WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (12/30/99) -- Augsburg College claimed the team championship at the 30th annual Orange Bowl Sunshine Open wrestling tournament on Thursday at the South Florida Fairgrounds, marking the first time an NCAA Division III (non-scholarship) team has ever won the event.

Augsburg, rated No. 1 in the latest Division III national rankings, dominated the meet, with three individual weight-class titlists, two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes.

The Orange Bowl Sunshine Open features primarily Division I scholarship competition. In its history at the meet since 1988, Augsburg has previously finished as high as second (twice, 1996, 1997) and third (1998). The three individual champions is the most Augsburg has had in the meet.

Augsburg scored 192.5 points to win this year's event, with the U.S. Naval Academy second with 142.0. Appalachian State was third with 101, Tennessee was fourth with 93.5 and James Madison was fifth with 83.5. In all, 15 colleges competed in the event.

Josh Cagle (Sr., Faribault, Minn.), rated No. 1 in the nation individually at 149 pounds, remained unbeaten at 18-0 overall with five victories at the meet to claim his weight class crown. Cagle's wins included three technical falls and a pin.

Nick Slack (So., Belle Plaine, Minn.), rated eighth in the nation at 174 pounds, cruised through his weight class with four victories for the individual title. He is 13-0 on the season.

Nik Lewandowski (Jr., Hastings, Minn.), rated no. 1 nationally at 184, scored four wins, including a pin, technical fall and major decision, for the Sunshine Open title. He is 13-4 this year.

Two Auggies finished second at the meet, each suffering their first losses of the season in their respective weight-class championship matches. Josh Clausen (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) went 3-1 at 197 pounds and Ben Bauer (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) went 4-1 at heavyweight. Clausen, rated second in the nation at 197, is now 12-1 overall; Bauer, rated third at heavyweight, is now 17-1.

Darin Bertram (So., Herman, Minn./Herman-Norcross HS) placed third at 125 pounds to go to 9-1 overall and Tony Abbott (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./St. Thomas Academy) placed third at 165 to go to 12-4 overall.

Other Augsburg place-winners at the meet included Mark Anderson (Jr., Corcoran, Minn./Rockford HS, 10-7), fifth at heavyweight; and Justin Baker (Sr., Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg HS, 13-4), sixth at 157.

Augsburg returns to action on Friday, Jan. 7 with a dual meet against Augustana (S.D.) as part of the Augustana Viking Duals in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Auggies host the No. 2 team in the nation in the Division III national rankings, defending national champion Wartburg (Iowa), on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.