Bisek Qualifies For Nationals; Leads 7 Place Winners

MEQUON, Wis. (2/25/23)---The road was long – and it wasn't easy – for Ty Bisek to get to the NCAA National Meet, but in the end he reached his goal and qualified for his first-ever national meet.

Bisek finished in third place at 133, and was one of seven Cobbers to post a Top 8 finish at the Upper Midwest Regional Meet. The seven place winners helped Concordia finish sixth in the final team standings. The 6th-place team finish id the highest for CC since 2017 when they hosted the meet and finished in second place.

Bisek's trek to the Top 3, only the Top 3 finishers in each weight class ear a spot at nationals, was made more difficult by his loss in the quarterfinals on Friday. Bisek was forced to win four straight bouts to get to nationals – and he passed the test with flying colors.

Bisek started his 4-match quest by posting a pin in Round 2 of the consolation bracket on Friday. He came back on Saturday and won by an injury default halfway through his Round 3 consolation match. Bisek reach the 3rd-place match with a 5-2 decision over Zach Thompson of Wis.-Platteville who was ranked second in the region – just behind Bisek.  

The only obstacle left in Bisek's path to nationals was, ironically, Griffin Seyfried of the Univ. of Chicago who beat Bisek in the quarterfinals. There would be no upset in the final match for Bisek as he dominated from opening whistle until he recorded 18-1 tech fall at 6:19 of the third period.

Bisek went 5-1 for the weekend which brings his season record to 30-2 on the year. He is the first CC wrestler to reach the 30-win mark in a season since Ty Johnson had 35 when he qualified for nationals in 2019. Johnson is also the last Concordia wrestler to compete at the national meet.

Gabe Zierden went 2-0 on Friday to reach the semifinals at 197, but then went 1-2 on Saturday and finished in fourth place. It is second consecutive 4th-place finish at the regional meet. He lost his semifinal match to Beau Yineman of Wis.-Oshkosh in a 9-7 decision which was decided in the last minute of the third period. Zierden reached the 3rd-place match by getting a 17-1 tech fall over Gunnar Garriques of Chicago in the consolation semifinal. He was then pinned in the third minute against No.7-ranked Parker Venz of Ausburg.

Zierden finishes the season with a 27-8 record, and is 67-26 in his Cobber career.

Cade Lundeen (141), Tyler Bents (157) and Alex Rapelje (174) all posted 5th-place finishes, while Jacob Prunty was sixth at 149 and Elijah Hunt was seventh at 165.    

Lundeen, Bents and Rapelje all lost in the quarterfinals, made it back to the consolation semifinals and went 4-2 for the regional to get to their 5th-place finishes.

Lundeen finishes the year with a 28-7 record and ends his Cobber career with a 56-34 record. Bents, who will return for a fifth season, recorded his second straight podium finish at the regional meet. Last year he placed eighth at 157. Bents went 20-9 on the season and has 48 career wins. Rapelje ends his first year of collegiate wrestling with a 13-6 record.

Prunty was 3-3 at his final regional. He advanced to the consolation semifinals with a major decision and a decision, but then dropped his only major-point decision of the year in the semifinals and lost in the 5th-place match. Prunty went 23-14 in 2023 and ends his career with a 65-44 record.

Hunt started Saturday with a major decision win to reach the consolation third round. He lost 9-2 in the next match before picking up a win by medical forfeit to claim seventh place. Hunt went 3-2 at the regionals and was 15-14 for the season.

UP NEXT: Ty Bisek will have a 2-week break before competing at the NCAA National Meet on Mar. 10-11 in Roanoke, Va.       

NCAA Upper Midwest Regional - Place Winners for Concordia
133 - Ty Bisek (5-1) – 3rd place
141 - Cade Lundeen (4-2) – 5th place
149 - Jacob Prunty (3-3) - 6th place
157 - Tyler Bents (4-2) - 5th place
165 - Elijah Hunt (3-2) – 7th place
174 – Alex Rapelje (4-2) - 5th place
197 - Gabe Zierden (3-2) - 4th place

NCAA UPPER MIDWEST REGIONAL FINAL TEAM SCORES:
1. Augsburg - 176.0
2. UW-La Crosse – 142.5
3. UW-Eau Claire - 128.5
4. UW-Whitewater - 117.0
5. UW-Platteville - 111.0
6. Concordia College - 93.5
7. Univ. Of Chicago - 90.0
8. UW-Stevens Point - 68.0
9. UW-Oshkosh - 62.5
10. Aurora Universtiy - 51.0
11. Concordia Wisconsin - 50.0
12. Wheaton College - 33.0
13. Linfield University - 30.5
14. Elmhurst College - 21.0
15. Carthage College - 13.0
16. MSOE – 12.0
17. Pacific (Oregon) - 6.5
18. St. John`s - 5.0
19. Lakeland University - 0.0   

NCAA DIII Regional Upper Midwest Results for Concordia College
133
Ty Bisek (30-2) placed 3rd and scored 20.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Ty Bisek (Concordia College) 27-2 won by fall over Justin Hames (Elmhurst) 14-14 (Fall 1:26)
Quarterfinal - Griffin Seyfried (Univ. Of Chicago) 21-11 won by decision over Ty Bisek (Concordia) 27-2 (Dec 4-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Ty Bisek (Concordia College) 27-2 won by fall over Tyler Evitts (Aurora) 17-18 (Fall 4:55)
Cons. Round 3 - Ty Bisek (Concordia) 30-2 won by inj. default over Zachary Weiler (UW-La Crosse) 12-10 (Inj. 3:00)
Cons. Semi - Ty Bisek (Concordia) 30-2 won by decision over Zach Thompson (UW-Platteville) 13-4 (Dec 5-2)
3rd Place Match - Ty Bisek (Concordia) 30-2 won by tech fall over Griffin Seyfried (U of Chicago) (TF-1.5 6:19 (18-1)

141
Cade Lundeen (28-7) placed 5th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Cade Lundeen (Concordia) 26-6 won by fall over Aidan Lybarger (Pacific (Oregon)) 0-2 (Fall 1:53)
Quarterfinal - Dakarai Clay (UW-Whitewater) 31-10 won by decision over Cade Lundeen (Concordia) 26-6 (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Cade Lundeen (Concordia) 26-6 won by decision over Cooper Peterson (UW-Stevens Pt) (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Round 3 - Cade Lundeen (Concordia College) 28-7 won by fall over Troy Mock (Elmhurst) 3-3 (Fall 1:22)
Cons. Semi - Sam Stuhl (Augsburg) 33-5 won by tech fall over Cade Lundeen (Concordia) 28-7 (TF-1.5 4:11 (15-0))
5th Place Match - Cade Lundeen (Concordia) 28-7 won by dec over Andrew Kested (UW-Eau Claire) 16-10 (Dec 8-3)

149
Jacob Prunty (23-14) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Prunty (Concordia) 22-12 won by medical fft over Lucas Schanen (Lakeland) 0-2 (M. For.)
Quarterfinal - Charlie Stuhl (Augsburg) 27-4 won by decision over Jacob Prunty (Concordia College) 22-12 (Dec 3-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Jacob Prunty (Concordia) 22-12 won by major decision over Zach Kolb (Elmhurst) 13-13 (MD 12-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Jacob Prunty (Concordia) 23-14 won by dec over Veliko Kochiu (Concordia Univ.) 17-11 (Dec 10-6)
Cons. Semi - Zach Sato (UW-Eau Claire) 36-9 won by major decision over Jacob Prunty (Concordia) 23-14 (MD 13-1)
5th Place Match - Ryan Fleck (U Of Chicago) 24-10 won by decision over Jacob Prunty (Concordia) 23-14 (Dec 11-7)

157
Tyler Bents (20-9) placed 5th and scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Tyler Bents (Concordia) 18-8 won by decision over Ronald Massari (Elmhurst) 0-2 (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal - Tyler Shilson (Augsburg) 26-3 won by fall over Tyler Bents (Concordia College) 18-8 (Fall 5:39)
Cons. Round 2 - Tyler Bents (Concordia College) 18-8 won by decision over Cade Zeamer (Wheaton ) 1-2 (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Round 3 - Tyler Bents (Concordia) 20-9 won by dec over Brendan Connolly (U Of Chicago) 24-11 (Dec 9-4)
Cons. Semi - Aiden Brosinski (UW-Platteville) 23-11 won by fall over Tyler Bents (Concordia) 20-9 (Fall 2:10)
5th Place Match - Tyler Bents (Concordia) 20-9 won by decision over Cody Welker (UW-Oshkosh) 13-12 (Dec 6-3)

165
Elijah Hunt (15-14) placed 7th and scored 10.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Elijah Hunt (Concordia College) 14-13 won by fall over Harry Nemcek (MSOE) 0-2 (Fall 1:35)
Quarterfinal - Cooper Willis (Augsburg) 26-6 won by major decision over Elijah Hunt (Concordia) 14-13 (MD 10-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Elijah Hunt (Concordia) 14-13 won by major decision over Emanuel Diaz (Aurora) 5-25 (MD 14-6)
Cons. Round 3 - Brandon Peckham (UW-Stevens Point) won by dec over Elijah Hunt (Concordia) 15-14 (Dec 9-3)
7th Place Match - Elijah Hunt (Concordia) 15-14 won by medical fft over Darian Estevez (U Of Chicago) (M. For.)

174
Alexander Rapelje (13-6) placed 5th and scored 11.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Alexander Rapelje (Concordia) 11-5 won by decision over Price Pothier (Linfield) 16-7 (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal - Seth Goetzinger (Augsburg) 23-6 won by fall over Alexander Rapelje (Concordia) 11-5 (Fall 2:18)
Cons. Round 2 - Alexander Rapelje (Concordia) 11-5 won by dec over Jon Pullen (Concordia Wis) 19-11 (Dec 10-6)
Cons. Round 3 - Alexander Rapelje (Concordia) 13-6 won by dec over Ryan Riser (UW-Whitewater) 14-8 (Dec 3-0)
Cons. Semi - Luke Silva (Aurora) 34-7 won by fall over Alexander Rapelje (Concordia College) 13-6 (Fall 0:27)
5th Place Match - Alexander Rapelje (Concordia) 13-6 won by medical fft over N.Wynsma (UWPlatteville) (M. For.)

184
Nathaniel Kisgen (1-4) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Nathaniel Kisgen (Concordia) 1-4 won by fall over Wyatt Haynes (U Of Chicago) 19-13 (Fall 1:25)
Quarterfinal – B.Schwanebeck-Ostermann (Augsburg) 27-5 won by fall over Kisgen (Concordia) 1-4 (Fall 2:59)
Cons. Round 2 - Stephen Watson (Wheaton) 2-1 won by decision over Nathaniel Kisgen (Concordia) 1-4 (Dec 5-2)

197
Gabriel Zierden (27-8) placed 4th and scored 17.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Gabriel Zierden (Concordia) 26-6 won by fall over Colin O`Neill (Elmhurst) 16-16 (Fall 1:36)
Quarterfinal - Gabriel Zierden (Concordia) 26-6 won by fall over Ben Kawczynski (UW-La Crosse) 24-7 (Fall 5:48)
Semifinal - Beau Yineman (UW-Oshkosh) 27-2 won by decision over Gabriel Zierden (Concordia) 27-7 (Dec 9-7)
Cons. Semi - Gabriel Zierden (Concordia) 27-7 tech fall over Gunnar Garriques (U Of Chicago) (TF-1.5 6:56 (17-1))
3rd Place Match - Parker Venz (Augsburg) 27-7 won by fall over Gabriel Zierden (Concordia) 27-8 (Fall 2:26)

285
Mason Swanson (15-12) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Prelim - Chase Melton (UW-Eau Claire) 28-4 won by fall over Mason Swanson (Concordia College) 15-12 (Fall 1:27)
Prelim - Cam`ron Harper (Aurora) 21-17 won by major decision over Mason Swanson (Concordia) 15-12 (MD 12-4)