Linton, Williams, Hunt named All-Americans

DES MOINES, Iowa — Cumberland’s Cody Linton, Jake Williams and Zeke Hunt were named All-Americans by the NAIA after their performances at the 56th annual NAIA National Championships held March 1-2 at the Jacobson Exhibition Center.

Honors were bestowed to the top-eight finishers in each weight class.

The three All-Americans in one season is the most ever for the Cumberland program and gives the Bulldogs 14 total All-Americans.

Linton was the highest finisher for the Bulldogs, placing fourth at 184. The sophomore won a 3-2 Decision over Midland’s Jahsua Marsh, last year’s national champion at 197, in the opening round and posted an 8-2 Decision against Adam Wolfe from Great Falls. In the quarterfinals Linton lost in the third overtime to Baker’s Jarid Price.

The Winters, Calif., native regrouped with a 6-0 Decision over Life’s Trey Hicks in the wrestleback before dropping a 7-6 Decision versus Montana State-Northern’s Trey Cheff in the third-place match.

Williams lost 11-9 in sudden victory in his first match to eventual runner-up Myles Mazurkiewicz from the University of Great Falls at 141, but the CU sophomore rebounded with an 8-4 decision over Morningside’s Kevin Olson, a 7-2 decision against Life’s Dillan Schouw and 5-4 decisions versus Campbellsville’s Chris Teague and Dickinson State’s Brad Steele.

The Rio Rancho, N.M., native was pinned by Campbellsville’s Brandon Westerman and lost a 5-3 decision to Simpson College’s Anthony Vega in the fifth-place match.

Hunt reached the quarterfinals in the main draw with a 12-6 decision over Hannibal-LaGrange’s Nathan Downs and a 7-3 decision against Dakota Wesleyan’s Tyler Sarringar. The Dacula, Ga., native lost a 4-0 decision to Wayland Baptist’s Jose Alvarez before coming back with a 6-5 decision over Brock Picard from Great Falls.

Hunt dropped a 10-0 Major Decision to Dickinson State’s Cameron Schrempp and then a 6-2 Decision against Oklahoma City’s Teagan Franco in the seventh-place match.