USM junior Jake Craig, left, of Norridgewock will compete in the 125-pound division at the NCAA Division III championships this weekend in Providence, R.I. Craig has a 26-5 record this season. Contributed photo by USM Athletics/SRW Photography

University of Southern Maine senior Colby Frost knows the stakes. This weekend is his third and final opportunity to win a national wrestling title.

“It’s my last go-around and I have nothing to lose,” he said. “I definitely won’t be the kid that looks back 10 years from now, thinking about, ‘Oh, I should have done this, I wish I had done this.’ I am so confident that every single thing I have done has led to this point, and I’ve done it for a reason. I will leave no regrets, no matter what happens, and I can truly walk saying I gave (wrestling) everything I had and then some.”

Frost, who wrestles in the 149-pound division, is one of two USM wrestlers competing at the NCAA Division III championships this weekend in Providence, Rhode Island. USM junior Jake Craig, a Skowhegan Area High School graduate, is in the 125-pound class.

Frost and Craig qualified for the NCAA championships for a third straight year. Frost, a Steep Falls resident and Bonny Eagle graduate, is 34-1 this season, the best mark in his career. He is 116-24 in his four-year career. His lone loss was on March 2, an 11-0 decision to Hayden Brown of Johnson & Wales in the championship match at the NCAA Northeast Regional. Frost secured his spot at nationals by beating Elijah Cyr of Castleton 11-3 in the regional semifinals.

“I’ve been living by a quote called, ‘Be about it,'” said Frost, who won a Spartan Combat New England high school title (138 pounds) in 2021. “Everything I do in my life is working toward the goal of not only making it back (to nationals), but leaving my name and what I’ve done for years and years in this sport, just leave everything out there with nothing to lose. This sport means a lot, and I feel I just owe it by leaving everything I have, all working toward the same goal here.

“In my opinion, it’s actually harder making it to nationals than actually competing (at nationals). (Nationals) is kind of care free. You go out and do whatever you’ve been doing all year long. Nobody sees what I’ve been (working on) behind closed doors.”

Frost earned All-American honors last year by finishing sixth at 149 pounds at nationals.

Craig, a Norridgewock resident, is looking for redemption after he withdrew from last season’s NCAA tournament because of an injury.

USM senior Colby Frost will compete at 149 pounds at the NCAA Division III championships this weekend in Providence, R.I. Frost has a 34-1 record this season. Contributed photo from USM Athletics/SRW Photography

“Last year didn’t go the way I wanted it to,” he said. “I was having a great match, but an early injury brought me out of the tournament. I want to make an impact, go in and wrestle hard and give it everything that I have. … My mentality this year has been a lot different. I’m just trying to be grateful when I step on the mat. There were a lot of times last year where I’d go to practice, and it wasn’t what I wanted to do at the time. I felt like I had a lot of burdens on me. This year, it’s been about appreciating it all.”

Craig, who went 26-5 in the regular season, entered the season ranked No. 5 in his weight class.

“Now that I’ve made it three times, I’m looking for more (than just making it),” he said. “It’s a great milestone, it’s a great achievement. I really want to make an impact at nationals. The goal for me has always been to win nationals. It’s a stepping stone, it’s a great stepping stone, and I’m grateful for the achievement, but it’s not the final goal.

“I may not know a lot about (my opponents at nationals), but they don’t know a lot about me. My wrestling is pretty much going to stay the same. I made nationals, they made nationals. It’s now time to take that step and show that I not only belong at the podium, but I belong at the top of it.”