MINNEAPOLIS -- Winning nine of 10 matches, including five by major decision, the top-ranked Augsburg College wrestling team completed its 11th unbeaten dual-meet campaign in school history, with a 32-3 victory over the No. 22-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Friday evening at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg, the No. 1-ranked team in the latest NCAA Division III national polls, completed the regular season with a 12-0 record, its first unbeaten dual-meet campaign since the 2001-02 season and 11th in school history. Augsburg has won 16 straight dual meets dating to last season.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point, ranked No. 22 in the latest Division III national poll, is now 9-12 in dual meets.
Since 1989-90, the Auggies are now 250-21 against opponents from Divisions II and III, losing just 16 matches to non-Division I teams since the 1995-96 campaign. Against strictly Division III opponents, Augsburg is now 251-23 since the 1979-80 season and 175-13 since the 1989-90 season.
Defending national champion
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) improved to 21-0 on the season with a 13-4, major-decision win at 197 pounds. The top-ranked wrestler nationally at 197, Massey is now 52-1 in his two seasons at Augsburg.
Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West), ranked No. 2 at 149 pounds, improved to 26-4 on the season with a 7-0 victory, building 4:26 of riding time in the process. Also claiming four-plus minutes of riding time was
Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) at 133, scoring an 8-0, major-decision win and improving to 31-7 in the process. Bjorkstrand is ranked No. 4 in his weight class nationally.
Jafari Vanier (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) used six takedowns and 3:51 of riding time to dominate in a 15-3 win at 141 pounds, as the No. 5-ranked Vanier improved to 10-4 on the season.
Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.), ranked No. 7 at 157 pounds, improved to 35-3 on the year with a 14-3, major-decision win, using four takedowns, a near-fall and 4:20 of riding time to claim the win.
At 165, No. 7-ranked
Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) claimed a 10-2, major-decision win to improve to 24-9 on the season, and at 174, No. 2-ranked
Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) scored 3:44 of riding time in claiming a 6-0 victory, improving to 22-3 on the season.
The Auggies closed the match in dramatic fashion, as No. 8-ranked heavyweight
Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) claimed a takedown with 11 seconds left in the third period to break a 1-1 tie in a 3-1 win over Bret Oswald (SR, Antigo, Wis.). Witzel is now 23-7 on the season.
Augsburg's
Josh Roberts (FY, Grand Forks, N.D./Central HS) improved to 19-8 on the season with an 8-3 win at 125 pounds.
The Pointers' lone win came from 184-pounder Ben Engelland (JR, Neenah, Wis.), who remained unbeaten at 26-0 with an 8-1 win over Augsburg's
Brad Baus (SO, Mukwonago, Wis.).
Augsburg returns to action next Saturday (2/20), hosting the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional at Si Melby Hall.
No. 1 Augsburg (Minn., 12-0) 32, No. 22 Wisconsin-Stevens Point (9-12) 3
Action begins at 125 pounds.
Time of match: 1:50.
Attendance: 211.
Official: Byron Olson.
125 – Josh Roberts (AUG, 19-8) dec. Jordan Poirer (UWSP, 7-15) 8-3
(Augsburg 3-0).
133 – No. 4
Paul Bjorkstrand (AUG, 31-7) maj. dec. Jordan Kust (UWSP, 20-17) 8-0
(Augsburg 7-0).
141 – No. 5
Jafari Vanier (AUG, 10-4) maj. dec. Lucas McGann (UWSP, 6-8) 15-3
(Augsburg 11-0).
149 – No. 2
Tony Valek (AUG, 26-4) dec. Kris Magruder (UWSP, 15-11) 7-0
(Augsburg 14-0).
157 -- No. 7
Jason Adams (AUG, 35-3) maj. dec. Ben Strobel (UWSP, 7-10) 14-3
(Augsburg 18-0).
165 -- No. 7
Orlando Ponce (AUG, 24-9) maj. dec. Jordan Schulte (UWSP, 20-8) 10-2
(Augsburg 22-0).
174 – No. 2
Zach Molitor (AUG, 22-3) dec. Ryan Conat (UWSP, 5-8) 6-0
(Augsburg 25-0).
184 – No. 2 Ben Engelland (UWSP, 26-0) dec.
Brad Baus (AUG, 19-14) 8-1
(Augsburg 25-3).
197 – No. 1
Jared Massey (AUG, 21-0) maj. dec. Brandon Jochem (UWSP, 14-17) 13-4
(Augsburg 29-3).
HWT – No. 8
Andy Witzel (AUG, 23-7) dec. Bret Oswald (UWSP, 17-15) 3-1
(Augsburg 32-3).
