Webb Makes Return Trip to Nationals
Standout senior Daryus Webb will conclude his Avila career with his second straight appearance on the nationals mat at the 2024 NAIA Men's Wrestling Championship this weekend in Hartman Arena.
One of three Eagles to qualify for nationals a season ago as a junior, Webb will be Avila's lone representative on the sport's biggest stage this season as a senior. The KCAC champion at 184 last year, Webb was the runner-up at that weight this season and still safely earned an automatic berth into the final tournament of the campaign, which begins this weekend near Wichita.
Two wins at the KCAC Championship two weeks ago helped push Webb's overall record to 24-8 this season, by far the best mark on the team. Every single one of his losses has come to a wrestler currently ranked in the Top 20 at 184 in the NAIA, meaning Webb has only suffered losses to quality opponents this year – and he's very likely to see many of those faces again now that the national tournament is on tap.
The top 16 wrestlers in each weight class earn seeds in this field, and Webb was awarded the No. 14 seed by a panel of coaches involved in the ranking and seeding processes; he was ranked No. 15 in the NAIA in the final Coaches' Poll of the season, and was also nationally ranked by media organization The Open Mat.
After seeds are determined, first-round byes are assigned based on the number of wrestlers in the field at a given weight class. Webb was one of four athletes given a first-round bye at 184, which means he will not compete right when action begins at 11 AM on Thursday, the first day of the competition.
Once he does see the mat, he will either face unseeded Jakob Francksen-Small of Northwestern, or, more likely No. 3-seed JD Perez of Ottawa. Perez and Webb, two of the top wrestlers in the KCAC not just in their weight class but in any weight class, have not faced each other much over the years for various reasons, but they finally met up in the title match of the KCAC Championship this month with Perez prevailing to earn the conference crown.
The bracket committee works to avoid matching up teammates early on in the competition, but does not give that same consideration to potential in-conference matchups: so if the seeds hold, the two KCAC standard bearers would meet for the second time in 12 days in the second round of the NAIA Championship. The winner would then likely face either No. 6-seed Hayden Wempen of Morningside or No. 11-seed Alan Bradley of Providence in round three.
New this year, the 2024 NAIA Men's Wrestling Championship will be a three-day event, and all the action begins on Thursday, February 29, at Hartman Arena in Park City. Session I begins at 11 AM with action on eight total mats, and Session II follows at 6 PM; action then continues Friday at the same times and concludes with the final rounds throughout the day Saturday.
Stay tuned to Avila Athletics and Avila Wrestling on social media for updates from throughout the week as Daryus Webb begins his pursuit for the first podium finish in Avila Wrestling history. Details on how to watch and follow along all week have been posted on our website, avilaathletics.com.
