The Knights (14-0) harbor the top spot in the Jan. 9 NWCA/Brute-Adidas Division III top 30 and are the number one seed. Wartburg receives a bye into quarterfinal round action at 1 p.m. Saturday in the UNI-Dome against either No. 21-ranked Simpson College of Indianola or No. 27-ranked McDaniel College of Maryland. The rest of the upper half of the draw includes No. 29-ranked Coe College of Cedar Rapids, No. 10-ranked UW-Stevens Point, unranked Ohio Northern and No. 5-ranked Luther College of Decorah.
The low half of the draw includes defending national duals champion Augsburg College of Minneapolis, Minn., and No. 2-ranked UW-La Crosse. The complete pairings are available at http://www.go-knights.net/wrestling/2006NationalDualspairings.pdf.
Takedown Radio will carry the action live both days free of charge through http://www.thewrestlingmall.com/takedownradio/, while live video of selected duals at the tournament will be available at http://www.livesportsvideo.com/duals.asp through a fee-based subscription. Live text coverage of each dual will also be available through www.intermatwrestle.com.
* Knights rewind, notes: Wartburg dropped just five individual matches en route to four wins at the 2006 Ursinus North-South Duals Jan. 7.
The Knights garnered their 4-0 record behind a 30-9 win over No.9-ranked York College of Pennsylvania, a 37-6 win over the host Bears of Ursinus, a 48-6 victory against SUNY-Oneota and a 53-0 blanking of No. 23-ranked McDaniel College of Maryland.
Senior 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger of Belle Plaine, sophomore 149-pounder Jake Naig of Emmetsburg and senior 174-pounder Scott Kauffman of Emmetsburg each finished with three-or-more wins during the day. Hinschberger led the group with a 4-0 record that included two major decisions and a fall.
Wartburg used three pins and two technical falls to assist in a 44-0 shutout of No. 27-ranked Delaware Valley College of Doylestown, Penn., Jan. 6.
Junior 197-pounder T.J. Miller of Cedar Falls, en route to receiving special recognition from the Iowa Conference in its Player of the Week announcement Monday, Jan. 9, highlighted the win, upending defending national runner-up Jamal Johnson 8-4. Senior 165-pounder Dustin Bliven of Columbus Junction joined Kauffman and Naig in registering falls, while junior heavyweight Blake Gillis of Spencer and Hinschberger recorded technical falls.
Wartburg and Augsburg have met in the finals of the Division III National duals in each of the last five seasons. Augsburg holds a slim 3-2 lead in that span with all but one of the battles being decided by 10 points or less…The Knights turned in their third runner-up effort at last year's meet, held at the Cleveland State University Convocation Center. Wartburg rolled up wins over Case Western Reserve, The College of New Jersey and Luther en route to the final against the Auggies. Augsburg built an 18-3 lead and held off a strong charge for an 18-15 championship round win…The team's No. 1 ranking isn't the only thing fueling the Orange and Black this weekend. Eight individuals are ranked nationally with three, Hinschberger, Gillis and Miller, holding down the No. 1 slot at their respective weights. Senior 125-pounder Tyler Hubbard of Blue Springs, Mo., and Kauffman are each listed at No. 2, while Naig is No. 3 at 149. senior 184-pounder Akeem Carter of Waterloo is No. 4, and freshman 133-pounder Zach McKray of Iowa City is No. 8.
* Next up – Wartburg's home campaign continues with a key league battle against rival Luther Friday, Jan. 20. The Knights follow the dual with the Norse with a trip to UW-Stevens Point Saturday, Jan. 21.
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