Wichita, Kansas – The seventh-ranked University of the Cumberlands Men's Wrestling team is set to compete at the NAIA National Championships beginning Thursday, March 5 and concluding Saturday, March 7 at Hartman Arena. The Patriots enter the national tournament after capturing their second consecutive Mid-South Conference Tournament title and finishing the season 8-5 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Cumberlands will send 12 wrestlers to the national stage, including 10 automatic qualifiers and two at-large selections, as the Patriots look to build on another strong campaign.

Matteo Vargo headlines the 125-weight class for UC as the No. 8 seed. Vargo captured the Mid-South Conference title to earn First Team All-Conference honors and punched his automatic bid to nationals with an 8-2 decision over #22 Chase Walker (Cumberland) in the championship bout. The junior controlled the pace with timely takedowns and strong mat work to secure the crown. Vargo enters the national tournament with an 18-6 record.

At 133, Riley Bettich earned an automatic qualification and enters the bracket as the No. 9 seed. Bettich compiled an impressive 21-2 record this season and secured MSC Third Team All-Conference honors following his performance at the conference championships. The Crown Point, IN native took home the individual title at the Battle in the Bluegrass earlier this season.

Eli Peyton will represent the Patriots in the 141-weight class after earning an automatic berth through the MSC Tournament. Peyton carries a 16-13 record into nationals and looks to make a strong showing on the national stage.

The 149-bout will feature Ty Lehman, who is seeded 13th in the bracket. Lehman secured Third Team All-Conference honors with a third-place finish at the MSC Championships and holds a 17-10 record heading into the tournament. The senior finished first at the Battle in the Bluegrass.

Cumberlands will have two representatives at 157. Brice Coleman earned the No. 14 seed after finishing runner-up at the MSC Championships to claim Second Team All-Conference honors. Coleman enters nationals with a 12-6 record, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Battle in the Bluegrass. Joining him is Marc Le Gaspe, who earned an at-large nomination to compete at the national tournament. His best finish was also at the Battle in the Bluegrass where he placed fourth.

In the 165-weight class, Malachia Harris secured the No. 9 seed following a runner-up finish at the conference tournament. Harris earned Second Team All-Conference recognition and carries a 17-6 record into the championship event. Harris won the Battle in the Bluegrass while also placing second at the Life Open. Derrick Bannister will also compete at 165 after receiving an at-large bid. Bannister holds a 16-10 mark this season and finished runner-up at the Battle in the Bluegrass tournament.

Weston Melvin enters nationals as the No. 7 seed at 174 after capturing the Mid-South Conference title and earning First Team All-Conference honors. Melvin opened the MSC Tournament with a 4-1 decision over #6 Shadrick Slone (Campbellsville) before sealing the championship with an 8-1 decision against #21 Anthony Pyron (Cumberland). He brings a 20-7 record into the national tournament and looks to carry his momentum into Wichita.

Lane Kiser will represent UC in the 184-weight class after earning an automatic qualification through the MSC Tournament. Kiser has compiled an 18-16 record this season and aims to make a deep run at nationals.

In the heavyweight division, the Patriots will send two competitors. Austin Silva earned the No. 10 seed after finishing runner-up at the MSC Championships to earn Second Team All-Conference honors. Silva enters the national tournament with a 14-5 record. Trey White also secured an automatic qualification at 285 and carries an 18-17 record into the bracket.

The NAIA National Championships will begin at 11 a.m. CT each day from Hartman Arena.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on the University of the Cumberlands Athletics. Please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter- @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, TikTok- @ucpatriots, Youtube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.