This is UNK's first-ever team national title at the NCAA Division II level; softball won a pair of national titles (1987 and 1990) at the NAIA level.
The Lopers, who came into the meet with three national runner up finishes in the last five years, entered the finals with a half point lead over Minnesota State.
UNK got a huge assist from, ironically, Nebraska-Omaha as Cody Garcia won the 125 lbs. national title over Manktao's Nick Smith, 8-2. In 2004, the Lopers' Jeff Sylvester helped UNO claim a team national title, by just points over North Dakota State, when he won the 197 lbs. class.
Keeping the Lopers national title hopes alive, senior Brett Allgood won his second national title at 133 lbs. with a 5-3 decision overBrett Allgood Shane Perkey of Indianapolis. This marks Allgood's seventh first place finish as he won four state titles while at Bennington High and won a JUCO title for Iowa Central College.
"Of all the things I've won in my wrestling career, this second National title means the most to me," he said.
However, MSU's Jason Rhoten (157 lbs.) and Andy Pickar (165 lbs.) won their weight classes to give MSU a brief lead in the overall team race. In Pickar's 8-2 win, he almost got bonus points late in the third period but the clock thankfully ran out.
Dlagnev finished his career on a 70-match win streak by getting by Central Oklahoma's Dustin Finn. After a scoreless first period, Finn escaped to take a 1-0 lead in the second. Not forcing any action, Finn was called twice for stalling later in the second, giving Dlagnev a point.
The Texan took the lead for good by easily escaping to start the third, then recorded a late takedown to secure the win and team trophy.
"I liked that the team title was up to me to get. That's why I wrestle...for the team," said Dlagnev. "I wrestled well, but wasn't satisfied with my performance. I wanted to dominate more."
The four-time All-American and two-time national champion added, "I didn't feel any pressure throughout the tournament; only excitement."Tervel Dlagnev
Dlagnev finishes his collegiate career 166-19, including an 86-1 mark of the last two years.
UNK head coach Marc Bauer, a Kearney native and the architect behind the Lopers national rise the last decade, was named the Division II Coach of the Year. He also won the award in 2003. Coach of the Year Marc Bauer
Allgood and Dlagnev join the legendary Ali Elias (1990 & 1991) as the only Lopers to win two national titles. Dlagnev also joins Elias, Sylvester and Bryce Abbey as the only UNK wrestlers to be four-time All-Americans.
UNK needed every win on Saturday as the team started the day almost 10 points behind the MSU Mavericks. The Lopers went 2-2 in the semifinal round but took a big step toward first place when four wrestlers finished third in the afternoon session.
The group included seniors Joe Ellenberger (157 lbs.) and Jeff Rutledge (141 lbs.) and sophomores Ryan Etherton (149 lbs.) and Marty Usman (174 lbs.). Rounding out UNK's eight All-Americans were junior Keenan McCurdy (165 lbs.) and sophomore Derek Ross (197 lbs.); they both placed eighth.
Showing how close the entire meet was, Rutledge won his third place bout 4-3 over Shane Valko of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Next, Etherton edged RMAC-rival Joey Deaguero of Adams State, 4-2, with Ellenberger winning 2-1 over Upper Iowa's Travis Eggers in a first tiebreaker.
Ellenberger reached the third place match with Eggers only after a sudden victory win, 10-8, against Muhammad Abdur-Rahman of Ashland. Finally, Usman nipped Josh Shields of Mercyhurst, 3-2, in UNK's final third place match.
The Lopers couldn�t win everything on Saturday as McCurdy lost 10-4 to Wisconsin-Parkside's Kyle Becker, then fell to UNO's Aaron Denson, 3-0, in the seventh place bout.
Ross lost to UNO's Jacob Marrs to start the day and was then edged by Ashland's Jason Ohl, 6-4, in his seventh place match.
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