Six qualify for nationals, helps Wrestling to third place finish at NCAA III Regional IV Championships
February 28, 2026
ADA — The Ohio Northern wrestling team had six individuals qualify for the national championships with top three finishes, leading ONU to a third place team finish at the 2026 NCAA III Region IV Championships on Friday and Saturday.
The Basics
- Records: Ohio Northern (14-4 Overall)
- The Polar Bears finished 3rd of 20 teams with 177.5 points.
- #2 Roanoke (Va.) won the team title with 217.5 points, #18 Baldwin Wallace was second with 188.5 points, and Washington & Lee (Va.) was 4th with 153.5 points.
- Venue: ONU Sports Center – Ada, Ohio.
ONU Individuals
- No. 13-ranked sophomore Myles Johnson (Springboro) went 4-0 with two pins to win the at 197-pound title.
- Sophomore Jovanni Greco (Ross) went 3-1 with a tech fall and finished second at 149.
- Freshman Kurt Mokros (Lewis Center/Olentangy) went 4-1 with two pins to finish third at 125.
- Freshman Londen Murphy (Moscow/Moeller) went 4-1 with three pins to finish third at 157.
- Freshman Ben Hegler (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) went 4-1 to finish third at at 165.
- Freshman Jack Hoffman (Springboro) went 4-1 with a pin to finish third at 174.
- Sophomore Chase Vanderhorst (Covington) went 3-2 with a pin to finish fourth at 133.
- Sophomore Casper Caizzo (Norwalk/St. Paul) went 4-2 with two pins to place fifth at 141.
- Freshman Troy Dyszkiewicz (Cleveland, Tenn./Walker Valley) went 4-2 with a pin to finish fifth at heavyweight.
- Senior Ajay Locke (Lancaster) 3-3 with a pin and a technical fall to place sixth at 184.
Notables
- The top three placers in each weight class qualify for the NCAA III Championships March 13-14 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
- All 10 ONU wrestlers placed in the top six of their respective weight classes.
- Johnson was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler.
- Murphy won the Most Pins/Least Amount of Time award with three pins in 8:13.
- Murphy has a team-high 16 pins this season with a 30-5 record.
- Johnson is 35-4 on the season with 9 pins and 9 tech falls.
- Hegler is 30-9 on the season with 11 pins and six tech falls.
- Mokros is 36-9 with eight pins and six tech falls.
- Caizzo is 33-9 with 14 falls.
- Greco is 32-8 with 13 major decisions.
- Locke is 35th in program history in career wins with 88 and is 21-14 this year.
- Dyszkiewicz is 29-15 with 14 pins.
- Johnson is ranked No. 13 nationally at 197 pounds by the NWCA and was also named 2026 Ohio Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year.
- Ohio Northern head coach Ron Beaschler is in his 38th season and has a 421-268-4 dual meet record, a winning percentage of .607.
Up Next
- The Polar Bears will return to action at the 2026 NCAA III Championships on March 13-14 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
