The No. 20 ranked Barton Community College Wrestling team came away with a pair of third place finishers in its five national qualifiers on Saturday as the Cougars placed eighth overall in the NJCAA West/Central District Championships held in Miami, Oklahoma.
Barton earned four of the automatic qualifiers for finishing in the top six of each respective bracket play while benefitting by one of the four wild card berths as five of the seven who took the mat advance further into the post-season.
Placing third in their brackets, Andrew DeArmond (165) and Joey Ewalt (184, are joined by 5th placers Drew Burgoon (141) and Gable Howerton (157) as Kolby Droegemeier (149) received a wild card berth after retiring due to injury in the consolation semifinals.
The five pack will begin preparation for the NJCAA Championships held March 6-7 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.