For Concordia Wrestling, the past couple of seasons have been about following the lead of standouts Mario Ybarra and Jacob Telles and building towards a return to conference supremacy. The Bulldogs believe they made steps forward this winter.
The season came to a conclusion on Friday (March 4) for Mario Ybarra and Jacob Telles, Concordia's two national qualifiers. Both Bulldogs picked up one win before being eliminated from the 2022 NAIA Wrestling National Championships.
Both Mario Ybarra and Jacob Telles are making preparations for a return trip to Hartman Arena, site of the NAIA Wrestling National Championships. The Concordia Wrestling program has had at least one All-American in eight-straight years.
A trio of Bulldogs represented Concordia Wrestling with 2021-22 all-conference accolades. Mario Ybarra collected the fourth All-GPAC honor of his career while Issiah Burks and Jacob Telles were also recognized.
When all was settled, Concordia emerged from the GPAC Championships with two national qualifiers in Jacob Telles and Mario Ybarra. The latter reached the 133-pound title match while helping the Bulldogs place sixth as a team.
On the opening day of the GPAC Wrestling Championships, four Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals of their respective brackets while nine total Concordia competitors remain alive heading into day two.
Twelve Bulldogs will take to the mats in Mitchell, S.D., on Friday and Saturday for the 2022 GPAC Wrestling Championships. The Concordia roster includes returning national qualifiers in Mario Ybarra and Jacob Telles.
In the final event of the regular season, six Bulldogs combined to claim seven wins as part of the Dave Edmonds Sioux City Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 5). Anthony Perez took sixth place at 157 pounds.
Issiah Burks and Mario Ybarra got a proper sendoff on Thursday (Feb. 3) as they both claimed victories on senior night. Their contributions helped the Bulldogs defeat York, 31-9, in the final dual of the 2021-22 season.
Concordia will honor a pair of seniors on Thursday night when York College will be in town for a dual. Issiah Burks and Mario Ybarra will be honored in a pre-dual ceremony. It will be the final home dual of the 2021-22 season.
The first year of Josh Watts’ tenure proved to be an unquestionable success. Many markers reached by the Bulldogs had not been achieved since 2020. The season ended with two Concordia wrestlers reaching the podium.
The hiring of Josh Watts in July set in motion a whirlwind pre-fall semester stretch that saw Concordia Wrestling tidy up and fortify a 2024-25 roster that put the pieces together during an impressive second semester.
It's a new era for Concordia Wrestling under Head Coach Josh Watts. The program welcomes back its three national qualifiers while adding nine freshmen and seven transfers to the mix.
Unmistakable for his physical stature and larger-than-life presence, Ceron Francisco captivated the Concordia University, Nebraska campus and left a legacy that went beyond the results on the mat.
When peeling back the layers that made up the 2023-24 Concordia University Wrestling season, the program’s progress becomes more evident. The Bulldogs believe they have laid a foundation for future success.
Tattooed just above Creighton Baughman’s right knee is the word “SAVED” in all caps. Says the accomplished Baughman, "'Saved' was always the word that came to mind when I think of the transformation that finding new faith has done for me."
After surprising many outsiders last season, Concordia Wrestling believes it is equipped for greater successes in 2023-24 as Head Coach Chase Clasen enters his second year leading the program. National qualifier Creighton Baughman sets the tone in the room.
Concordia Wrestling made a statement in the way that it exceeded expectations in 2022-23. In Chase Clasen's first season as head coach, the Bulldogs shrugged off their preseason GPAC placement of sixth and equaled a school record for dual wins in a season.
The trials, the tribulations and six years of grinding made Issiah Burks' stunningly dominant GPAC championship run that much sweeter. The Hemet, Calif., native has seized his one last chance to reach the national championships.
Head Coach Chase Clasen has entered the picture after the Bulldogs placed sixth at the GPAC tournament in back-to-back years. The 2022-23 roster features veterans with something to prove and a talented group of newcomers.
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