Millikin University senior Bradan Birt, of Epworth, Iowa, won the first NCAA Wrestling Championship in school history taking first place in the 165-pound weight class at the 2022 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 11-12.
Junior Tommy Russell, of Brookfield, Ill., finished his run in the tournament in eighth place earning All-American honors. The Big Blue finished ninth in the team standings.
Birt, a sports management major, won the Championship Match by major decision 14-2 over third-seeded Kyle Hatch of Wabash College. Birt finished the season 42-0 and ended his Big Blue career with a 70-match winning streak dating back to 2019. Birt has a career record of 159-13.
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