Press Release by Tyler Price, Assistant Director of Athletics | Communications
BALDWIN CITY, Kansas – Baker University sophomore Lucas Lovvorn became the University’s fourth NAIA Wrestling National Champion on Saturday night, as he defeated Adrian Lyons-Lopez of Providence (Mont.), by a 6-2 decision in the 174-pound bracket.
Lovvorn joins fellow Baker national champions Bryce Shoemaker who won the 133-pound national title in 2014, while Victor Hughes won the 149-pound national title in 2016 and Colby Crank won the 157-pound championship also in 2016.
Lovvorn entered the tournament as the number one seed and went a perfect 5-0 at the event, as he began the bracket with a pin of Joseph McAleavey of Bacone in 5:28.
Then continued with a 4-3 win over Brooks Climmons of Brewton-Parker (Ga.). Next up he defeated number nine, Chris Nile of Montana State-Northern, 8-2, before narrowly defeating number four Anthony Orozco of Menlo (Calif.), 3-2.
Baker earned two other All-Americans on Saturday, as David Dow became a two-time NAIA All-American with his fifth-place finish in the 197-pound bracket and Jacob Smith finished in sixth-place in the 184-pound bracket.
Dow defeated number seven Eric Fan of Eastern Oregon by a 9-4 decision to garner All-America, while Smith lost to number one Cameron Jones of Cumberlands (Ky.) by Fall in 1:22 to capture his All-America honor.
Dylan Pelland (125-pounds) and Colby Johnson (149-pounds) also competed for the Wildcats and Johnson was named Baker’s Champions of Character award winner.
Pelland went 1-2 on Friday, while Johnson posted a 1-2 record as well. Smith began the event a perfect 3-0, then finished with a 3-3 mark. Dow went 3-2 on Friday and Saturday.
As a team, Baker finished in twelfth place with 44.5 points. Grand View won its seventh-straight NAIA National Championship as a team and fellow Heart of America Athletic Conference team Missouri Valley placed sixth.
In just three short years as head coach at Baker, head coach Cody Garcia has now helped lead the program to three NAIA National Championships.
| Team Scores | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand View (Iowa) | 171.5 |
| 2 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 107.0 |
| 3 | Williams Baptist (Ark.) | 86.5 |
| 4 | Montana State-Northern | 81.5 |
| 5 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 76.0 |
| 6 | Missouri Valley | 70.0 |
| 7 | Indiana Tech | 54.5 |
| 8 | Life (Ga.) | 53.5 |
| 9 | Providence (Mont.) | 47.0 |
| 10 | Menlo (Calif.) | 45.5 |
| 11 | Campbellsvile (Ky.) | 45.0 |
| 12 | Baker (Kan.) | 44.5 |
| 12 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 44.5 |
| 14 | Midland (Neb.) | 40.0 |
| 15 | Hastings (Neb.) | 32.5 |
| 16 | Southern Oregon | 30.0 |
| 17 | York (Neb.) | 23.0 |
| 18 | Doane (Neb.) | 21.0 |
| 19 | Eastern Oregon | 19.5 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City | 19.0 |
| 21 | Dickinson State (n.d.) | 18.5 |
| 22 | Concordia (Neb.) | 18.0 |
| 22 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 18.0 |
| 24 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 17.0 |
| 25 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 16.0 |
| 26 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 15.5 |
| 26 | Kansas Wesleyan | 15.5 |
| 28 | Simpson (Calif.) | 13.5 |
| 29 | Marian (Ind.) | 13.0 |
| 30 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 9.0 |
| 31 | Morningside (Iowa) | 8.0 |
| 32 | Missouri Baptist | 7.5 |
| 33 | Lourdes (Ohio) | 6.0 |
| 34 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 4.5 |
| 35 | Jamestown (n.d.) | 4.0 |
| 35 | St. Andrews (n.c.) | 4.0 |
| 37 | Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) | 3.5 |
| 38 | Bacone (Okla.) | 3.0 |
| 38 | Brewton-Parker (Ga.) | 3.0 |
| 38 | Calumet (Ind.) | 3.0 |
| 41 | Bethany (Kan.) | 2.0 |
| 41 | Lyon (Ark.) | 2.0 |
| 41 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 2.0 |
| 44 | Graceland (Iowa) | 1.5 |
| 44 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 1.5 |
| 44 | Warner Pacific (Ore.) | 1.5 |
| 47 | Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) | 1.0 |
| 47 | Truett-McConnell (Ga.) | 1.0 |
| 49 | Allen (s.c.) | 0.0 |
| 49 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 0.0 |
| 49 | Wayland Baptist (Texas) | 0.0 |
| 49 | William Penn (Iowa) | 0.0 |
| 49 | Wvu Tech | 0.0 |
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