Wrestling team finishes in fifth-place at Pete Willson Invitational

WHEATON, Ill. – The Olivet College wrestling team finished in fifth-place (out of 31 teams) at the two-day Pete Willson Invitational, hosted by Wheaton College and inside King Arena in Wheaton, Ill.

The Comets collected 88 total points. NCAA Division II foe University of Wis.-Parkside won the team title with 117.5 points. University of Wis.-Whitewater was second with 102 points, followed by University of Mount Union (Ohio) with 92.5 and University of Indianapolis with 91.5.

Sophomore Robbie Bidlingmaier (Chesterfield Twp./Anchor Bay) was Olivet's top finisher, as he placed third in the 125-pound bracket. This morning, he lost his semifinal match, 9-5, to Zach Mueller from University of Wis.-Oshkosh. Bidlingmaier came back with a 7-4 win in the consolation bracket semis and then posted a 17-0 technical fall win over Jacob Papke from Wis.-Parkside in the third-place match.

Sophomore Gage Pederson (Hastings) finished fourth at 149 pounds. In the semifinals, he fell to Cade Sarbacker from Wis.-Whitewater, 17-6. Pederson won his consolation bracket semifinal match, 2-0, but dropped a 14-4 decision to Cameryn Brady from Manchester (Ind.) College in the third-place match.

Senior Trevor Tyler (Roscommon) placed fourth at 174 pounds. After getting pinned in the semifinals, he won his next match 9-2. Tyler forfeited the third-place match.

Unseeded at 197 pounds, senior Justin Leonard (Webberville) finished in fifth-place. This morning, he won a 4-2 decision before falling 6-3 in the consolation bracket semifinals. Leonard then picked-up a 6-4 overtime win against Andrew Lovins from Heidelberg (Ohio) University. Junior Logan Renas (Big Rapids) was sixth at 285 pounds.

The Comets return to the mats next Thursday, Feb. 2, for a dual match at Trine (Ind.) University, starting at 7 p.m.