DETROIT – Will Feldkamp recorded a first period pin to open his day at the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, but he ultimately fell in his subsequent matches to conclude his stay at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
 
Feldkamp finishes his season with a 20-6 overall record, including a team-high nine wins by fall on the season.
 
The redshirt junior started the 197-pound bracket with Chattanooga's Matthew Waddell, a three-time NCAA qualifier that made the tournament at 184 pounds in each of the previous two seasons. Waddell came out aggressively, trying to work Feldkamp to the mat with a front headlock, but after a reset it was Feldkamp turning the tables.
 
Pulling Waddell chest-to-chest, he tossed him directly to his back on the mat, picking up the takedown and four near fall points in quick succession. It wasn't much longer until Feldkamp completely broke Waddell down, pinning him just 76 seconds into the first period for his first career NCAA Championships victory.
 
Feldkamp nearly turned that same trick against Arizona State's Kendall Norfleet in the 197-pound consolation bracket, tossing Norfleet to his back but out of bounds. Norfleet responded with a takedown and a near-fall tilt after action resumed to take a 6-0 lead, but Feldkamp quickly escaped and got around Norfleet for a takedown of his own.
 
That led to a scoring flurry for Feldkamp, who tilted Norfleet for four near-fall points to take a 7-6 advantage. He rode Norfleet for the remainder of the period to push his riding time advantage over a minute.  With just over a minute gone in the second period, Norfleet took Feldkamp down on the edge to eliminate the riding advantage and take an 8-7 lead.
 
In the third period, Feldkamp elected to start in the down position. Norfleet was able to maneuver him for a two-point near fall, taking a 10-7 lead. Feldkamp finally worked his way to an escape with 44 seconds remaining in the period, now trailing by two points with 38 seconds remaining. Norfleet shot and took him down on the reset, clinching the 13-8 decision.
 
Feldkamp ended up in the consolation bracket after falling to Penn State's Max Dean in the round of 32. Dean entered the weekend as the top-seeded wrestler in the 197-pound field. The first minute between Feldkamp and Dean featured both wrestlers aggressively pushing the action, with Dean finally getting a takedown on the edge to take a 2-0 advantage. Dean got behind Feldkamp not long after Feldkamp escaped from the initial takedown and tilted him for near-fall points, but Feldkamp was able to hold on long enough to escape the first period.
 
Dean came through in the second period, though, taking Feldkamp down and tilting him for a pair of near-falls – first a two-pointer, and finally a four-point shot to lock up the 16-1 tech fall.