Augustana University Athletics

Team Standings

Brackets

Led by a regional championship by Ty Copsey the Augustana wrestling team placed fifth in the team standings at the North Central Regional Championships Sunday in Mankato, Minn. In the process, the Vikings qualified 5 wrestlers for the NCAA Division II National Championships.

In the team standings, Augustana scored 38 points to finish fifth. Host Minnesota State University, Mankato, won the team title as they crowned 5 individual champions.

Besides Copsey, the other Vikings to qualify for nationals were Jason Jeremiason, Jay Sherer, Mike Long and Beau Severtson.

Copsey, a freshman from Glenwood, Iowa, was the only Viking to make it to the finals. Seeded second at 197 pounds, Copsey defeated unseeded Matt Norton of Upper Iowa 9-5 in the finals.

Copsey managed to record takedowns in each of the three periods to gain control of the match. Copsey led 6-3 heading into the third period. Norton got a quick escape from the down position to start the period, but Copsey got another takedown moments later to give himself an 8-4 lead.

Norton escaped with a minute left in the period to make the score 8-5, but he could not take down Copsey. Copsey was also awarded a point for riding time to account for the 4-point win.

Jeremiason, a 133-pounder, was the next highest finisher for the Vikings, placing third. Jeremiason, who was unseeded, received a first-round bye before losing his first match to No. 2 Mario Morgan of Nebraska-Omaha when he was pinned in 2:22. But in the wrestlebacks, he pinned Northern State's Rick Schiley in 4:32 and edged No. 1 seed Kelly Janke of Minnesota State, Moorhead, 4-2 to advance to the third-place match. There, Jeremiason won by default over Morgan.

Sherer was the No. 3 seed at 141 pounds. He scored an impressive 17-2 technical fall over Logan Franzoni of Southwest Minnesota State in the opening round before getting pinned by No. 2 Travis Elg of MSU in the semifinals. But Sherer rebounded with a 6-2 victory over MSUM's Derek Bomstad before dropping a 3-2 decision to UNO's Yasim Bribieseca in the third place match. Sherer then had to wrestle a true fourth place match against Northern State's David Schiley since they hadn't met earlier in the tournament. Sherer gained the trip to nationals by holding on for a 3-2 victory.

Long, seeded fourth at 149 pounds, received a first-round bye before edging No. 5 Shawn Walton of MSUM 7-5 in the second round. Long then dropped an 11-6 decision to top-seeded Todd Meneely of UNO before knocking off Chad Kubasch of St. Cloud State 9-5 in the wrestlebacks. In the third-place match, Long was pinned by Upper Iowa's Monterious Adams in 1:45.

At 184 pounds, Severtson had to rally earn his trip to nationals. After winning his first-round match over Tony Gehling of Upper Iowa, Severtson was pinned by No. 3 Brad Padgett of SCSU in the semifinals. Then, in the wrestleback semifinals, he was upset by unseeded Tyler Johnson of Southwest Minnesota State 4-3. However, he was given a second chance when Johnson won the third-place match over No. 1 Brent Pankoke of UNO. Since Severtson and Pankoke hadn't met earlier in the tournament, they squared off in a true fourth-place match, which Severtson won 2-1.

Augustana also had two wrestlers tie for fifth place. Andrew Sorenson went 2-2 at 174 pounds, while Lance Peters went 2-2 at 285 pounds.

Augie's five national qualifiers will compete at the NCAA Division II National Championships on March 14-15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Team Results
1. Minnesota State, Mankato 104.5
2. Nebraska-Omaha 92.5
3. Upper Iowa 72.5
4. St. Cloud State 67.5
5. Augustana 38
6. Northern State 28
7. Minnesota State, Moorhead 20.5
8. Mary 13
9. Southwest Minnesota State 6.5

Augustana Results
125 pounds: Al Meger, 0-2 (did not place)
133 pounds: Jason Jeremiason, 3-1 (Third Place - advances to nationals)
141 pounds: Jay Sherer, 3-2 (Fourth Place - advances to nationals)
149 pounds: Mike Long, 2-2 (Fourth Place - advances to nationals)
157 pounds: Aaron Haddorff, 0-2 (did not place)
165 pounds: Matt Morris, 0-2 (did not place)
174 pounds: Andrew Sorenson, 2-2 (Fifth Place)
184 pounds: Beau Severtson, 2-2 (Won True Fourth Place Match - advances to nationals)
197 pounds: Ty Copsey, 3-0 (First Place - advances to nationals)
285 pounds: Lance Peters, 1-2 (Fifth Place)