ST. CHARLES, Mo. – For the first time in four years, there is a new Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) champion in the sport of wrestling. No. 3 Lindenwood University (7-1) capped a perfect 5-0 league slate on Saturday, defeating No. 10 University of Indianapolis (7-2) in Hyland Arena, 32-8.
The Lions entered the weekend as the lone GLVC squad unblemished, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker with three-time defending Conference champion No. 5 McKendree University (4-1), which hosted No. 15 Drury University (1-3) in Lebanon, Ill., in the other league dual of the day.
Lindenwood’s Kyle Dickhaus (184), Ronnie Gentile (157), Tanner Hitchcock (133), Michael Kramer (285), Gavin Londoff (149), Cevion Severado (125), and Colby Smith (141) claimed dual wins against their UIndy counterparts, with Gentile and Hubbard securing pins.
The Lions are just the second different GLVC champion since the Conference began sponsoring wrestling, as McKendree claimed the past three in a row.
McKendree won the other league dual on the day, topping Drury, 28-9, to finish with a 5-1 GLVC mark.
All-GLVC teams and major awards will be determined at a later date, pending a vote by the league’s head coaches. Additionally, GLVC teams will await information regarding qualifying and seeding for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, which will be held at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis March 12-13.