tLA CROSSE, Wis. — For
Mason Barrett, this year was all about getting a little bit better each day. The Averett University men's wrestling junior accomplished that goal this year, finishing in fifth place at 125 pounds while earning All-America honors at the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday.
Barrett advanced to Saturday's national semifinals after his two wins on Friday. Although he lost a tight 5-3 match to fall short of the finals and then lost a double-overtime heartbreaker on riding time in the consolation semifinals, he ended his season on a positive note by winning the fifth-place match.
Barrett probably felt a bit of déjà vu from last year after he drew Millikin University's Zac Blasioli in the fifth-place match for the second consecutive year. However, Barrett wasn't going to let the same results occur after getting beat 9-0 in 2023. Barrett, who also beat Blasioli in the tournament quarterfinals less than 24 hours earlier, knocked off Blasioli again with a 4-2 decision to finish one spot higher than he did last year at nationals.
"I wasn't in the right head space and I got killed that match last year," Barrett said. "This year I wasn't going out like that. It's obviously not where I wanted to be, but I'm glad I didn't go out on a loss and ended the season right."
Barrett opened the morning Saturday with his national semifinals match against North Central University's Christian Guzman, who was the No. 2 seed. Last year, Guzman blanked Barrett 4-0 in the 2023 consolation semifinals. This time around, Barrett made sure it was a tighter match. Although he fell short by a 5-3 decision, it again showed the improvement Barrett has made this season. That loss sent Barrett to the consolation semifinals for a chance to get to the third-place match. Waiting for Barrett was 2022 national champion and 2023 national runner-up Jacob Decatur of Baldwin Wallace University. The two remained deadlocked at 1-1 through the third period and in sudden-victory overtime. In double-overtime, Decatur got a quick escape and won with his several-second advantage in riding time. That sent Barrett to the fifth-place match for his rematch against Blasioli, who he beat 13-10 in the quarterfinals the previous day.
All in all, Averett head coach
Blake Roulo was satisfied with Barrett's performance on his way to fifth place.
"When you look at Guzman, we lose that match 4-0 last year, but we weren't even competitive," Roulo recapped. "So to be in that match with an opportunity to make the national finals — we were one takedown away. We lose to the Decatur kid in double-overtime and that's improvement. We were three seconds of riding time to win that match. And then with Blasioli, he had beaten us three times before and we beat twice here at nationals. It wasn't a fluke. Every position we lost in last year, we were greatly improved."
That all goes back to Roulo's objective with his team this year — get one percent better each day. Barrett did, and he got one place better at nationals as a result.
"It would shock me if he doesn't become Averett's first ever national finalist and possible national champ next season," Roulo said. "I think with him improving and making the right decisions on and off the mat, it has greatly benefitted his ability to perform in the highest moments. He looked outstanding. There wasn't a match I could point to where he looked bad. I'm really proud of Mason."
Barrett's second consecutive All-American finish at nationals capped off a stellar year for Averett's wrestling program in which the Cougars produced a record six national qualifiers and two region champions. And at nationals, Averett went 7-12 with five its six wrestlers getting at least one win in Wisconsin. As a team, Averett ended up with its best finish ever in a tie for 20th place.
"We made a huge leap this year with the amount of qualifiers we brought here," Roulo said. "Every single person has eligibility remaining. We have conversations we have to have in the next couple of weeks but if we take this same time and we are able to run it back, I think we can get different results as long as they focus on getting better in the offseason the same way Mason has."
2024 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships results
La Crosse, Wis.
March 15-16
125
Champ. Round 1 - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Jack Stanley (Mount Union), TF 15-0 (4:03)
Quarterfinal - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Zac Blasioli (Millikin), Dec 13-11
Semifinal - Christian Guzman (North Central) def. Mason Barrett (Averett), Dec 5-3
Cons. Semi - Jacob Decatur (Baldwin Wallace) def. Mason Barrett (Averett), 2-OT (2-2)
5th Place Match - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Zac Blasioli (Millikin), Dec 4-2
149
Champ. Round 1 - Tyler Goebel (Wisconsin-La Crosse) def. Jesse Alvarado (Averett), MD 12-0
Cons. Round 1 - Jesse Alvarado (Averett) def. Ty Koedam (Coe), Dec 16-9
Cons. Round 2 - Mike Glynn (RIT) def. Jesse Alvarado (Averett), Fall (5:51)
165
Prelim - Andrew Supers (Baldwin Wallace) def. Anthony Taylor (Averett), TF 16-1 (3:39)
Prelim - Anthony Taylor (Averett) def. Steven Rochard (Coast Guard), Fall (6:13)
Cons. Round 1 - Dustin Bohren (Loras) def. Anthony Taylor (Averett) TF 17-0 (3:44)
174
Champ. Round 1 - Charlie Grygas (Oswego State) def. Khalil Mitchell (Averett), MD 15-2
Cons. Round 1 - Khalil Mitchell (Averett) def. Jayden Curley (Roger Williams), Dec 10-6
Cons. Round 2 - Dejon Glaster (Millikin) def. Khalil Mitchell (Averett), Dec 6-1
184
Champ. Round 1 - Max Borton (Ursinus) def. George Moseley (Averett), Dec 4-3
Cons. Round 1 - Trent Furman (NYU) def. George Moseley (Averett), Dec 1-0
285
Prelim - Guyon Cyprian (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) def. Trent Ragland (Averett), Dec 7-3
Prelim - Trent Ragland (Averett) def. Nick Franco (Brockport), Fall (4:14)
Cons. Round 1 - Peter Wersinger (TCNJ) def. Trent Ragland (Averett), Dec 5-2
2024 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships Final Team Standings
1. Augsburg, 95.0
2. Wartburg, 87.5
3. Wisconsin-La Crosse, 82.5
4. Johnson and Wales , 76.0
5. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 69.0
6. Baldwin Wallace, 61.5
7. Coast Guard, 52.5
8. North Central, 42.5
9. TCNJ, 37.0
10. Loras, 34.0
11. NYU, 27.0
12. Castleton, 24.5
13. Luther, 22.5
14. Roanoke College, 21.5
15. Westminster, 20.5
T-16. Greensboro, 20.0
T-16. Stevens, 20.0
18. Williams College, 19.0
19. Millikin, 18.0
T-20. Averett, 16.5
T-20. Wabash, 16.5
T-22. Ohio Northern, 16.0
T-22. Wisconsin-Whitewater, 16.0
24. Alvernia University, 15.5
T-25. Concordia-Moorhead, 15.0
T-25. Messiah, 15.0
27. Alfred State, 14.5
28. Wilkes, 14.0
29. Ithaca, 12.5
30. Elizabethtown, 12.0
T-31. Adrian, 11.0
T-31. Ferrum, 11.0
33. Oswego State, 10.5
34. Southern Maine, 10.0
35. Delaware Valley, 8.5
T-36. Coe, 8.0
T-36. Cornell College, 8.0
38. Oneonta State, 7.5
39. Ursinus, 7.0
40. RIT, 6.5
41. St. John Fisher, 5.5
T-42. John Carroll, 5.0
T-42. McDaniel, 5.0
T-42. Mount St. Joseph, 5.0
45. New England College, 3.5
46. Washington & Jefferson, 3.0
47. Lycoming, 2.0
48. Central, 1.5
T-49. Albion, 1.0
T-49. Mount Union, 1.0
T-49. Olivet, 1.0
T-49. Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 1.0
T-53. Aurora Universtiy, 0.5
T-53. Cortland State, 0.5
T-55. Brockport, 0.0
T-55. Centenary (NJ), 0.0
T-55. Johns Hopkins, 0.0
T-55. Merchant Marine, 0.0
T-55. Roger Williams, 0.0
T-55. Springfield, 0.0
T-55. Trine, 0.0
T-55. Trinity (CT), 0.0
T-55. University of the Ozarks, 0.0
T-55. Washington & Lee, 0.0
T-55. Western New England, 0.0
T-55. Wheaton (IL), 0.0
