2019 Auggie Awards - Men's Athlete of the Year, Individual Sports Nominees

2019 Auggie Awards Header - Monday, April 22, Si Melby Hall
1578417305LANCE BENICK (Wrestling) 
NCAA National Champion, NCAA All-American, NCAA Upper Midwest Regional champion … Finished 29-3 with 7 pins, 3 technical falls and 4 major decisions … Qualified for NCAA national championships with the 197-pound title at NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, including a 5-3 sudden-victory overtime win in the finals … At 2019 NCAA national championships, posted major decisions in his first two matches, including a victory over the No. 4-ranked wrestler before topping the No. 2- and No. 5-ranked wrestlers respectively to win the national title in his first appearance at the DIII National Championships … Ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during season.
1578917306RYAN EPPS (Wrestling)
NCAA National Champion, NCAA All-American, NCAA Upper Midwest Regional champion … Finished 37-3 with 10 pins, 1 technical fall and 4 major decisions … Ended the season on a 14-match win streak, with only one loss to D-III opponents ... Qualified for NCAA national championships with title at NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, besting the national No. 8-ranked wrestler in the finals … At 2019 NCAA championships, defended his national title, going 4-0 at 157 pounds, including besting the No. 7-ranked wrestler in the semifinals and a disqualification victory over the No. 4-seeded wrestler in the finals … Ranked No. 1 or No. 2 all season at 165 and 157 respectively.
1579117307DAVID FLYNN (Wrestling)
NCAA National Champion, NCAA All-American, NCAA Upper Midwest Regional champion, NWCA Scholar All-American … Finished 28-5 with 12 pins, 1 technical falls and 4 major decisions … Qualified for NCAA national championships with a runner-up finish at NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, recording two pins before falling to the No. 8-ranked wrestler … At 2019 NCAA national championships, went 4-0 at 141 pounds from the No. 8 seed. En route to his national championship, he upset the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the second round, upset the No. 5-ranked wrestler in the semifinals and posted a 4-3 decision in the finals over the No. 3 ranked wrestler to claim his first national title ... Ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during season.
1579717308LUCAS JESKE (Wrestling)
NCAA National Champion, NCAA All-American, NCAA Upper Midwest Regional champion … Finished 21-0 with 5 pins, 2 technical falls and 3 major decisions … Earned trip to NCAA national championships with 165-pound title at NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, posting a tech fall, pin and major decision in route to his second regional title … At 2019 NCAA championships, finished with a major decision, a pin and victories over the No. 10- and No. 6-ranked wrestlers respectively en route to defending his national championship … Ranked No. 1 all spring semester after taking off the fall term.