2012 Auggie Awards - Men's Most Improved Team of the Year Finalists

BASKETBALL (15-10 overall, 10-10 MIAC—t6th/11 in 2010-11 … 16-10 overall, 13-7 MIAC—4th/11, MIAC Playoff Qualifier in 2011-12) -- Augsburg reached the MIAC postseason playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. The 16 victories marked the sixth straight year that Augsburg has recorded double-digit wins under seventh-year head coach Aaron Griess, and the fifth straight year that Augsburg has had at least 10 wins in MIAC play. Post player Andy Grzesiak-Grimm was named to the D3hoops.com All-West Region third team, in addition to earning All-MIAC honors. Guard Tyler Schmidt was also an All-MIAC selection, while post player Cory Polta was named All-MIAC Honorable Mention and forward Brett Sorenson was named to the MIAC All-Defensive Team.

CROSS COUNTRY (10th/11 at MIAC Championships, 20th/26 at NCAA Division III Central Regional in 2010… 11th/11 at MIAC Championships, 17th/26 at NCAA Division III Central Regional in 2011) -- Under 17th-year head coach Dennis Barker, the Augsburg men’s cross country program had a solid season, despite the loss of two of the team’s top performers from last year’s squad. The Auggies were led by sophomore Michaele Tesema, who earned All-MIAC honors with a 14th-place finish at the MIAC Championships, then earned All-Central Region honors with a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Central Regional. As a team, Augsburg improved three spots at the NCAA regional, finishing in 17th place. Auggie runners recorded 31 sub-29-minute 8,000-meter times in 2011, including eight times under 27 minutes.

FOOTBALL (4-6 overall, 2-6 MIAC—7th/9 in 2010 … 6-4 overall, 4-4 MIAC—t5th/9 in 2011) -- Under seventh-year head coach Frank Haege, Augsburg recorded its 13th above-.500 finish in school history and first since a 6-4 overall (5-4 MIAC) finish in 1999. The Auggies won their first four games to start the season, including a 32-31 win at St. John’s on Sept. 24 – as the Auggies marched 80 yards on four plays in the final 18 seconds of the game. The win was the first for the Auggies at St. John’s since 1980 and the first Auggie win over the Johnnies since 1997. Augsburg also claimed conference wins over Hamline, Carleton and Gustavus. Tight end Adam Carl and defensive lineman Edmond Smith were named to the D3football.com All-West Region squad. Carl and running back Tyler Maxwell were named All-MIAC first team. Earning All-MIAC second-team honors were Smith, quarterback Marcus Brumm, offensive lineman Chad Thompson, linebacker Bryce Vee and defensive back Tyler Phillips. Defensive lineman Aaron Perry was an honorable-mention all-conference honoree. Phillips was named to the squad for the Aztec Bowl all-star game in Mexico, and Haege was a member of the coaching staff there.

GOLF (8th/10 at MIAC Championships in 2010 … 7th/10 at MIAC Championships in 2011) -- Under seventh-year head coach Ted Vickerman, the Auggies improved one spot at the MIAC Championships in the fall half of the 2011-12 season, finishing in seventh place with a three-day total of 952. As a team, Augsburg had a fall season stroke average of 317.8 and .448 (43-53) winning percentage this season, with junior Zach Johnson and senior Brian Deuel leading the way with stroke averages of 77.5 and 78.8, respectively. Six Auggies had fall season stroke averages of 83.0 or better, and the Auggies had seven team rounds of 320 or lower in the fall half of the season.