By Tiffany Williams –
In Middletown, Connecticut, on Saturday, WPI senior Tanner Thatcher showcased his wrestling skills by winning two matches, which highlighted the performance of the WPI wrestling team on the opening day of the 2025 NCAA Division III Northeast Region Wrestling Championships held at Wesleyan University.
Competing in the 125-pound weight class, Thatcher advanced to the semifinals scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m., marking a significant achievement in his wrestling career.
Following the first day of competition, the Engineers found themselves in 14th place overall, accumulating a total of 21.5 points. Johnson & Wales led the 18-team event with 99.5 points, closely followed by Castleton with 97.5 points, while Coast Guard occupied the third position with 81.5 points.
Thatcher, who was seeded fourth in the tournament, began his campaign with an impressive first-round performance, securing a pinfall victory over his opponent from Bridgewater State in just 2 minutes and 39 seconds of the first period.
In the quarterfinals, Thatcher continued to demonstrate his skill and dominance on the mat, achieving a commanding 14-2 major decision win against a Springfield wrestler.
Thatcher’s semifinal match will pit him against the top seed and defending national champion, Joziah Fry of Johnson & Wales. A victory in this crucial bout would guarantee Thatcher a spot at the national championships in two weeks. However, if he were to lose, he would need to navigate through the consolation bracket and win two additional matches to claim the third and final qualifying position for the national tournament set to take place in Providence in mid-March.