CLEVELAND, Ohio – Redshirt senior Evan Cheek of the Cleveland State University wrestling team found out his initial opponent as the brackets for next week's NCAA Championships were released Wednesday evening on NCAA.com.

Cheek earned the No. 16 seed at 141 pounds in the 33-man field. As a result, he will face the No. 17 seed, Grant Leeth of Missouri, in his first match of the national tournament in the Round of 32. The opening session begins Thursday, March 19, at Noon (ET) at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It will be broadcast on ESPNU with video of all mats available on ESPN3.

NCAA Championships 141-Pound Bracket

Leeth finished third at the MAC Championships while posting a 4-1 record at the event as his only loss came to the eventual champion. He earned All-America honors at 149 pounds in 2018 after earning a MAC title.

Cheek and Leeth have not faced one another as collegians. Leeth did not compete when the two teams faced one another in dual action in late January nor did they meet at the MAC Championships this season.

The winner of the Cheek vs. Leeth bout will face the winner of No. 1 seed Luke Pletcher of Ohio State against either No. 32 Parker Filius of Purdue or No. 33 Dylan Droegemueller of North Dakota State. That bout will take place Thursday evening in the event's second session. The losers of those two bouts will also face off in their first consolation bout Thursday night.

Thursday's evening session will be broadcast on ESPN.

Cheek earned his second national tournament berth by virtue of his performance at this past weekend's Mid-American Conference Championships. He won a trio of matches Saturday, two against top-26 opponents, to lock up a spot to NCAA's. He ended up finishing as the runner-up at the event, well inside the MAC's allotment of five automatic berths at the weight.

Cheek's selection to the NCAA Championships is the 139th all-time by a Viking since Cleveland State's inaugural selection to NCAA's in 1965 (all divisions).