As a team, Augsburg has won 10 national titles in the last 17 seasons, and has finished either first or second nationally 18 times since 1975. Augsburg has earned an NCAA national trophy by finishing in the top four in national tournament competition each of the last 19 seasons -- a record currently unmatched by any other NCAA wrestling program in any division. Augsburg has also had five or more individual All-Americans (top-eight finishers in each weight class) every season since 1989.
Augsburg enters the national tournament ranked No. 4 in the pre-championships Division III national poll, released on Feb. 26. Wartburg (Iowa), with nine national tournament qualifiers, is ranked No. 1, followed by No. 2 Delaware Valley (Pa.) and No. 3 Wisconsin-La Crosse. Both Delaware Valley and Wisconsin-La Crosse have eight national tournament qualifiers.
The Division III national tournament will be held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The facility will also host the Division II national tournament next weekend. Friday's two sessions (11 a.m. and 6 p.m.) eliminate the field to the final eight in each weight class, which earn All-American honors. Saturday's 10:30 a.m. session includes championship semifinals, wrestlebacks and third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches. Championship finals begin at 7 p.m.
Augsburg is competing at the national tournament for the first time under new head coach Sam Barber, who spent six years as an assistant under Jeff Swenson. Barber was part of three national title squads and two national runner-up squads during his six years as an assistant coach under Swenson, with 46 All-Americans and 13 national titlists during Barber's tenure.
Two All-Americans return to the Auggie lineup for the national tournament -- 125-pound defending national runner-up Seth Flodeen (JR, Cannon Falls, Minn.) and two-time All-American Robbie Gotreau (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) at 184. Gotreau finished fourth nationally his sophomore season and fifth last season at 174 pounds. Flodeen (21-7 this season, 74-27 career) is currently ranked No. 5 nationally at 125, while Gotreau (26-11 this season, 136-37 career) is ranked No. 6 at 184.
Two University of Minnesota transfers have shined for the Auggies this season. 133-pounder Travis Lang (JR, Bismarck, N.D.) is 34-2 this season, and was a starter at 125 on the Gopher squad in the 2005-06 season (he competed at the 2006 Big Ten championships). He is 70-21 in his collegiate wrestling career. 149-pounder Willy Holst (SO, Prescott, Wis.) generated a 10-5 record while at Minnesota, and has produced a 28-2 record this season at Augsburg. Lang is currently ranked No. 4 at 133, while Holst is ranked No. 2 at 149.
George Lynaugh (SR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS) is competing at the national tournament for the second straight year. He is 23-11 on the season. Jason Adams (SO, Coon Rapids, Minn.) will be competing at the national tournament for the first time this season, and is currently ranked No. 10 nationally at 141 with a 28-8 record. Beau Hansen (FY, Albert Lea, Minn.) is competing in his first national tournament at 157 pounds and is 28-7.
Augsburg is one of only six NCAA schools -- and the only Division III school -- to have won eight or more wrestling team national championships. In Division I, Oklahoma State has won 34 team titles, while Iowa has won 20 and Iowa State has won eight. In Division II, California State-Bakersfield and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo have won eight national titles apiece. In NAIA history, two schools have won eight national titles -- Adams State (Colo.) and Central State (Okla.).
Augsburg and Wartburg have been the powers of small-college wrestling over the past decade. Either Augsburg or Wartburg, or both teams, have finished among the top two in the NCAA Division III national championship race every year since 1990. Augsburg has won 10 of the last 17 Division III national titles (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007), finishing second seven times; while Wartburg won national titles in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2006, finishing second eight times.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now