Massey used three takedowns, a reversal and a two-point near-fall in a dominating performance, building 4:22 of riding time to cruise to the championship. The title is Augsburg's 44th in program history, including a record 40 in NCAA Division III action (1983-present).
"It feels great. I came here to win. I expected to win the whole time. It feels great when you do," said Massey. "I went out there knowing what I was going to do. I just stuck to that and it turned out pretty good."
In the semifinals on Saturday, Massey rode out the entire second period as part of a 2:13 riding-time effort, then scored an escape and takedown in the third period to claim a 4-1 win over Karl Voeck of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
"It didn't surprise me, given how Jared trains," said Augsburg head coach Mark Matzek of Massey's championship effort. "I think he out-trained everyone in the nation, not ust the 197-pound weight class. No one trains harder than Jared Massey. People may train as hard as he does, but no one out-trains him."
Massey is in his first season of collegiate wrestling after a four-year absence from the sport. A two-time Minnesota state high school champion (2002-03) at Centennial High School, he competed at Division I Wisconsin in the 2003-04 season. Massey finished 30-1 on the season with 16 pins and three major decisions.
"It's a great feeling to come back and have the success that I've had this year. You can't really beat it," Massey said.
As a team, Augsburg finished second for the ninth time in school history (eight in NCAA, one in NAIA) with 105.0 points, second to repeat national champion Wartburg (Iowa), which had 117.5 points. Wisconsin-La Crosse was third with 87.0 points and Coe (Iowa) was in fourth with 65.5 points.
Augsburg claimed a top-two national finish for the 19th time in school history. Augsburg has finished as a team trophy-winner -- finishing in the top four in NCAA competition -- every season since 1989, a 21-year streak currently unmatched by any other NCAA wrestling program, regardless of division.
Under 2005 Augsburg alumnus Matzek, a two-time national champion and three-time All-American in his first year as Augsburg's head coach, the Auggies claimed seven All-Americans, marking the 21st straight year that Augsburg has had at least five All-Americans in national competition -- every year since 1989.
"It feels great, especially with how Jared did in the finals," Matzek said. "Obviously, we were shooting for the gold, to win the national championship. It was really close. It was within our grasp. But each guy in this program could honestly walk off the mat and say that they gave it all they had. And that's all I or anyone can ask of them."
Jason Adams (JR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) finished third at 157 pounds for his second consecutive All-American finish, while Seth Flodeen (SR, Cannon Falls, Minn.) finished his collegiate career with his third All-American finish, placing fourth at 125 pounds. Flodeen also earned the "Most Falls in Least Time" award for the tournament, with four pins in 16:00.
Augsburg had three fifth-place finishers -- 133-pounder Travis Lang (SR, Bismarck, N.D.), 149-pounder Willy Holst (SR, Prescott, Wis.) and heavyweight Andy Witzel (JR, Fulda, Minn.). Zach Molitor (SO, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) finished sixth for the Auggies at 174 pounds.
Among other Minnesota colleges, St. John's 141-pounder Minga Batsukh claimed a national title with a 5-2 win over Wartburg's Zach McKray, finishing 19-4 on the season. Concordia-Moorhead 184-pounder Phil Moenkedick. finished second in his weight class with a 15-1, major-decision loss to Michael Wilcox of Delaware Valley (Pa.) in the finals. St. John's, finished in 15th place with 26.0 points, also had another All-American, 184-pounder Dustin Baxter, who placed seventh on Saturday. Concordia finished in 18th place with 17.0 points.
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