MEQUON, Wis. (2/21/04) -- Defending national runner-up Augsburg College, ranked No. 2 nationally in the NCAA Division III wrestling poll, qualified nine individuals to the NCAA Division III wrestling national championship meet in winning the Great Lakes Regional tournament on Saturday at Concordia University-Wisconsin.

Augsburg, winners of eight Division III national titles in the last 13 seasons, earned seven weight-class championships and won the team title in the 16-school competition. Two Auggies qualified for the national meet after finishing second in their weight classes, and one third-place finisher is the first alternate for national competition.

Qualifying as weight-class champions are: Matt Shankey (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) at 125 pounds; Mark Matzek (Jr., Ellsworth, Wis.) at 133; Jamell Tidwell * (Jr., Burnsville, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) at 141; Marcus LeVesseur * (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) at 157; Ryan Valek (So., Belle Plaine, Minn.) at 165; Joe Moon * (Jr., Ellendale, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva HS) at 174; and Mark Simmonds (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Edison HS) at heavyweight.

Finishing second in their weight classes and qualifying for nationals as wild-card qualifiers are: Dustin Dahlblom (Fr., Stillwater, Minn.) at 149; and Joe Cullen (Jr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) at 197.

Clint Hodgdon * (Jr., Ostrander, Minn./LeRoy-Ostrander HS) finished third in the regional at 184 pounds and failed to qualify for the national meet. However, he is the first alternate from the Great Lakes Region and will qualify for national competition if another wrestler is injured and unable to compete.

The NCAA Division III national championships will be held March 5-6 at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Loras College (Iowa) is the host school.

Augsburg at NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional
February 21, 2004 -- Concordia University, Mequon, Wis.

Team results: 1. Augsburg (Minn.) 179.5, 2. Augustana (Ill.) 118, 3. St. John's (Minn.) 103, 4. North Central (Ill.) 77.5, 5. Chicago (Ill.) 77, 6. Elmhurst (Ill.) 68, 7. Pacific (Ore.) 62, 8. Concordia-Mequon (Wis.) 49.5, 9. Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) 26, 10. Wheaton (Ill.) 18.5, 11. Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) 17, 12. Menlo (Calif.) 17, 13. Maranatha Baptist (Wis.) 11.5, 14. Knox (Ill.) 11, 15. Lakeland (Wis.) 11, 16. St. Olaf (Minn.) 6.5.

Regional Champions (NCAA Division III National Championship Automatic Qualifiers):
125 -- Matt Shankey, Augsburg, 24-1
133 -- Mark Matzek, Augsburg, 31-4
141 -- Jamell Tidwell *, Augsburg, 41-3
149 -- Ryan Hlinak, Chicago, 21-7
157 -- Marcus LeVesseur *, Augsburg, 34-0
165 -- Ryan Valek, Augsburg, 29-8
174 -- Joe Moon *, Augsburg, 33-1
184 -- Matt Sassolino, Elmhurst, 25-8
197 -- Dan Fiecke, St. John's, 31-9
HWT -- Mark Simmonds, Augsburg, 28-6

At-Large Qualifiers to NCAA Division III National Championship:
125 -- Matt Vos, St. John's, 18-3
125 -- Dan Stanton, Augustana, 30-10
133 -- Nate Levebvre, St. John's, 13-10
141 -- Garrett Miyake, Pacific, 38-8
141 -- Larry Amedio, Augustana, 34-13
149 -- Dustin Dahlblom, Augsburg, 27-7
157 -- Rick Lamas, Elmhurst, 23-6
165 -- Brian Daly, Augustana, 40-4
174 -- Shamar Bailey, Maranatha, 29-7
184 -- Pat Healy, Augustana, 33-13
197 -- Joe Cullen, Augsburg, 22-8
HWT -- Matt Schoenherr, MSOE, 35-3