MORRIS, Minn. (12/1/01) -- Augsburg College claimed 11 individual champions and won titles in eight of the nine weight classes in which it had entries, in competition at the University of Minnesota-Morris Cougar Open on Saturday at the Morris P.E. Center/Regional Fitness Center.

Nick Slack * (Sr., Belle Plaine, Minn.), rated No. 1 in the Division III national rankings at 174 pounds, won his weight class to lead the Auggie wrestlers.

Brad Fisher * (Sr., Austin, Minn.) and Jamell Tidwell (Fr., Richfield, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) shared titlist honors at 141 points, while Ryan Stroud (Fr., Park Falls, Wis.) won at 149 pounds, Jeremy Jirele (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.) and Chris McAlpine (So., Dayton, Minn./Elk River HS) shared the title at 157 and Tony Abbott * (Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS) and Joe Kunisher (So., Ham Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) shared top honors at 165. Kevin Rasmussen (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.) won at 197 pounds.

Two Auggies competing as unattached wrestlers also won their weight classes -- John Marchette (Sr., Canual Fulton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover HS) at 133 pounds and Ricky Crone (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) at 184 pounds.

Placing second for the Auggies were Blaine Kuhlman (So., Medford, Minn.) at 149 and Scott Revier (So., Olivia, Minn./BOLD HS) at heavyweight.

Placing third for Augsburg was John Peterson (Fr., Cumberland, Wis.) at 141, Mike Cuperus (Jr., Worthington, Minn.) at 184 and Joe Cullen (Fr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) and Jeremiah Knabe (So., Jackson, Minn./Jackson County Central HS) at heavyweight. Earning fourth-place honors was Mark Matzek (Fr., Ellsworth, Wis.) at 133.

Augsburg returns to action with a dual meet against Southwest State University on Tuesday (12/4) at 7 p.m. at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.