Sophomore Lucas Lovvorn became Baker’s fourth wrestling national champion as he took the 174-pound bracket at the 2018 NAIA Wrestling National Championships on March 3.

Baker’s previous national champs include 133-pound Bryce Shoemaker in 2014, 149-pound Victor Hughes and 157-pound Colby Crank in 2016.

Lovvorn entered the national tournament as the top seed and ended his 5-0 run in a 6-2 decision in the final match over Providence’s Adrain Lyons-Lopez.

Four other Baker wrestlers competed at the national tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Sophomore David Dow became a two-time All-American as he finished in fifth place in the 197-pound bracket. Sophomore Jacob Smith also earned All-American status with a sixth-place finish in the 184-pound bracket. Freshman Colby Johnson competed in the 149-pound bracket, and Johnson was named Baker’s Champion of Character. Freshman Dylan Pelland also competed for Baker in the 125-pound bracket.

Heart of America Athletic Conference rival Grand View took home first place for the seventh year in a row. As a team, the Wildcats finished 12^th with 44.5 points.

Head coach Cody Garcia will take his wrestlers into his fourth season at Baker next year and hope to return to the national tournament.