-- On the east side of campus, a major addition to Si Melby Hall, the Kennedy Center, is being built and slated for completion during the 2006-07 school year -- an addition which will add a new wrestling training facility, locker room, classroom and meeting room space, and other amenities.
-- A brand new air-supported dome will cover the Edor Nelson Field surface starting this winter.
-- In the center of campus, the Oren Gateway Building, a facility featuring a Barnes and Noble campus bookstore, retail shops, offices and student housing, is quickly taking shape.
-- This fall, Augsburg welcomed its 11th president, Dr. Paul C. Pribbenow, to campus.
A different kind of construction takes place every season for the Augsburg wrestling program. It's one where progress is measured by the time-honored team slogans, "One-Percent Improvement A Day,"and "The Pursuit of Excellence While Building Men."
And that yearly construction project results in a tradition of excellence unrivaled in small-college wrestling.
The Auggies have won nine NCAA Division III national championships, while finishing in the top four nationally the last 18 years in a row and in the top 20 nationally every year since 1971.
Augsburg has produced 39 individual national champions and 178 All-Americans in school history.
And under head coach Jeff Swenson, the Auggies have established a reputation as a consistent challenger for the national championship.
This season should be no different. Augsburg's returning depth, from a squad that finished third at the 2006 Division III national championships, combined with a recruiting and transfer class that Swenson describes as one of the program's best in recent years, could mean that the Auggies will be among the contenders for their 10th crown at the national meet, to be held in Dubuque, Iowa, in March.
"We have six out of 10 starters back, so you have to be happy with that," Swenson said. "We're really happy with our recruiting class. We're bringing in a good mix of real good freshmen and some impact transfers, people that could make a difference right away."
Depth at virtually every weight class
There is significant and talented depth at virtually every weight class, Swenson noted, which should prove itself important as the long wrestling season moves along towards the regional and national meets.
"The keys to the success of this coming year's team is that by January, we come together as a team," Swenson said. "It will all be a matter of staying healthy. I feel real confident that whatever weight classes we're at, and what our lineup looks like, we'll be able to peak at the national tournament. We do a nice job of peaking every year there, and we don't plan on being any different this year."
Five wrestlers who competed at last season's national tournament return to start the season for the Auggies.
National runner-up Jeremy Anderson (Jr., Thief River Falls, Minn.) returns at 157 pounds, after compiling a 44-3 record in his first year as an Auggie after transferring from Division I Minnesota. He will be joined at the weight class by returner Jake Grygelko (So., Loretto, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) and newcomers Shane Braun (Fr., St. Charles, Minn.) and John MacCormick (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn.). Braun was a three-time state high school tournament qualifier.
Two-time All-American Jared Evans (Sr., Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS), who finished fourth in 2006 and seventh in 2005, returns to the 149-pound class. He finished 38-8 last year and takes a 102-32 career record into this season. Joining him at 149 is transfer Willy Holst (So., Prescott, Wis.), a transfer from Minnesota who was a multiple state placewinner in his Wisconsin high school days; and Johnny Brandtjen (Fr., Sunfish Lake, Minn./Simley HS), a defending Minnesota state champion and three-time state placewinner.
Robbie Gotreau (Jr., Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) earned All-American honors for the first time last season at 174 pounds, finishing fourth with a 44-9 record. He carries his 68-20 career record into his junior campaign, and will be joined by returner Brian Fischer (Jr., Freedom, Wis.) and newcomer Garrett Long (Fr., Cedar, Minn./St. Francis HS), a three-time state tournament qualifier.
Andrew Neumann (Sr., Somerset, Wis.), a national tournament qualifier for the first time last season at heavyweight, returns for his senior season. He had a record of 25-10 last year. Four freshmen who were multiple state tournament qualifiers join the Auggies at the weight class -- Andy Witzel (Fr., Fulda, Minn.), Evan Osterhoudt (Fr., Side Lake, Minn./Hibbing HS), Tyson Barrett (Fr., Excelsior, Minn./Minnetonka HS) and Jake Schoenecker (Fr., New Prague, Minn.).
Josh Hansen (Sr., Albert Lea, Minn.), who qualified for the national tournament last season at 141 pounds, will likely move up to 165 this season. He finished 32-10 last season. At 165, Hansen will be joined by returners Brandon Klukow (So., Albert Lea, Minn.) and Dustin Monte (So., Santa Maria, Calif./Righetti HS), as well as newcomers Matt Curtis (Fr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) and Dustin Horner (Fr., Deer River, Minn.). Curtis and Horner were both two-time state tournament qualifiers, with both earning runner-up honors in their career.
At 197, starter Wally O'Connor (Jr., Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West HS) returns after finishing 25-16 last season. Sophomore Bill Boeschenstein (So., Marblehead, Mass./Hyde School) also returns at the weight class, along with newcomer Andy Robinson (Fr., Cedar, Minn./St. Francis HS). Robinson was a two-time state tournament qualifier and placewinner.
At 184, George Lynaugh (Jr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Danny Manley (Jr., Kearny, N.J.) return to compete for the open class, and will be joined by newcomers Andy Peterson (Fr., Grand Maris, Minn./Milaca HS) and Kris Krier (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.).
Paul Bjorkstrand (So., Burnsville, Minn.) returns at 125 pounds after finishing 24-12 last season. He is joined by junior college transfer Jaime Rocha (Jr., Santa Maria, Calif./Righetti HS) and newcomer Freddy Vigil (Fr., Bakersfield, Calif./South HS), a three-time California state tournament qualifier. At 133, Zach Hansen (So., Albert Lea, Minn.) and David Elson (So., St. Paul, Minn./Central HS) return to the lineup.
There will be a battle for the 141-pound slot. Dominic Dvorak (So., Belle Plaine, Minn./Holy Family HS-Scott West) is back for his sophomore season, and will be joined by several newcomers. Quincy Osborn (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) transfers to Augsburg from Minnesota. In 2005, he finished fifth at the Big Ten championships at 149 pounds, qualifying for the NCAA Division I national tournament. Aaron Gengler (So., Lincoln, Neb./Pius IX HS), a four-time Nebraska state tournament qualifier, also enters the program, along with freshmen Jason Adams (Fr., Coon Rapids, Minn.), Keith Klein (Fr., Paynesville, Minn.) and Chase Nordby (Fr., Clear Lake, Wis.). Adams was a four-time Minnesota state placewinner and state titlist in 2006, while Klein qualified for the state meet twice, as did Nordby in Wisconsin.
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