Tyler DiFiore, a 2017 graduate of Wellington High School, earned All-American honors at the Division III Coaches Association National Wrestling Championships that were held March 12-13 at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
This tournament was organized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) after the NCAA canceled all Division III Winter National Championships for what it called low participation numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 62 percent of all Division III wrestling programs were participating, but that did not meet the 70 percent standard set by the NCAA.
The NWCA wanted to provide a national tournament experience for those student-athletes who would have had two national tournaments (last year and this year) canceled during their careers.
No team scores were kept, but the top eight place winners in each weight class earned NWCA All-American honors. Each team that participated in the tournament was allowed to bring 10 wrestlers. There was no qualifying tournament prior to the event.
DiFiore posted a tournament record of 3-3 and placed eighth in the 141-pound weight class. He was knocked out of the championship bracket in the quarterfinal round of the 32-person bracket. He finished the year with record of 9-5 that included four tech falls.
DiFiore is the son of Leanne DiFiore and is a student at Luther College, located in Decorah, Iowa.
