Augustana University Athletics

Final Brackets (PDF)

The Augustana College wrestling team crowned three champions and won the team title at the NCAA North Regional Championships, Sunday in Marshall, Minn.

The Vikings, ranked No. 1 in the nation, won the team title with 109 points to outdistance No. 2 Nebraska-Omaha, which had 99 points. No. 4 Minnesota State-Mankato was third with 84 points.

Augustana advanced seven wrestlers to the finals, as did Nebraska-Omaha. The Vikings and Mavericks faced each other in four of the matches, with each team winning two.

"I'm elated," said Viking head coach Jason Reitmeier, who was named the North Region Coach of the Year. "I don't know what to say, this is exciting. We wrestled really well today. Our guys went out and got some big points when they had the chance. Overall, we're the only team to qualify all 10 wrestlers for nationals, so hopefully that will benefit us at nationals."

Aaron Graumann, ranked No. 1 at 125 pounds, scored a dramatic 4-3 double overtime win over UNO's Dusty Tovar. The score was tied 2-2 until Graumann scored a takedown with 7 seconds left.

Graumann went 3-0 on the day while earning Outstanding Wrestler honors. He pinned Brice Whitacre of Southwest Minnesota State in 6:00 in the first round and had an injury default over Northern State's Chas Welch in the semifinals.

"There's a lot of deserving guys, so I feel very fortunate to have been picked," Graumann said of his award. "This is great momentum. It will be a lot easier going back to the wrestling room and work hard coming off a win like this."

Augustana's other champions were top-ranked Ryan King at 149 pounds. and No. 1 Tom Meester at 184 pounds. King scored a 7-3 decision over UNO's Shane Unger, while Mester registered a 22-7 technical fall over Eric Hageman of Minnesota State-Moorhead.

The four Vikings who placed second were Austin Scarset (157), Cody Henriksen (165), Dusty Wilking (174) and Tim Boldt (197). Henriksen, seeing his first action since breaking his hand at the National Duals in January, defaulted his championship match to UNO's J.D. Naig for precautionary reasons.

The remaining Vikings, Justin Bohlke, Andre Vander Velde and Cris Bietz all finished fourth, securing berths at the national tournament. The top 4 placers in each weight class advance to the NCAA Championships March 11-12 in Omaha, Neb.

Final Team Standings:

1. Augustana 109
2. Nebraska-Omaha 99
3. MSU-Mankato 84
4. MSU-Moorhead 52
5. Northern State 24
6. St. Cloud State 12.5
7. Southwest Minnesota State 7.5

Outstanding Wrestler: Aaron Graumann
Coach of the Year: Jason Reitmeier

Augustana's results:

125 Pounds
First Round: #1 Aaron Graumann (AC) pinned Brice Whitacre (SMSU), 6:00
Second Round: Graumann wins by injury default over #4 Chas Welch (NSU)
Finals: Graumann dec #2 Dustin Tovar (UNO), 4-3 (2 OT)

133 Pounds
First Round: #4 Justin Bohlke (AC) dec. Brandon Haman (NSU), 4-1
Second Round: #1 Dan Hilario (UNO) dec. Bohlke, 8-5
Consolation semifinals: Bohlke pinned Kurt Smith (SMSU), 4:49
Third Place: #2 Efrain Ayala (MSU-Mankato) dec. Bohlke, 6-2
Finals: Dan Hilario (UNO) dec. Scott Ahlf (MSU-Moorhead), 9-4
Bohlke finishes fourth and advances to nationals

141 Pounds
First Round: #4 Andre Vander Velde (AC) pinned Charles Schimmel (NSU), 2:05
Second Round: #1 Eli Dominguez (UNO) dec. Vander Velde, 3-2
Consolation semifinals: Vander Velde major dec. Tom Messerli (SCSU), 19-7
Third Place: #2 Ben Keen (MSU Moorhead) major dec. Vander Velde, 18-5
Finals: Eli Dominguez (UNO) dec. Brandon Girtz (MSU-Mankato), 10-5
Vander Velde finishes fourth and advances to nationals

149 Pounds
First Round: #1 Ryan King (AC) major dec. Aldon Struchen (SMSU), 14-4
Second Round: King major dec. Adam Minette (SCSU), 15-7
Finals: King dec. #3 Shane Unger (UNO), 7-3

157 Pounds
First Round: #3 Austin Scarset (AC), tech fall Spencer Dockery (NSU), 5:40
Second Round: Scarset dec. #2 Math Bitz (MSU-Mankato), 5-4
Finals: #1 Patrick Allibone (UNO) dec. Scarset, 8-1

165 Pounds
First Round: #2 Cody Henriksen (AC) had a bye
Second Round: Henriksen dec. #3 Nathan Schut (SCSU), 11-5
Finals: #1 J.D. Naig (UNO) wins by injury default over Henriksen

174 Pounds
First Round: #2 Dusty Wilking (AC) dec. Skip Toops (MSU-Moorhead), 5-1
Second Round: Wilking pinned #3 Andy Sinclair (NSU), 2:57
Finals: #1 Travis Krinkie (MSU-Mankato) dec. Wilking, 10-6

184 Pounds
First Round: #1 Tom Meester (AC) pinned Ryan Gosch (SMSU), 1:38
Second Round: Meester tech. fall over #4 Todd Naasz (NSU), 6:54
Finals: Meester tech. fall Eric Hageman (MSU-Moorhead), 6:03

197 Pounds
First Round: #1 Tim Boldt (AC) pinned Brandon Gruchow (MSU-Moorhead), 1:27
Second Round: Boldt major dec. Ben Strandberg (UNO), 16-7
Finals: #2 Josh Janousek (MSU-Mankato) dec. Boldt, 9-4

Heavyweight
First Round: #4 Cris Bietz (AC) pinned Jess Hockley (NSU), 1:13
Second Round: #1 Les Sigman (UNO) tech. fall Bietz, 6:38
Third Place: #3 Mike Engelmann dec. Bietz, 9-5
Finals: #1 Les Sigman (UNO) dec. Chris Tuscherer (MSU-Moorhead), 6-2
Bietz finishes fourth and advances to nationals