COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (2/24/01) -- For the 15th year in a row, the Augsburg College wrestling team won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, as the Auggies earned nine individual conference champions and qualified all 10 individual wrestlers to the NCAA Division III national tournament.

The Auggies dominated action at the MIAC meet, held Saturday afternoon at Sexton Arena at St. John's University, winning 24 of its 25 matches during the day. Augsburg scored 150.5 points, easily outdistancing second-place Saint John's 95 points. St. Olaf was third with 43 points, Concordia-Moorhead was fourth with 31.5, St. Thomas took fifth with 30.0 and Carleton was sixth with 16.

The 15 consecutive MIAC titles won is the second longest active MIAC championship streak, only behind the 16 consecutive indoor track and field titles that the St. Thomas men have currently won. Augsburg has won 25 of the last 27 crowns, 28 titles since 1968 and 29 titles overall. Augsburg coach Jeff Swenson was named MIAC Coach of the Year after the meet, earning the honor for the 11th time in his 19 seasons at Augsburg.

In all 17 MIAC wrestlers advance to the national meet on March 2-3 at Young Arena in Waterloo, Iowa. Augsburg qualified all 10 of its 10 wrestlers, St. John's qualified four wrestlers and Concordia-Moorhead, St. Olaf and St. Thomas each qualified one wrestler.

Augsburg's Nik Lewandowski (Sr., Hastings, Minn.) became just the eighth MIAC wrestler, and the first since 1993, to win four MIAC individual championships, when he used three technical falls to earn the conference crown at 184 pounds. Lewandowski is currently ranked second nationally and has a 29-6 overall record. Augsburg has had four wrestlers earn four MIAC titles; Kevin Schlitz was the last to do it, from 1989-93.

Lewandowski will aim to become just the fourth Auggie wrestler ever to earn four All-America honors when he competes at the national tournament for the fourth straight year. Lewandowski finished second in the country at 177 pounds in 1998 and second at 184 in 1999, while finishing third at 194 last season.

Three other Auggies -- all ranked No. 1 in the nation in their respective weight classes -- won their third-staight MIAC titles on Saturday to qualify for the national meet for the third time each. Defending national champions Ben Bauer (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) at heavyweight and Nick Slack (Jr., Belle Plaine, Minn.) at 174 won their crowns, while two-time national runner-up Darin Bertram (Jr., Herman, Minn./Herman-Norcross HS) won at 125.

With two wins on Saturday, Slack extended his consecutive-match winning streak to 57 matches, the second-longest streak in Augsburg wrestling history. Henry Gerten won 64 straight matches from 1996-98. Slack is now 26-0 on the season.

Augsburg's Brad Fisher (Jr., Austin, Minn.), the No. 2-ranked wrestler in Division III at 141, used a fall and decision to notch his conference title and second trip to the national tournament (his last trip was in 1999), while Tony Abbott (Jr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS), ranked sixth in the country at 165, earned his second straight trip to the national tournament

Two Auggie wrestlers who moved into the No. 8 spot in the most recent national rankings in their weight classes, Brian Miller (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.) at 133 and Tony Quance (Jr., Stillwater, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) at 149, both won their classes to qualify for the national tournament for the first time each. Jeremy Jirele (Jr., Owatonna, Minn.) also earned his first trip to the national tournament with his frst MIAC crown at 157 pounds.

Kevin Rasmussen (Jr., Owatonna, Minn.) earned a wildcard berth to the national meet by finishing second at 197 pounds and winning the "true second" match. He lost for the second time this season to St. John's Brandon Novak, the top-ranked wrestler in the nation at 197. Novak, now 17-1 overall, was voted the Outstanding Wrestler for the MIAC championship meet by conference coaches.

St. John's senior Chris Suedbeck won the Rory Jordan Memorial Trophy for the most pins in the least amount of time. Suedbeck had three pins in 4:49.

Augsburg at MIAC Wrestling Individual Championships
2/24/01 at St. John's University Sexton Arena, Collegeville, Minn.
Team Scores: Augsburg 150.5, Saint John's 95.0, St. Olaf 43.0, Concordia-Moorhead 31.5, St. Thomas 30.0, Carleton 16.0.

National Championships Automatic Qualifiers/Conference Champions
125 -- Darin Bertram, Augsburg, 37-2 (Herman, Minn.)
133 -- Bryan Miller, Augsburg, 22-7 (Virginia Beach, Va.)
141 -- Brad Fisher, Augsburg, 24-4 (Austin, Minn.)
149 -- Tony Quance, Augsburg, 20-6 (Arden Hills, Minn.)
157 -- Jeremy Jirele, Augsburg, 15-4 (Owatonna, Minn.)
165 -- Tony Abbott, Augsburg, 32-3 (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.)
174 -- Nick Slack, Augsburg, 26-0 (Belle Plaine, Minn.)
184 -- Nik Lewandowski, Augsburg, 29-6 (Hastings, Minn.)
197 -- Brandon Novak, Saint John's, 17-1 (Becker, Minn.)
Hwt. -- Ben Bauer, Augsburg, 32-3 (Faribault, Minn.)

National Championships Wildcard Qualifiers
125 -- Matt Vos, Saint John's, 24-4 (Arlington, Minn.)
133 -- Zak Schroeder, Concordia, 13-11 (Whapeton, N.D.)
141 -- Brian Vetter, Saint John's, 26-8 (Center City, Minn.)
149 -- Alex Morf, St. Olaf, 10-3 (Mt. Vernon, Iowa)
165 -- Brian Lahr, Saint John's, 2-2 (Cambridge, Minn.)
174 -- Mitch Becker, St. Thomas, 20-8 (Browerville, Minn.)
197 -- Kevin Rasmussen, Augsburg, 28-8 (Owatonna, Minn.)

National Championship Alternates (in order)
174 -- John Holm, St. Olaf, 14-8 (Northfield, Minn.)
133 -- Chuck Griffith, Saint John's, 18-7 (Morris, Minn.)
157 -- Raymond Luna, St. Thomas, 2-2 (Mason City, Iowa)

Rory Jordan Memorial Trophy (Most Pins in Least Amount of Time)
Chris Suedbeck, Saint John's (3 pins in 4:49)

Carl Larson Memorial Trophy (Outstanding MIAC Wrestler)
Brandon Novak, Saint John's

MIAC Coach of the Year
Jeff Swenson, Augsburg

125 Pounds
#1-Seed: Darin Bertram, AC, 35-2 Record
#2-Seed: Matt Vos, SJU, 23-3 Record
#3-Seed: Ed Kroll, CAR, 9-9 Record
David Zeller, UST, 1-19 Record

 

Championship Semifinals
Darin Bertram, AC tech. fall David Zeller, UST, 2:28
Matt Vos, SJU fall Ed Kroll, CAR, 0:26

Third Place
Kroll, CAR dec. Zeller, UST, 6-3

Championship
Bertram, AC dec. Vos, SJU, 8-1

133 Pounds
#1-Seed: Bryan Miller, AC, 19-7 Record
#2-Seed: Chuck Griffith, SJU, 17-6 Record
#3-Seed: Zack Schroeder, CC, 12-10 Record
Isaac Norstad, SOC, 1-16 Record
Jon Hoversten, UST, 2-2 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Brian Miller, AC forfeit Jon Hoversten, UST

Championship Semifinals
Miller, AC tech. fall Isaac Norstad, SOC, 2:52
Zack Schroeder, CC dec. Chuck Griffith, SJU, 4-3

Third Place
Griffith, SJU fall Norstad, SOC, 1:59

Championship
Miller, AC major dec. Schroeder, CC, 14-6

141 Pounds
#1-Seed: Brad Fisher, AC, 22-4 Record
#2-Seed: Brian Vetter, SJU, 23-7 Record
#3-Seed: Sean Bryan, CAR, 9-9 Record
#4-Seed: Aaron Swartz, CC, 4-9 Record
Kenny Knight, SOC, 3-18 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Brian Vetter, SJU fall Kenny Knight, SOC, 1:47

Championship Semifinals
Vetter, SJU tech. fall Sean Bryan, CAR, 6:30
Brad Fisher, AC fall Aaron Swartz, CC, 4:59

Consolation Semifinals
Swartz, CC fall Knight, SOC, 2:52

Third Place
Swartz, CC major dec. Bryan, CAR, 12-4

True Second Place
Vetter, SJU major dec. Swartz, CC 10-0

Championship
Fisher, AC dec. Vetter, SJU, 9-4

149 Pounds
#1 Seed: Tony Quance, AC, 18-6 Record
#2 Seed: Alex Morf, SOC, 9-2 Record
#3 Seed: Tim Anderson, SJU, 18-7 Record
#4 Seed: Corey Winter, CC, 9-13 Record

Championship Semifinals
Tony Quance, AC dec. Corey Winter, CC, 5-3
Alex Morf, SOC dec. Tim Anderson, SJU, 7-5

Third Place
Anderson, SJU dec. Winter, CC, 10-4

Championship
Quance, AC dec. Morf, SOC, 9-2

157 Pounds
#1 Seed: Jeremy Jirele, AC, 13-4 Record
#2 Seed: Jesse Barnacle, CC, 12-10 Record
#3 Seed: Raymond Luna, UST, 0-1 Record
Mike Ritt, SJU, 4-14 Record
Matt Swanson, SOC, 4-10 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Jesse Barnacle, CC tech. fall Matt Swanson, SOC, 6:42

Championship Semifinals
Raymond Luna, UST dec. Barnacle, CC, 7-6
Jeremy Jirele, AC fall Mike Ritt, SJU, 4:17

Consolation Semifinals
Ritt, SJU fall Swanson, SOC, 1:00

Third Place
Ritt, SJU dec. Barnacle, CC, 6-5

True Second Place
Luna, UST injury default Ritt, SJU

Championship
Jirele, AC dec. Luna, UST, 9-3

165 Pounds
#1 Seed: Tony Abbott, AC, 30-3 Record
#2 Seed: Shaun Murphy, SOC, 17-8 Record
#3 Seed: Brian Lahr, SJU, 0-1 Record
#4 Seed: Rory Olson, CC, 10-12 Record
Brian VanBeusekom, UST, 2-14 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Brian Lahr, SJU fall Brian VanBeusekom, UST, 1:15

Championship Semifinals
Lahr, SJU dec. Shaun Murphy, SOC, 8-3
Tony Abbott, AC fall Rory Olson, CC, 1:52

Consolation Semifinals
Olson, CC fall VanBeusekom, UST, 1:12

Third Place
Murphy, SOC dec. Olson, CC, 9-4

Championship
Abbott, AC fall Lahr, SJU, 1:28

174 Pounds
#1 Seed: Nick Slack, AC, 24-0 Record
#2 Seed: John Holm, SOC, 12-7 Record
#3 Seed: Mitch Becker, UST, 19-7 Record
#4 Seed: Joel Stark, CAR, 9-7 Record
Jason Dubord, CC, 4-7 Record
Brian Rose, SJU, 6-8 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Joel Stark, CAR tech. fall Jason Dubord, CC, 6:59
John Holm, SOC fall Brian Rose, SJU, 0:45

Championship Semifinals
Nick Slack, AC fall Stark, CAR, 2:20
Mitch Becker, UST dec. Holm, SOC, 12-11

Consolation Semifinals
Holm, SOC fall Dubord, CC, 1:21
Stark, CAR dec. Rose, SJU, 3-1

Third Place
Holm, SOC dec. Stark, CAR, 4-1

Championship
Slack, AC major dec. Becker, UST, 18-5

184 Pounds
#1 Seed: Nik Lewandowski, AC, 26-6 Record
#2 Seed: Chris Dykhoff, SJU, 10-11 Record
Jonathan Davey, CAR, 3-9 Record
Dane Vulcan, CC, 3-4 Record
Andy Brown, SOC, 8-16 Record
Andy Laudenbach, UST, 6-16 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Nik Lewandowski, AC tech. fall Andy Laudenbach, UST, 3:52
Chris Dykhoff, SJU fall Dane Vulcan, CC, 1:44

Championship Semifinals
Lewandowski, AC tech. fall Andy Brown, SOC, 3:41
Dykhoff, SJU major dec. Jonathan Davey, CAR, 15-3

Consolation Semifinals
Davey, CAR dec. Laudenbach, UST, 2-1
Brown, SOC dec. Vulcan, CC, 12-6

Third Place
Brown, SOC dec. Davey, CAR, 3-2

True Second Place
Dykhoff, SJU fall Brown, SOC, 2:35

Championship
Lewandowski, AC tech. fall Dykhoff, SJU, 3:40

197 Pounds
#1 Seed: Brandon Novak, SJU, 15-1 Record
#2 Seed: Kevin Rasmussen, AC, 25-7 Record
Dakota Brown, CAR, 8-9 Record
Jared Sannes, CC, 4-17 Record
Will Palmieri, SOC, 1-2 Record
Andy Chase, UST, 0-0 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Kevin Rasmussen, AC fall Dakota Brown, CAR, 6:24
Will Palmieri, SOC dec. Jerad Sannes, CC, 8-2

Championship Semifinals
Rasmussen, AC fall Andy Chase, UST, 1:25
Brandon Novak, SJU tech. fall Palmieri, SOC, 5:45

Consolation Semifinals
Palmieri, SOC dec. Brown, CAR, 7-5
Sannes, CC fall Chase, UST, 2:51

Third Place
Palmieri, SOC dec. Sannes, CC, 12-7

True Second Place
Rasmussen, AC fall Palmieri, SOC, 1:17

Championship
Novak, SJU dec. Rasmussen, AC, 11-4

Heavyweight
#1 Seed: Ben Bauer, AC, 29-3 Record
#2 Seed: Chris Suedbeck, SJU, 4-3 Record
#3 Seed: Eric Pertz, UST, 17-11 Record
#4 Seed: Matt Picchietti, SOC, 14-13 Record
Jesse Holzer, CAR, 1-13 Record
Bryan Kuitek, CC, 4-17 Record

Championship Quarterfinals
Ben Bauer, AC fall Bryan Kuitek, CC, 2:01
Chris Suedbeck, SJU fall Jesse Holzer, CAR, 1:07

Championship Semifinals
Bauer, AC fall Matt Picchietti, SOC, 1:34
Eric Pertz, UST fall Suedbeck, SJU, 2:24

Consolation Semifinals
Suedbeck, SJU fall Kuitek, CC, 1:25
Picchietti, SOC fall Holzer, CAR, 0:49

Third Place
Suedbeck, SJU fall Picchietti, SOC, 2:17

Championship
Bauer, AC fall Pertz, UST, 2:36