cole Cervantes, ’24, and Robby Bates, ’24. They are ranked tenth, sixth, fifth, fifteenth and sixth in the 141, 157, 165, 184 and 285-pound weight classes, respectively.
A team of experienced wrestlers with these guys leading the way has been part of the reason the Cardinals have been successful this season. Having guys who are nationally recognized and have experience wrestling on big stages will prove to be a big advantage for a Cardinal team with postseason aspirations.
Guzman is one of the Cardinals with postseason experience.
“Having experience in the postseason does help me as it is coming closer and closer. The only thing that differs is that it is a new year, and you never know what can happen, but I expect all outcomes and keep preparing like I have done all year. I have been here before, so the nerves are less and less, but they are still there,” said Guzman.
The postseason is rapidly approaching for the Cardinals. Having guys like Guzman, as well as the other ranked wrestlers, will be huge for the team. Furthermore, having guys with success at the highest level provides a leg up for a team with championship aspirations.
Squad goals
The NCC program has made a name for itself on the mats, on both the women’s and men’s teams. Zach Cook has been a part of many top moments in program history.
Cook serves as the head coach of the men’s wrestling team and as an associate head coach of the women’s wrestling team. During his tenure with NCC, he holds a 34-0 record in the CCIW, with the team currently holding a 48-match winning streak within the CCIW. Also, there have been 14 wrestlers who have earned All-American status during his time with the program.
Additionally, Cook’s leadership is just one of the pieces that have propelled the NCC program to new heights. It is also worth mentioning that the Cardinals have great depth as a team, boasting a squad of 51 wrestlers.
Cook praised having a squad with so many guys that can step up at any given time.
“Our depth this year has really allowed us to mix up our lineup throughout several duals this season and see how our young guys perform when it’s go time. The competitiveness in our room is at an all time high, and that’s only helped push the whole team forward. If guys aren’t ready to go daily for practice, it’s going to be a rough hour and a half for them. We’ve been working hard to develop the depth we have and are going to continue to bring in tough guys at every weight class,” said Cook.
During any given meet, it is safe to say the team will get points from many different sources. Having such a complete top-to-bottom team allows for many athletes to maximize their opportunities. Further, many Cardinal wrestlers are ready to step up and perform when called upon.
Looking ahead
The men’s wrestling team will look to continue their streak of high-level competition. They have their eyes set on the playoffs. The CCIW Championship is Feb. 15 at Elmhurst University. The Lower Midwest Regional Championships are on March 1 and 2 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Following that, Wisconsin La Crosse will host the National Championships on March 15 and 16.
