University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior Jaritt Shinhoster (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) successfully defended his national title to claim the crown at 184 pounds once again at the 2023 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Roanoke, Virginia. 

In a rematch of the 2022 national championship bout, Shinhoster defeated Shane Liegel of Loras College by 9-2 decision Saturday evening to secure the title for the second consecutive season. The title bout was the rubber match between the two brawlers, as the pair had each registered a win against the other this season. Shinhoster was a perfect 4-0 at the national championships this season. After opening with a fall, he posted back-to-back major decisions to advance to the title bout. 

Shinhoster is the third back-to-back champion in program history joining Rob Llorca from 1990 and 1991 at 158 pounds and fellow 184-pounder Jordan Newman who secured titles in 2017 and 2018. Overall, he is the fifth wrestler to win a national title as a Warhawk. 

The fifth-year senior has recorded a phenomenal career as Warhawk. His 33 wins this season is the most in his five years (including a shortened season due to the pandemic) as he wrapped up the season at 33-2. For his storied career, Shinhoster is 112-15 with 57 pins, 9 technical falls and 28 major decisions. With a streak of five consecutive pins through regionals and into the first round of the national tournament this season, it is no surprise that Shinhoster has a fall-rate nearing 50-percent for his career. 

SATURDAY MORNING SESSION RECAP
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater brawler Jaritt Shinhoster (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) has advanced to the title bout at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. The senior will defend his 2022 national title against Loras' Shane Liegel in the Saturday evening session slated to begin with the parade of All-Americans at 6:30 pm ET. 

The 184 title bout will be a rematch of the 2022 national championship. Shinhoster defeated then top-ranked Liegel by major decision 13-5. This season, the brawlers have met twice. Liegel won in sudden victory in the title bout of the Concordia Wisconsin Open back in November. That loss marked Shinhoster's first of the season - his lone other came to a Division I opponent in the annual Midlands Championships where he finished as the runner-up against all Division I competition. Shinhoster took the second meeting this season by decision, 4-0, in a dual against Loras in January. 

Shinhoster defeated Donovan Corn of Luther College by 12-0 major decision in Saturday morning's semifinal. 

Shinhoster is 32-2 on the season with half of his victories coming by fall. He three technical falls and seven major decision for a total of 26 bonus point wins of his 32 victories. 

FRIDAY RECAP
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior Jaritt Shinhoster (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) punched his ticket into the semifinals of the 2023 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships to secure All-America honors for the third time in his career. Jake Burford (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) and Dominik Mallinder (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) were also in action in the opening day of nationals in Roanoke, Va. Friday.
 
Shinhoster, the defending national champion at 184 pounds made quick work of his first bout on the day. Pinning Isaac Cory of Penn College of Technology in just 40 seconds, he registered his fifth consecutive fall. Shinhoster went the distance in his quarterfinal bout but still picked up the bonus win defeating Mahlic Sallah of Roanoke College by major decision 12-0. Top-ranked Shinhoster will face fifth-ranked Donovan Corn of Luther College tomorrow morning.
 
Burford had a tough draw at 149 pounds opening with the second-ranked wrestler from Johnson & Wales, Hayden Brown. The senior bounced back from a first round fall to defeat Daniel Uribe of Wabash by 9-6 decision.  In his first bout of the evening session Friday, Burford topped Chris Perry of Trinity (CT) before falling to eighth-ranked Chase Sumner of Ohio Northern. Burford, the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion and Upper Midwest Regional runner-up, ends the season with a 32-9 mark after making his third trip to the national championship.
 
Mallinder had a phenomenal freshman campaign for the Warhawks. The 2023 WIAC champion, Mallinder qualified for his first trip to nationals with the Upper Midwest Regional crown. Despite going 0-2 Friday, Mallinder's 31 wins in his first season competing collegiate speak for themselves.
 
The 2023 DIII Championship will conclude with a morning and evening session Saturday.