River Falls' 2018 grad Mitchell Williamson is no stranger to taking the long road. His collegiate wrestling travels have taken him to Iowa Lakes Community College where he won a junior college national title but also endured four ankle injuries.

"It was like walking on a noodle," said Williamson.

After the lost season due to Covid, Williamson's wrestling rendezvous brought him to UW-La Crosse for one semester. It was not for him. He moved back to Iowa to live and train with fellow Wildcat wrestler Nathen Fuller before enrolling at Wartburg College where he tore his Achilles tendon.

"I didn't know if my body could continue to do the sport," said Williamson. 

"He was away from wrestling for essentially two years," said Wartburg Assistant Coach Trevor Kittelson. "He's had a lot of bumps in the road."

Bumps in the road may be an understatement. It may be more like potholes the size of Rhode Island.

But Providence, R.I., was exactly where Mitchell Williamson's wrestling travels brought him this past weekend for the NCAA Division-III National Tournament.    

The NCAA Division III wrestling team title has been won by a school with a name ending in "burg" since 1995. Augsburg University has won 15 National team titles. Wartburg College, in Waverly, Iowa, won their 16th this past weekend in Providence, R.I.

Williamson was the 18-wheeler helping drive home the victory in dramatic fashion.

Williamson was 18-1 entering the national tournament but was unseeded. It would be an uphill trek of mammoth proportions in the heavyweight class (285 pounds) facing the #2, #3, #4, and #7 seeded wrestlers in the country. All four were NCAA All-Americans.

"Mitchell went through the gauntlet of everybody," said Coach Kittelson. "Every game plan for every match was different and he executed each plan to perfection."

Last season, Williamson qualified for the NCAA National Tournament, but he went 1-2 on the weekend.

"This year I was enjoying every single match and I just felt blessed to be there," said Williamson. "I think that was the biggest difference from last year. I was able to take a step back and be grateful for the opportunity."

In the finals, Mitchell faced off against Carl DiGiorgio from the Coast Guard Academy. DiGiorgio was leading 1-0 to start the third and final period. Williamson garnered an escape to tie it up 1-1.

"I remember looking at the clock when I had him (DiGiorgio) in the waterfall position and there was 15 seconds left," said Williamson.

With the strength of a Brahman bull, Williamson lifted DiGiorgio off the mat and slammed him down for the takedown with three seconds left in the match. The 4-1 decision made Williamson an individual NCAA National Champion and helped his Wartburg team tie for the team national title.

It was the first time in 92 years two teams tied for the national title. Iowa State and Oklahoma State tied for the Division I crown in 1933.

Wartburg's 16 national titles and 52 individual champions are all-time bests in Division III history.

According to former River Falls' Wildcat Wrestling Coach Kevin Black, Williamson is the first River Falls Wildcat to win an individual NCAA championship.

"Mitchell was definitely on a mission this year," said Kittelson. "Everything I asked him to do, he figured it out and did it. I have faith in his ability to get it done when it's time to get it done."

"I love wrestling," said Williamson. "I love the practice. I love the grind. I love everything about it."