The Grand Valley State men's wrestling program continued to check boxes in the first year of reinstatement. After a 32-year hiatus, the Lakers qualified four wrestlers for the 2024 NCAA DII National Championships, secured an All-American (actually two), claimed an individual National Champion and finished 13
th in the team standings with 31 points. Not a bad first year.
Josh Kenny secured an All-American honor Friday with a quarterfinal win, but that was not the final destination for the sophomore from Grandville, Michigan. Kenny dominated his semifinal match Saturday morning, claiming a 17-2 technical fall win over Brody Hemauer from Wisconsin Parkside. With the win Kenny became the first GVSU wrestler to reach the title match since 1988.
In the finale, Kenny and Central Oklahoma's Anthony Des Vigne wrestled to a scoreless first period. Des Vigne took down to start the second period and it proved to be a decision he would regret. After a solid mat return, Kenny dominated with two 4-point near falls, followed by a pin at the 4:47 mark of the second period. Kenny became GVSU's first National Champion since Roger Singleton in 1988 at 118 pounds. Kenny finished the 2023-24 season with a 32-5 record.
"Josh had a plan and he wrestled it to perfection," said first-year head coach
Joey Simcoe. "He was dominant on Championship Saturday and wrestled to score points."
Wyatt Miller earned his All-American award after a blood-round, sudden victory win Friday and finished Saturday with an eighth-place finish and a 31-8 record.
