When you spot a wrestler named Dimitri, you expect to meet someone from Russia.

Not this guy.

Dimitri Boyer is from Eddyville, a small town in southeast Iowa of about 1,024 folks down by Oskaloosa and Ottumwa. He was a two-time state champion at Eddyville-Blakesburg High School, where he fashioned an impressive 180-12 record before enrolling at Coe College four years ago.

Now a senior, he's ranked No.2 at 157 pounds and he took two major steps toward an NCAA Division III national title Friday with a 7-0 victory over Kevin Collins of Ithaca in the opening round and a 4-0 conquest of Mark Savenok of Wheaton in the quarterfinals.

Those victories sent Boyer (30-6) to the semifinals Saturday morning at the U.S. Cellular Center, where he'll meet Jorge Lopez of Williams College for a spot in the national finals Saturday night.

Boyer has never been to Russia and does not have any relatives in Russia. He's simply a kid from southeast Iowa.

Then why Dimitri?

"It's a funny story," he said Friday. "My mom thought it sounded like a good name for a famous person."

He's become semi-famous at Coe, ranking seventh in school history with 106 victories and fifth in school history with 37 pins. "Well, I'm doing all I can, I suspect," he said. "I know my mom is proud of me."

Three more wins would make Boyer a national champion. Nazar Kulchytskyy of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is seeded No.1 at 157 pounds, so if the tournament goes according to form they'll meet Saturday night for the title.

"Definitely. That's the way I see it," said Boyer. "I actually see myself winning the whole thing. My senior year, I'm just trying to finish it with a bang."

Coe College has three wrestlers alive in the consolation rounds with senior Ethan Ball (174), junior Ryan Sheldon (184) and junior Donnie Horner (197) all in contention for third place. Farai Sewera (165) and Cory Becker (285) lost two of their three matches Friday and were eliminated.

The Kohawks stand in sixth place in the team standings with 28 points. Wartburg, seeking its fourth national title in a row, has a commanding lead with 56.5 points.

Boyer began wrestling in grade school, about 15 years ago.

"When I started taking it serious? I started in second or third grade," he said. "I remember when I first started I'd be getting beat and I never liked losing, so it kind of sucked. But it kind of grew on me and I got better and better."

Boyer, 22, said his father began taking him around the country for national tournaments when he was in the fourth grade. That led to a fabulous high school career, and he also belonged to a wrestling club that included athletes now competing at the University of Iowa.

Boyer's final match in high school was in the state dual meet tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center, so he's come full circle since then with the NCAA Division III national tournament right here as well. He had a big cheering section in downtown Cedar Rapids Friday.

"Everybody in my family. All my friends, all my wrestling family," he said. "It's awesome. It helped a lot.

"I love it," he said. "I love wrestling in Cedar Rapids."

This will be the end of Boyer's active wrestling career, but he's a physical education major and would like to coach the sport some day. He's also thinking about joining the Navy.

Right now, he's got his sights set on a national title.