(Oklahoma City, OK) Joe Sievert, a freshman from Akron, Iowa, earned NAIA All-America honors with a third place finish in the 165 lb. division at the 2010 NAIA Wrestling National Championships held Thursday through Saturday in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Sievert won two matches on Saturday to complete an impressive run through the wrestlebacks where he won six consecutive matches. He finished the season with a record of 22-5.

Sievert opened Saturday’s competition with a bang when he pinned No. 1-ranked Brad Lower of Grand View University in 1:53 in the consolation semifinals. Sievert routed fourth-ranked Ryan Tuzon of Dana College by a 23-11 major decision in the third place consolation match to avenge a pair of defeats Sievert had suffered against the Viking standout earlier in the season. Tuzon had defeated Sievert by 5-3 decisions in the championship bouts at the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championships and the NAIA North Regional tournament.

Sievert opened the tournament with a 12-4 major decision against James Linker of Campbellsville University, who placed seventh at last year’s tourney. Sievert dropped into the consolation bracket after he lost an 11-4 decision against third-ranked Kevin Hardy of Notre Dame College. Sievert pinned Adrian Gonzales of Menlo College in 5:49 during Friday’s wrestlebacks.

He went 4-0 in Friday’s wrestlebacks, starting with an upset victory against 10th-ranked Noah Hatton of the University of Great Falls when he pinned his opponent in only 23 seconds. Sievert continued his march through the consolation bracket with a 17-0 technical fall against Ty Knowler of Grand View and a 13-4 major decision against eighth-ranked Michael Hader of Great Falls.

Drew Smith, a junior from Milburn, Neb., was the Mustangs’ only other competitor who won his first round bout. Smith, who was ranked fourth in the nation at 141 lbs., advanced to the quarterfinals with a 15-0 technical fall against Bryan Williams of York College and a 6-4 decision against Wilson Metellus of Lindenwood University. A 4-3 loss against fifth-ranked Kirk Wirkuty of Southern Oregon University dropped Smith into the consolation bracket.

Joe Lockett and Jared Wildeboer each advanced through two rounds of the wrestlebacks before they were eliminated.

Lockett, a senior from Bellevue, Neb., who was ranked ninth in the nation at 197 lbs., defeated Jake Mabry of Oklahoma City University by an 11-4 decision and then won by forfeit against 11th-ranked Justin Rau of Grand View, who had finished third at last year’s national tourney. Lockett was eliminated after he lost an 11-6 decision against eighth-ranked Charlie Gibbs of Missouri Valley College.

Wildeboer, a 157 lb. sophomore from Parkersburg, Iowa, pinned Craig West of Lindsay Wilson College in 3:36 and then pinned Lindsay Wilson’s Caleb Anthony in 2:58. Wildeboer was eliminated after he lost by fall in 1:28 against ninth-ranked Ross Mosher of Great Falls. Mosher finished seventh at last year’s tourney.

Morningside Results:

133 – Anton Prater (Missouri Baptist) def. Jake McManigal (Morningside), 8-3; John Garza (Embry-Riddle) def. McManigal, 15-4.

141 – Drew Smith (Morningside) def. Bryan Williams (York) by technical fall, 15-0; Smith def. Wilson Metellus (Lindenwood), 6-4; Kyle Wirkuty (Southern Oregon) def. Smith, 4-3; Timothy Mitchem (Univ. of Cumberlands) def. Smith, 10-2.

149 – Trace Billet (Embry-Riddle) pinned Morgan Freese (Morningside), 4:29; Jimmy Eggemeyer (Southern Oregon) def. Justin Truckenmiller (Morningside), 5-2; Freese def. Truckenmiller, 8-2; Andy Shoultz (Cumberland) def. Freese, 11-4.

157 – Bryce Neff (Univ. of Cumberlands) def. Jared Wildeboer (Morningside), 9-7; Wildeboer pinned Craig West (Lindsey Wilson), 3:36. Wildeboer pinned Caleb Anthony (Lindsay Wilson), 2:58; Ross Mosher (Great Falls) pinned Wildeboer, 1:28.

165 – Joe Sievert (Morningside) def. James Linker (Campbellsville), 12-4; Kevin Hardy (Notre Dame) def. Sievert, 11-4; Sievert pinned Adrian Gonzales (Meno), 5:49; Seivert pinned Noah Hatton (Great Falls), 0:23; Seivert def. Ty Knowler (Grand View) by technical fall, 17-0; Seivert def. Michael Hader (Great Falls), 13-4; Seivert pinned Brad Lower (Grand View), 1:53. Sievert def. Ryan Tuzon (Dana), 23-11. Sievert place third. Ty Knowler (Grand View) pinned Matt Mueller (Morningside), 3:19; Mueller def. Ryan Shank (Lindsey Wilson), 7-2; D.W. Bradshaw (Missouri Valley) def. Mueller by technical fall, 16-1.

174 – Josh Bryant (McKendree) pinned Chad Morehead (Morningside), 2:36; Andrew Hairston (Lindsey Wilson) def. Morehead, 6-1.

184 – Jesse Alter (Missouri Valley) def. Brian Block (Morningside), 7-5; Brett Owen (Dickinson State) pinned Block, 0:37.

197 – Andrew Sanchez (McKendree) def. Joe Lockett (Morningside), 10-4; Lockett def. Jake Mabry (Oklahoma City), 11-4; Lockett def. Justin Rau (Grand View) by forfeit; Charlie Gibbs (Missouri Valley) def. Lockett, 11-6. Brandon Gebhardt (Baker) pinned Tyler Kacmarynski (Morningside), 6:29; Eric Mentzler (Cumberland) def. Kacmarynski, 12-4.

Hwt – Ryan Groom (William Penn) pinned Alex Will, 2:47; Arthur Grubba (Calumet of St. Joseph) pinned Will, 1:04.