The Auggies, ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, claimed their 91st 90th straight victory over an opponent from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the past 21 seasons and their 21st straight win over the Johnnies. The Johnnies' last victory over the Auggies in a dual meet came in the 1985-86 season.
Wednesday's meet was the only dual between Augsburg and an MIAC opponent this season. The MIAC no longer sponsors wrestling as a conference sport. Augsburg's last loss to an MIAC opponent came in the 1986-87 season. Since the 1975-76 season, Augsburg is now 190-2 against MIAC opponents.
Against teams from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 208-16 since the 1989-90 season, losing just 11 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season. Against teams from Division III, Augsburg is 224-19 since the 1979-80 season and 148-9 since 1989-90. Augsburg has won nine Division III national titles in the last 16 seasons.
Five Auggie wrestlers who were nationally ranked in individual weight class claimed wins on Wednesday. Jeremy Anderson (Jr., Thief River Falls, Minn.), ranked No. 1 at 157, moved up to the 165-pound class and scored a 9-1, major-decision win over Eric O'Brien (Sr., Becker, Minn.). Anderson is now 4-0 on the season.
Quincy Osborn (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.), ranked No. 3 at 141, improved to 5-0 on the season with a third-period pin of Minga Batshuk (Fr., Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's HS). Robbie Gotreau (Jr., Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS), ranked No. 3 at 184, scored a 6-0 decision over the Johnnies' Andy Staberg (Fr., Stillwater, Minn.) to improve to 5-0 on the year.
At 197, No. 8-ranked Wally O'Connor (Jr., Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West HS) claimed a 3-0 win over Jason Finley (Jr., Lake City, Minn.), improving to 4-1 on the season. Andrew Neumann (Sr., Somerset, Wis.), making his season debut, claimed an 8-1 win over Ray Marvin (So., Rome, Ga./Armuchee HS). Neumann is ranked No. 6 nationally at heavyweight.
The Johnnies' lone ranked wrestler, Jacob Malone (Sr., New York Mills, Minn.), lost a 12-10 decision to Augsburg's Willy Holst (So., Prescott, Wis.) at 157 pounds. Holst is now 4-0, while Malone, ranked No. 6 nationally, drops to 7-5.
Jaime Rocha (So., Santa Maria, Calif./Righetti HS) claimed a third-period pin at 125 pounds for the Auggies, while Johnny Brandtjen (Fr., Sunfish Lake, Minn./Simley HS) claimed the quickest pin of the night, a 1:49 triumph at 149 to improve to 5-0 on the season. Brian Fischer (Jr., Freedom, Wis.) scored a second-period pin at 174. Paul Bjorkstrand (So., Burnsville, Minn.) also scored a win for the Auggies, at 133 pounds.
In the junior varsity (White Team) match, Augsburg won all 10 matches and two exhibitions to claim a 52-0 triumph. Augsburg collected five pins in the undercard event.
Both teams return to action on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. Augsburg will compete at the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragon Open, while St. John's will compete at the Simpson (Iowa) Invitational.
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