Augsburg's wrestling team and staff will meet with Gov. Tim Pawlenty at 4 p.m. on Monday. The State House of Representatives and State Senate are also presenting resolutions honoring the team.
In March, Augsburg won its 10th Division III national championship, claiming three individual champions and nine All-Americans, in the national competition in Dubuque, Iowa. It was the third year in the last four that Augsburg has had nine or more All-Americans. Augsburg finished 11-1 in dual meets this season, winning the NWCA Division III National Duals tournament in January. Outgoing head coach Jeff Swenson was named National Wrestling Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. Swenson resigned his head coaching position in March and has been replaced by former associate head coach Sam Barber.
Augsburg has won 10 NCAA Division III wrestling national titles in the last 17 years, a championship total doubling that of any other Division III school. Augsburg is one of only three NCAA schools to have won 10 or more wrestling national titles (Oklahoma State has won 34 Division I team titles, while Iowa has won 20 Division I team titles). Augsburg has also finished second in Division III national competition seven times, and has finished among the top four teams in national competition the last 19 seasons in a row -- the only NCAA school in any division that can make that claim.
Since beginning its competition in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 1983 (Augsburg competed in the NAIA prior to 1983), Augsburg has won 38 Division III national titles, the most of any Division III school. Augsburg has had at least one All-American in national wrestling competition (NAIA and NCAA) every season since 1977, at least six All-Americans every year since 1996 and at least five All-Americans every year since 1989.
Augsburg has also been a success in the classroom. Over the past 24 seasons, Augsburg has produced 100 NWCA Scholar All-Americans, the most of any college in any division in the nation. Augsburg had five Scholar All-Americans this season, has had at least three Scholar All-Americans every year since 1993, and has had 77 athletes honored since 1997. Augsburg has also had eight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans in wrestling, as awarded by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Over the past 10 seasons the NWCA has awarded Division III academic team national championships, Augsburg has finished second three times and first once (1998-99). Augsburg finished 11th among Division III schools this season with a 3.283 team grade-point average.
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