The Middle Athletic Conference (MAC) Wrestling Championships hosted by York College on Jan. 21 awarded three Colonels top three titles.

Sophomore Cameron Butka placed first overall in the 197-pound weight class (MAC Champion) while sophomores Austin Fashouer (125-pound) and Christopher Nuss (174-pound) placed third. Wilkes placed fourth as a team with 97 overall points in the tournament.

“As a team we wrestled the best we have all season long,” said head coach Jon Laudenslager. “Butka, Fashouer and Nuss competed very hard and led the team to the best weekend of wrestling yet.”

The three wrestlers were also awarded with All-MAC Team honors with Butka receiving All-MAC First Team, while Fashouer and Nuss received All-MAC Third Team.

Butka was ranked as the 197-pound third seed in the championship tournament. He started the day by winning by default in the quarterfinal bout, which led to his semifinal bout against Joe Embleton representing Messiah College. After three big takedowns, an escape, and riding time, Butka won 8-2 by decision.

In the finals, Butka wrestled the fourth- seeded Daniel Eckley from Delaware Valley University. Butka won 5-3 with two takedowns and an escape, claiming the 197-pound Championship title.

“Winning the MAC title this weekend helped me prove to myself that anything is possible with enough hard work,” said Butka. “Winning this tournament was a small step in my wrestling career, and I hope to make even bigger accomplishments by the end of this wrestling season.”

The fourth-seeded 125-pound Fashouer won his match in the round-of-16 over Robert Philpot (Alvernia University) by fall at the 2:32 mark of the first period.

In his quarterfinals bout, Fashouer won by major decision 16-5 over hometown rival Gus Petruske of King’s College who was ranked as the fifth seed.

Fashouers 8-3 decision loss to the one- seed, Luke Hoerle of Stevens Institute of Technology, led to a bout in the consolation semifinals.

Jacob Blair from Delaware Valley put Fashouer in a position to gain third place in his weight class in a 5-2 win over the three-seed. The 125-pounder won with a no-contest against Petruske (King’s).

“I felt good going into the MAC knowing I had to make a point there,” said Fashouer.

Nuss was ranked as the sixth seed at 174-pounds. In the round-of-16, Nuss gained a pinning win over Gavin Hollingsworth (Alvernia University).

Nuss took a 3-1 loss in sudden victory to Kade Kravits (King’s), who was ranked third. Nuss came back in the consolation rounds, working his way back up to third place.

Twenty-two seconds into his bout with Tim Eddinger (Messiah), Nuss got a pin to win the match. Another pin in his next bout over John Sumner (Messiah) put Nuss into the consolation semifinals with the fifth-seeded Jared Townsend (York). Nuss took the bout 13-3 and then won over Joel Martsinovsky from Stevens in a no-contest.

“The MAC tournament was a great opportunity to showcase all the hard work the team has been putting in over break,” said Nuss. “Win or lose, the experience was great and we only got better.”

In addition to the three title placers, Wilkes had four more Colonels within the top six: Junior Hunter Lowe placed fifth in the 197-pound weight class, sophomore Caleb Burkhart placed fifth in the 285-pound, junior Michael Richardson placed sixth in the 133-pound and senior Jack Bauer placed sixth in the 141-pound after cutting his day short due to an injury.

The Colonels will resume bouts on Feb. 5 at The University of Scranton at 1 p.m.