FORT WAYNE, Ind. — For the sixth time in the history of the event, the Augsburg University wrestling team claimed the championship at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals, scoring an 18-15 win over No. 2 Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) in the semifinals and a 21-17 win over top-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) in the finals on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In both matches on Friday, Augsburg and its opponents claimed five wins each, but bonus-point wins proved to be the difference. Augsburg scored three wins by major decision in the win over Johnson & Wales, and two pins by the Auggies, along with a team point deducted from Wartburg due to unsportsmanlike conduct, provided the margin of victory in the finals.
Top-ranked 165-pounder Lucas Jeske (SO, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) improved to 19-0 on the season with a pair of bonus-point wins, a 13-2 major decision in the semifinals and a 6:56 pin in the title match. Of Jeske’s 19 wins this season, 16 are bonus-point wins (11 pins, one technical fall, four major decisions).
Victor Gliva (SO, Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS, 125) joined Jeske as a four-match winner during the tournament. He scored an 8-0, major-decision win over No. 5-ranked Bobby Jordan of Johnson & Wales then collected an 11-8 win over Brennen Doebel in the finals.
No. 3-ranked 141-pounder David Flynn (SO, Jordan, Minn./Jordan HS (Scott West) claimed a 6:56 pin of Wartburg’s Martine Sandoval in the finals, improving to 6-2 on the year.
No. 7-ranked 174-pounder Tanner Vassar (SO, Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake HS) scored a 14-4, major-decision win against Johnson & Wales. Vassar is now 19-3 on the season, with 12 bonus-point wins (seven pins, one technical fall, four major decisions).
No. 5-ranked 133-pounder Sam Bennyhoff (JR, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS) scored a 7-5 victory over Wartburg’s Brock Rathbun, improving to 17-1 on the season, and Sebastian Larson (SR, River Falls, Wis./River Falls HS) claimed a 6-4 win over Kyle Briggs at 184, clinching the team victory for the Auggies against Wartburg.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
Since the NWCA began the Division III National Duals in 2002, the trophy has rested at either Augsburg or Wartburg. Augsburg has now won the title five times (2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2018), while Wartburg has won the crown 11 times, including the prior seven in a row.
Augsburg is now 54-15 in NWCA Division III National Duals competition since 2002. Augsburg also appeared in five NWCA National Duals competitions prior to the 2002 season, when the defending Division III national champion was invited to compete with Division I squads. Augsburg is now 59-24 all-time in NWCA National Duals competition.
Augsburg won 29 of 40 bouts in its four wins during this year’s tournament, outscoring its opponents by a 126-38 margin. In its 69 Division III National Duals meets, Augsburg has outscored its competition by a 1,912-845 margin, an average score of 27.7 to 12.2.
Augsburg is now 6-5 in its meetings with Wartburg in the NWCA National Duals, all in championship matches. Wartburg had entered the match winning the last eight duals in a row against the Auggies and leads the all-time series 18-16.
UP NEXT
Augsburg competes at the Cornell (Iowa) Matman Open next Saturday (1/13) at 9 a.m.
National Duals Brackets/Results on TrackWrestling.com
Championship Match:
No. 3 Augsburg (9-1) 21, No. 1 Wartburg (Iowa, 11-2) 17
125 — Victor Gliva (AUG, 14-2) dec. Brennen Doebel (WAR, 12-4) 11-8 (Augsburg 3-0).
133 — No. 5 Sam Bennyhoff (AUG, 17-1) dec. Brock Rathbun (WAR, 10-5) 7-5 (Augsburg 6-0).
141 — No. 3 David Flynn (AUG, 6-2) pinned Martine Sandoval (WAR, 7-3) 6:56 (Augsburg 12-0).
NOTE: Team point deducted from Wartburg for unsportsmanlike conduct (Augsburg 12- -1).
149 — No. 1 Cross Cannone (WAR, 19-0) dec. No. 6 Alex Wilson (AUG, 18-4) 8-2 (Augsburg 12-2).
157 — No. 1 Logan Thomsen (WAR, 20-0) dec. No. 6 Ryan Epps (AUG, 16-1) 7-4 (Augsburg 12-5).
165 — No. 1 Lucas Jeske (AUG, 19-0) pinned Derek Lee Loy (WAR, 8-4) 4:56 (Augsburg 18-5).
174 — No. 1 Eric Devos (WAR, 3-0) dec. No. 7 Tanner Vassar (AUG, 19-3) 11-5 (Augsburg 18-8).
184 — Sebastian Larson (AUG, 17-5) dec. Kyle Briggs (WAR, 11-3) 6-4 (Augsburg 21-8).
197 — No. 2 Kyle Fank (WAR, 16-1) tech. fall Jonny Zarnke (AUG, 5-10) 17-1 at 6:16 (Augsburg 21-13)
HWT — Bowen Wileman (WAR, 11-5) maj. dec. Ethan Hofacker (AUG, 6-12) 11-0 (Augsburg 21-17).
Semifinals:
No. 3 Augsburg (8-1) 18, No. 2 Johnson & Wales (R.I., 7-1) 15
125 — Victor Gliva (AUG, 13-2) maj. dec. No. 5 Bobby Jordan (JW, 12-3) 8-0 (Augsburg 4-0).
Click Here: camiseta seleccion argentina 133 — No. 2 Jay Albis (JW, 23-1) dec. No. 5 Sam Bennyhoff (AUG, 16-1) 9-6 (Augsburg 4-3).
141 — Joao Vicente (JW, 15-1) dec. No. 3 David Flynn (AUG, 5-2) 5-4 (Johnson & Wales 6-4).
149 — No. 6 Alex Wilson (AUG, 18-3) dec. Joseph Ferinde (JW, 18-4) 9-6 (Augsburg 7-6).
157 — No. 6 Ryan Epps (AUG, 16-0) dec. Tim Higginson (JW, 11-3) 7-1 (Augsburg 10-6).
165 — No. 1 Lucas Jeske (AUG, 18-0) maj. dec. Adrian Gonzalez (JW, 16-8) 13-2 (Augsburg 14-6).
174 — No. 7 Tanner Vassar (AUG, 19-2) maj. dec. Michael Gargano (JW, 19-6) 14-4 (Augsburg 18-6).
184 — No. 5 Khamri Thomas (JW, 24-1) dec. Sebastian Larson (AUG, 16-5) 4-2 (Augsburg 18-9).
197 — No. 6 Michael DiNardo (JW, 22-1) dec. Lance Benick (AUG, 2-1) 4-3 (Augsburg 18-12)
HWT — No. 10 Jonah Aurelio (JW, 12-4) dec. Ethan Hofacker (AUG, 6-11) 9-5 (Augsburg 18-15).
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