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Lopez to NCAA tourney

Andy Krutsinger

Mar. 17, 2026 4:42 pm

New London’s Marcel Lopez flashes the number four to signify his fourth state wrestling championship on Feb. 19, 2022, at Wells Fargo Arena. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
New London’s Marcel Lopez flashes the number four to signify his fourth state wrestling championship on Feb. 19, 2022, at Wells Fargo Arena. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

CLEVELAND, Oh. — New London wrestling fans will have a rooting interest in the 2026 NCAA Division 1 wrestling tournament, as former Tiger star Marcel Lopez will be battling through the brackets with the best of the best.

Lopez earned an at-large bid to compete in the 133-pound weight class when the tournament kicks off on Thursday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Lopez went 26-9 this season for Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville (SIUE), after getting fourth in the qualifying meet. Older brother Dominic Lopez finished fifth in the qualifier and missed out on nationals.

Lopez is one of the greats of all time at New London. In high school, he was the first Tiger ever to win four state championships.

Lopez will wrestle a familiar face to Iowa wrestling fans in Round 1, as he takes on Drake Ayala of the University of Iowa, a former Fort Dodge wrestling star. Lopez is seeded 27th in the bracket, while Ayala is seeded ninth.

The tournament takes place from this Thursday, March 19, to Sunday March 22.
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