LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Winning the first four bouts of the match, with three by major decision, the Augsburg University men's wrestling team held on for a 21-12 dual-meet victory over the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in a battle of top-five-ranked teams in NCAA Division III on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORES: No. 3/3 Augsburg 21, No. 4/6 Wisconsin-La Crosse 12
RECORDS: Augsburg 8-2 overall, UW-La Crosse 13-3 overall
LOCATION: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Augsburg, ranked No. 3 in the latest NWCA Division III tournament and dual-meet national polls, built a 15-0 lead after the first four bouts, taking advantage of three wins by major decision. The Eagles won the next four bouts, all by decision, to cut the advantage to 15-12, but the final two Auggies claimed victories over ranked opponents to clinch the dual victory.
•
Keno Vanier (SR, Edina, Minn./Richfield HS) opened the match with a strong performance in a 10-2 major-decision win over Cole Gentsch, taking advantage of three takedowns while allowing just two Eagle escapes. No. 13-ranked 133-pounder
Chance Suddeth (JR, Stoughton, Wis./Stoughton HS) followed with a 13-5 major decision over Wyatt Magolski, collecting three takedowns, two escapes and nearly two minutes of riding time to improve to 18-10 on the season.
• In the first meeting of ranked wrestlers on the day, Augsburg's No. 10-ranked
Cole Becker (SR, Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) improved to 22-5 with a 2-0 win over the Eagles' No. 12-ranked Talan Schutte. Becker scored an escape 10 seconds in to the second period, then rode Schutte for the whole third period to earn the riding-time bonus point.
• No. 3-ranked 149-pounder
Matthew Randolph (SO, Jordan, Minn./Jordan HS (Scott West)) improved to 19-2 on the season with a 9-0 win over Aidan Baum, scoring a first-period takedown and a four-point near-fall in the third period.
• At 197, No. 6-ranked Auggie
Ethan Winkelman (SO, Hudson, Wis./Hudson HS) built a 4-0 second-period lead, then held off a reversal by No. 4-ranked Tyler Dormanen for a 5-2 victory, improving to 24-3 on the season. No. 5-ranked 285-pounder
Tyler Raway (SR, Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake HS) closed the match with an 8-2 win over No. 10-ranked Markos Mihalopoulos, using takedowns in the first and third periods to build the advantage. Raway is now 23-3 this season.
FOR THE FOES
• At 157, UW-La Crosse's Joe Penchi claimed a 6-4 win over Augsburg's No. 5-ranked
Karsen Otis (SO, Combined Locks, Minn./Kimberly HS), overcoing a 4-0 deficit with a reversal and four-point near-fall. No. 3-ranked Tanner Gerber used two takedowns to score a 6-3 win over Augsburg's No. 2-ranked 165-pounder
Cooper Willis (SR, Kansasville, Wis./Union Grove HS).
• No. 2-ranked 174-pounder Noah Leisgang faced a strong challenge from Augsburg's
Nick Alexander (JR, Kaukauna, Wis./Wrightstown HS), only able to score an escape in the second period for a 1-0 win. At 184, No. 3-ranked Tate Flege scored an 8-4 victory over Augsburg's No. 4-ranked 184-pounder
Brandt Bombard (SR, North Branch, Minn./North Branch HS).
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg has now won eight straight duals in the all-time series with UW-La Crosse, a series the Auggies now lead by a 15-7-1 margin.
• Against opponents from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 395-60-1 in dual meets since the 1989-90 season. Augsburg has lost just 56 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season.
• Against strictly NCAA Division III opponents, Augsburg is 379-58-1 since the 1979-80 season. Since 1989-90, Augsburg is 304-48-1 against Division III opponents.
UP NEXT
• Augsburg's younger wrestlers will compete at the Rochester Community and Technical College Duals on Sunday (1/25) at 10 a.m. The Auggie varsity will host No. 1/2-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) in the annual "Battle of the Burgs" dual next Friday (1/30) at 7 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.
MEN'S WRESTLING -- #3/3 Augsburg (8-2) 21, #4/6 Wisconsin-La Crosse (13-3) 12
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 - Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
125 --
Keno Vanier (AUG, 12-11) maj. dec. Cole Gentsch (UWL, 19-8) 10-2
(Augsburg 4-0)
133 -- No. 13
Chance Suddeth (AUG, 18-10) maj. dec. Wyatt Magolski (UWL, 15-10) 13-5
(Augsburg 8-0)
141 -- No. 10
Cole Becker (AUG, 22-5) dec. No. 12 Talan Schutte (UWL, 15-8) 2-0
(Augsburg 11-0)
149 -- No. 3
Matthew Randolph (AUG, 19-2) maj. dec. Aidan Baum (UWL, 16-7) 9-0
(Augsburg 15-0)
157 -- Joe Penchi (UWL, 14-8) dec. No. 5
Karsen Otis (AUG, 24-4) 6-4
(Augsburg 15-3)
165 -- No. 3 Tanner Gerber (UWL, 17-2) dec. No. 2
Cooper Willis (AUG, 21-3) 6-3
(Augsburg 15-6)
174 -- No. 2 Noah Leisgang (UWL, 9-0) dec.
Nick Alexander (AUG, 13-13) 1-0
(Augsburg 15-9)
184 -- No. 3 Tate Flege (UWL, 18-0) dec. No. 4
Brandt Bombard (AUG, 21-2) 8-4
(Augsburg 15-12)
197 -- No. 6
Ethan Winkelman (AUG, 24-3) dec. No. 4 Tyler Dormanen (UWL, 14-3) 5-2
(Augsburg 18-12)
285 -- No. 6
Tyler Raway (AUG, 23-3) dec. No. 10 Markos Mihalopoulos (UWL, 8-4) 8-2
(Augsburg 21-12)
