Rutledge Qualifies for NCAA Wrestling Championships

Jaran Rutledge, a junior from Mundelein, Illinois (Carmel High School), advances to the NCAA Div. III Wrestling Championships, after winning the individual heavyweight championship at the Great Lakes Wrestling Regional on Feb. 17 at Elmhurst College.

The NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships will be held March 2-3 at Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa.

Rutledge is the first Knox wrestling national qualifier since Tom MacMillan advanced to the 1980 championships. Rutledge, the second seed at Saturday's regional, opened with a 4-1 decision, followed by a 8-0 major decision to reach the championship semifinals. There, he defeated the third seed by a 7-1 decision.

In the finals, Rutledge earned a 2-1 victory over the top seed, Andrew Neumann from Augsburg College, in dramatic fashion. Trailing 1-0, Rutledge scored a takedown in the closing seconds of the final period to earn the come-from-behind victory.

A five-time Knox College Prairie Fire Performer of the Week, Rutledge is 32-4 this season and has won individual titles at the Central College Invitational and at the Northern Wrestling Association Tournament already this season.

"Jaran has wrestled well and continues to do so," said Knox head wrestling coach Tony Islas. "As exciting as it has been, I am really trying not to dwell upon it much. We still have nationals, and once we place, I think everything will set in and I will become more excited about regionals and his season. The plan is for him and me to concentrate our efforts towards nationals and celebrate after placing."

Rutledge was an alternate qualifier for last year's national tournament after a third-place showing at regionals.

MacMillan, a 1981 Knox graduate, is the last Knox wrestler to reach nationals. He did so as a sophomore in 1979 and again as a junior in 1980, losing in the first round both times.

"Jaran advancing to the nationals means a great deal for our program," said Islas. "It means we have the ability to produce the caliber of wrestler that can compete against many of the top programs in the country."

The NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships will be hosted by Loras College at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque, Iowa. More information is available at http://depts.loras.edu/sports/2007ncaawrestling/index.html

Knox finished 14th as a team in the 15-school Great Lakes Regional, which was won by Augsburg College. In addition to Rutledge's wins, other Knox wrestlers who scored points at the tournament were Drew Moreno, who pinned his opponent in 1:20 in the consolation bracket at 174 pounds, and Josh Franklin, who  earned a 13-2 major decision in the consolation draw at 149 pounds.

Jaran Rutledge rests between matches