Middletown, CT -- WPI senior Tanner Thatcher (Blairstown, NJ) concluded his standout career Sunday placing fifth as the senior represented the Engineers in the 125-pound class on the final day of the 2025 NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Wrestling Tournament hosted by Wesleyan.
 
Thatcher had two paths at the start of the day on Sunday to qualify for nationals in two weeks in Providence.  His first path was a victory in the semifinal round where the fourth-seeded co-captain was pitted against the top-seed and defending national champion Joziah Fry (Coventry, RI) of Johnson & Wales.  After nearly a scoreless opening period, Fry took the lead with a late takedown and then logged additional takedowns to post a 22-6 tech fall at 5:51.
 
Now faced with the second route to nationals, Thatcher would need to rattle off two triumphs in the consolation bracket and began by squaring against Coast Guard's Nikko Beato (San Diego, CA).  Thatcher found himself trailing the seventh-seeded Beato in the third period but used a reverse with a minute remaining and then a ride out to force overtime.  However, in SV1, Beato scored a takedown to win 6-3 and stay alive in the tournament.
 
Thatcher closed out his career with the fifth place match where he found himself down 3-2 to Chris Tringali (Chester, RI) of Roger Williams before registering a takedown with 1:06 remaining in the third and survived a late escape and multiple takedown attempts to take the match 5-4.   The senior wrapped up his 2024-25 season with a 25-5 record and nine pins and compiled a 91-24 career mark with 30 falls.
 
As a team, the Crimson and Gray amassed 22.5 points to place 15th overall.  Thatcher amassed a pin and a major decision on Saturday while other victories for WPI included pins by 174-pounder Joseph Tully (Carver, MA), 197-pounder Nicolas LeSieur (Walnut Creek, CA) and heavyweight Joseph Bernard (Stratham, NH) a tech fall by Charlie Pavis (Bethlehem, PA) at 133 and a Mason Basara (Bethlehem, PA) decision at 149.  Johnson & Wales won the 18-team event, totaling 192.50 points while Coast Guard (155.0) placed second and Castleton (151.50) finished third. 
 
WPI will look to open next season in early November in the Racich Rumble at Ursinus (PA).
 
Results