Warrensburg, Mo. (Mar. 6, 2000) -- Central Missouri State University will send seven wrestlers to the NCAA Division II Championships this weekend (Mar.10-11) in Brookings, S.D. This is the Mules' largest contingent of qualifiers since 1988, when they also sent seven wrestlers to the championships.

Representing the Mules will be red-shirt freshman Lee Gatlin (Kansas City, Mo., Hickman Mills H.S.) at 157, junior Matt Johnson (Jefferson City, Mo., JCHS) at 174, freshman Willie McCowan (Falcon, Mo., Lebanon H.S.) at heavyweight, freshman Drew Passley (Webb City, Mo., WCHS) at 125, sophomore John Rolling (Carmel, Ind., CHS) at 184, sophomore Luke Shaw (Columbia, Mo., Hickman H.S.) at 133, and senior Korak Simmons (Violet, La., DeLaSalle H.S.) at 197.

Johnson (26-16) is making his third straight trip to the national tournament. He earned All-America honors in 1998 with a fifth-place finish at 177, but did not place in last year's tournament. Shaw (38-8) is making his second straight trip to the national tournament after winning the 133-pound title at the Midwest Regional. His 38 wins are the fifth-best win total in season history for a Mules' wrestler. Rolling (30-14) is making his second trip to the national tournament after a second straight runner-up finish at the Midwest Regional. Simmons (32-14), the only senior on the Mules' squad, won the 197-pound title at the Midwest Regional and is making his first trip to the national tournament as a qualifier after being selected as an alternate last season and in 1997. Gatlin (25-15) earned a spot in the national tournament with a runner-up finish at the Midwest Regional. McCowan (21-9), who didn't join the wrestling squad until after football season, was runner-up at heavyweight at the Midwest Regional and has recorded 16 of his 21 wins with pins. Passley (22-13) was a wild-card selection after placing fourth at the Midwest Regional.

In their fifth season under coach Robin Ersland, the Mules were ranked seventh in the most recent Division II coaches' poll. They were 12-5-0 in dual matches, their first winning dual season since 1989-90, and have 10 wrestlers with at least 20 victories each. Ersland was voted Midwest Region coach of the year at the Midwest Regional.

South Dakota State University is the host school.