WAVERLY, Iowa (12/13/03) -- Augsburg College's Ryan Valek (So., Belle Plaine, Minn.) won the individual championship at 165 pounds, while three Auggie wrestlers finished third in their weight classes, as the Auggie White Team (junior varsity) placed eighth at the nine-team Dick Walker Invitational tournament held Saturday at Wartburg College.

Ben Moss (Fr., Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central HS) placed third at 125 pounds, while Adam Ketcher (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn./Minneapolis Lutheran HS) placed third at 133 and Joe Cullen (Jr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) placed third at 197.

The varsity squads from five teams ranked in the top 30 nationally in Division III were at the meet, including last year's Division III champion and current No. 2-ranked Wartburg. The host Knights won the meet, followed by Augustana (Ill.), ranked 12th nationally, and Loras (Iowa), ranked 17th. Wisconsin-Whitewater, ranked 27th nationally, finished fifth and Coe (Iowa), ranked 25th nationally, finished seventh.

A total of 16 Augsburg wrestlers competed at the meet.

Valek claimed a major decision along the way to his five wins to claim the title at 165, including a 14-7 win over Brian Daly of Augustana (Ill.) in the championship match.

Moss claimed two pins in going 4-1 to take third at 125, while Ketcher had a fall and sudden-victory overtime win to go 4-1 at 133 to take third. Cullen lost in his second match of the day, but rallied with four straight wins -- two major decisions, a fall and sudden-victory overtime win -- to go 5-1 and place third at 197.

Augsburg takes two weeks off for finals and the holidays before returning to full-squad action at the Orange Bowl Sunshine Open, Dec. 29-30 in Lakeland, Fla.

Augsburg White Team at Wartburg Dick Walker Invitational
December 13, 2003, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa
Team Results: 1. Wartburg (Iowa) 193.5; 2. Augustana (Ill.) 107.0; 3. Loras (Iowa) 100.0; 4. Central Missouri State 90.0; 5t. Iowa Central CC 64.5; 5t. Wisconsin-Whitewater 64.5; 7. Coe (Iowa) 53.5; 8. Augsburg White Team (JV) 53.0; 9. Ellsworth CC (Iowa) 29.0.
Tournament Most Valuable Wrestler: Bart Mehlert, Wartburg, 149.

Augsburg Individual Results:
125 -- Ben Moss 3rd, 4-1; Josh Hansen 2-2; Jeremy VanSchyndel 2-2; Clint Strom 1-2.
133 -- Adam Ketcher 3rd, 4-1.
141 -- Rich Taylor 0-2.
149 -- Jared Evans 2-2.
157 -- No Augsburg wrestlers.
165 -- Ryan Valek 1st, 5-0; Kirk Rall 1-2.
174 -- No Augsburg wrestlers.
184 -- Rich Miller 1-2; Chris Sogge 0-2.
197 -- Joe Cullen 5-1; Andrew Neumann 1-2.
HWT -- Dylan Soberg 2-2; Lucas Johnson 0-2; Matt Michelson 0-2.