(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – After a weekend that saw him win the Mid-South Conference Championship at 285 pounds, Saints junior
Daulton Mayer (Mentor, Ky./Walton-Verona) was named MSC Wrestler of the Week. This is the second time he has been named this season (Jan. 2), and the second time in his career.
Mayer pinned his way to the 285 crown in Bowling Green. He pinned University of Pikeville's Reginald Whyte in 1:23, before a 46-second fall over University of Rio Grande's Braeden Denlinger earned him a spot in the semifinals.
Here, he took on the No. 18 heavyweight in the NAIA in Byron Pierce. He pinned him in 1:08 to head to the finals. In the finals, he met another member of the Rio Grande Red Storm in Bruce Wagers. Mayer and Wagers did battle in the Saints dual at Rio Grande back on Dec. 1, 2022. Mayer pulled out a 9-8 decision victory in that match. It was a different story in this one, as Mayer pinned Wagers in 4:24.
This win earned Mayer a spot in the NAIA National Championships for the third season in a row. He was also named MSC Wrestler of the Year for the first time in his career and First Team All MSC for the first time in his career.
Mayer is 24-3 this season with 17 pins. He has only lost to one NAIA opponent, with the other two losses coming to NCAA Division I foes at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships.
The NAIA National Championships will be held in Wichita, Kansas at Hartman Arena on March 3rd and 4th.
