MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Lakeland College sophomore Mitchell Fucile (Chilton, Wis.) finished second at 165 pounds at the NCAA Division III West Regional on Saturday, clinching a spot in the Division III National Championships.

Fucile defeated Casey Kenealy of Concordia University Wisconsin 9-4 in extra time in the semifinals to clinch the top three finish needed to qualify for nationals. He then lost a 9-4 decision in the final to Jake Krogstad of Concordia University Moorhead (Minn.) to just miss out on the regional title.

Fucile is the 11th qualifier in school history for the Division III nationals and the eighth different wrestler to accomplish the feat. He is the first Muskie to accomplish the feat since Ryan Renon, who also qualified at 165 lbs. in 2012.

Fucile came through a field of eight wrestlers to make the final. He opened with a 5-2 decision over Ryan Behnke of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire before defeating Kenealy in the semifinals.

The day was otherwise a very quiet one for the remaining six Lakeland participants. Mason Lind (Fr.-Brandon, Wis.) was the only other Muskie to register a win, earning a pin of Michael Berg of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 3:56 in his first wrestleback match before being eliminated in his next match.

Ian Gioacchini (Fr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) at 141 lbs., Mat Gonzalez (So.-Manistique, Mich.) at 149, Eddie Terres (Jr.-Escanaba, Mich.) at 184, Jeremy Kroeger (Sr.-Villa Park, Ill.) and Andrew Wagner (Sr.-West Bend, Wis.) all finished 0-2 in their respective weight classes. Terres was the closest to a win, losing a narrow 4-3 decision to Mitchell Slatton of Concordia (Wis.), while Gonzalez and Wagner both lost two-point decisions.

The Division III wrestling championships will take place March 13-14 in Hershey, Pa.