Men's Wrestling

DEBOE WINS HEAVYWEIGHT DISTRICT TITLE

DEBOE WINS HEAVYWEIGHT DISTRICT TITLE Play Video
Posted: Feb 12, 2023

Iowa Falls, IA – Sophomore Kawaun Deboe (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) became the sixth National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) North Central District Champion in school history on Sunday. Deboe took home the 285lb district title for the Indian Hills Men's Wrestling squad.

Deboe was the lone district champion for the Warriors as the team placed third overall at the national tournament qualifier at Ellsworth Community College on Sunday. Deboe, a NJCAA All-American from a year ago, received an automatic bid to the national tournament for the second consecutive year.

One year removed from placing third at the 2022 district tournament, Deboe ran through the 2023 bracket without much opposition. The sophomore heavyweight entered the tournament ranked No. 3 in the nation and had not lost a match to a junior college opponent throughout the duration of the 2023 campaign.

Deboe earned the No. 1 overall seed and a first round bye Sunday. The sophomore, who placed seventh at the 2022 NJCAA National Tournament to earn All-American honors, opened up competition Sunday with a dominant 17-0 tech fall in the opening round.

In the championship bout, Deboe square off against Iowa Central Community College's Hugo Harp for the second time this season. Deboe outlasted Harp throughout the three rounds and secured a 3-0 decision for his second victory over the sophomore this season.

Deboe joins Caleb Meekins (2021, 2022), Deron Pulliam (2021, 2022), and Chris Busutil (2021) as the only district champions in school history for Indian Hills.

Deboe will lead the Warriors into the NJCAA National Tournament March 3-4 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA. Along with Indian Hills' third-place team finish, all 10 individual competitors qualified for the upcoming national tournament.

READ MORE: WARRIORS TAKE 3RD, EARN 10 NATIONAL BIDS