UNI Wrestling

What: West Regional

When: Saturday, 10 a.m.

Where: Greeley, Colo (Butler-Hancock Hall at the University of Northern Colorado).

Contending teams: No. 21 Northern Iowa, Northern Colorado, Air Force, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Wyoming.

Notes: The Panthers vaulted to No. 21 in the latest Intermat rankings as they head into their NCAA qualifier. UNI has qualified six or more wrestlers to nationals every year Brad Penrith has been at the helm, eight seasons in all. Six (2007) is the fewest Penrith has ever qualified.

With that said, a new NCAA qualifying system will make UNI's task Saturday tougher.

The Western Wrestling Conference (West Regional) has been allotted only 13 automatic qualifying spots - one each at 125, 133, 141, 157, 165, 174 and 285, and two each at 149, 184 and 197 - based on certain qualifying standards. All 10 conference champs will qualify for the national tournament with the true second at 149, 184 and 197 also earning NCAA bids.

After all qualifying tournaments are contested, an NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet and award 52 additional qualifying bids on March 11.

The NCAA championships are March 19-21 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

The Panthers have four returning NCAA qualifiers - Tyson Reiner at 157, returning all-American Moza Fay at 165, Alex Dolly at 184 and Andrew Anderson at 197.

Additionally, Trent Washington at 141, Trevor Kittleson at 149 and Christian Brantley at heavyweight could earn No. 1 seeds for the WWC tournament.

UNI has won 23 consecutive West Regional championships.

Lineup

125 - Cruse Aarhus (8-10), fr.

133 - Steven Fitzgerald (5-8), fr.

141 - Trent Washington (11-7), fr.

149 - Trevor Kittleson (23-8), so.

157 - Tyson Reiner (16-11), jr.

165 - Moza Fay (23-4), sr.

174 - Jarion Betts (14-7), so.

184 - Alex Dolly (9-3), sr.

197 - Andrew Anderson (23-7), sr.

Hwt. - Christian Brantley (23-7), fr.

Quoting Panther head coach Brad Penrith:

On his team, "We've got opportunities. We've had a great two weeks of practice. We're mentally and physically ready. We really had some great runs, workouts and lifts this week. I'm optimistic … very positive."

- Compiled by Courier Sports Writer Jim Nelson