ORANGE CITY, Iowa (1/20/07) -- The Augsburg College wrestling team earned five individual titles and claimed the team championship at the Northwestern College (Iowa) Red Raider Invitational, held on Saturday.

The Auggies, ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, won the team title with 182.5 points. Host Dickinson State, ranked No. 2 in the latest NAIA national rankings, finished second with 133 points. Dana (Neb.), ranked No. 5 in the NAIA, was fourth with 116 points, and Missouri Valley (Mo.), ranked No. 6 in the NAIA, was fourth with 96.5 points. NAIA-ranked schools Northwestern (Iowa, No. 12), Jamestown (N.D., No. 15) and Waldorf (Iowa, No. 18) also competed in the 13-team meet.

With four victories, Augsburg 165-pounder Marcus LeVesseur (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) claimed his weight class and improved his collegiate winning streak to 139 straight matches. He claimed three major decisions in his first three matches, then pinned Shane Bennett of Dickinson State (N.D.), ranked No. 4 in the NAIA, in 2:33 for the title.

LeVesseur, who won Division III national titles at 157 pounds three times (2003, 2004, 2005), has the second-longest winning streak in college wrestling history, behind the 159 of Cael Sanderson at Iowa State (1998-2002). LeVesseur has yet to lose a college wrestling match and is 15-0 this season, ranked No. 1 nationally at 165.

Jafari Vanier (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), ranked No. 1 nationally at 133, claimed four victories, including a 6-3 win over Northwestern's Jordan Keckler, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA, in the finals to claim his weight class title. Vanier is now 13-0 on the season.

At 125, Seth Flodeen (So., Cannon Falls, Minn.) improved to 12-3 with a strong performance to claim his weight class. Opening with two first-period pins, Flodeen then topped Cory Johnston of Dickinson State, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA, 6-5 in the semifinals, then blanked Mark Johnson of Dickinson State, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA, 2-0 in the finals. Flodeen is ranked No. 3 nationally in Division III.

Robbie Gotreau (Jr., Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS), ranked No. 3 nationally at 174, improved to 28-2 on the season by winning his weight class. He claimed three major decisions, then scored a 5-3 overtime win over Northwestern's Enock Francois, ranked No. 4 in the NAIA, in the finals.

George Lynaugh (Jr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS) scored one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, with a 1:04 pin of Jasper Lockett of Missouri Valley (Mo.), ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, in the 184-pound finals. Lunaugh also claimed two major-decision victories and improved to 20-4 on the season.

Jeremy Anderson (Jr., Thief River Falls, Minn.), ranked No. 1 at 157, suffered his first loss of the season in the semifinals, falling 5-1 to Kelly Rydberg of Waldorf (Iowa). He then responded with a 7-0 win over Jason Billinski of Dana (Neb.), ranked No. 5 in the NAIA, in the wrestlebacks to share third place with teammate Josh Hansen (Sr., Albert Lea, Minn.). Anderson is 25-1, while Hansen is 17-4.

Four Auggies were runners-up in the tournament -- Quincy Osborn (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 141; Jared Evans (Sr., Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS), ranked No. 4 at 149; Andrew Neumann (Sr., Somerset, Wis.), ranked No. 6 at heavyweight; and Wally O'Connor (Jr., Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West HS) at 197.

Augsburg returns to action on Tuesday (11/23) at 7 p.m. with a dual meet at Minnesota State Moorhead.

Augsburg individual results:
125 -- Seth Flodeen 4-0, champion.
133 -- Jafari Vanier 4-0, champion; Paul Bjorkstrand 1-2.
141 -- Quincy Osborn 2-1, second place.
149 -- Jared Evans 2-1, second place.
157 -- Jeremy Anderson 3-1, co-third place; Josh Hansen 3-1, co-third place.
165 -- Marcus LeVesseur 4-0, champion.
174 -- Robbie Gotreau 4-0, champion.
184 -- George Lynaugh 3-0, champion.
197 -- Wally O'Connor 2-1, second place.
HWT -- Andrew Neumann 3-1, second place.