By: Jake Miller

INDIANAPOLIS, IN.- Austin Akins punched his ticket to the Division II national championships on Saturday (Feb. 27) after surviving day two at the regional tournament.

Akins qualified with a fourth-place finish at 285 pounds, posting a 3-1 mark for the day. Akins picked up his first win via tech fall (17-2), and fought his way back through the consolation bracket to advance. After dropping his second match, Akins picked up a 3-2 decision and followed it up with a 5-3 decision. In the semifinals of the consolation round, Akins delivered a 2-1 overtime win before falling via tiebreaker in the third place match. Akins had one last chance, and he delivered, cementing his place in Sioux Falls with a victory by rule in the fourth-place match. The senior posted a 5-2 mark for the tournament.

Charlie Huff (125) and Derrick Nelson (133) each narrowly missed the cut, placing fifth in their respective weight classes. Huff went 2-2 on the day and 4-3 for the weekend winning once by tech fall and once by major decision. Nelson posted a 1-2 mark on the day and picked up two wins by fall, giving him a total of three wins for the weekend.

Rashad Cunningham (157) and Derrick Booth (174) each placed sixth in their respective weight classes. Cunningham went 0-2 on the day to finish the weekend 2-3. Booth also posted a 1-2 mark winning by fall (2:56) for a total weekend mark of 2-3.

The national championships begin Fri. March 11 in Sioux Falls, S.D. at a time to be determined.