The Knights added the program's fifth team national title since 1996 to an already-full closet of accolades that included the 2006 Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals and the 14th consecutive Iowa Conference championship. Wartburg concluded the tourney with a 145.5-106 win over UW-La Crosse for the team top spot.
"Any time you can go out and win a national championship, it feels great," head coach Jim Miller said. "I am very proud of how our guys carried themselves on and off the mat at the meet. They deserved this national championship after a year of hard work and dedication."
Senior 125-pounder Tyler Hubbard of Blue Springs, Mo., and senior 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger of Belle Plaine added the program's 22nd and 23rd individual crowns during the finals' round. The Knights were close to three others as senior 174-pounder Scott Kauffman of Emmetsburg, senior 184-pounder Akeem Carter of Waterloo and junior Blake Gillis of Spencer each pushed their opponents to the wire, ending up with national runner-up honors in each case. Sophomore Jacob Naig of Emmetsburg, appearing in his first national final match, also took second.
Wartburg opened up an insurmountable lead after a remarkable Saturday morning session where they finished 10-1 in the championship and consolation brackets. Behind the roll, Wartburg increased its team lead to 39-and-a-half points over second-place UW-La Crosse. After decision wins by Hubbard and Hinschberger in the semifinals, Kauffman and Carter put the team-point lead safely in the Orange and Black's hands. Kauffman gained a first-period takedown to upend La Crosse's Josh Chelf 3-2, while Carter turned in a nearfall move in the second period en route to an 8-3 win over the Eagles' Jason Lulloff, reversing an early-season loss to the nation's second-ranked wrestler. Gillis completed the semifinal championship round sweep, defeating Lycoming's Tom Snyder 2-0.
NOTES -- Wartburg's nine All-Americans marks the 11th consecutive season that the program has achieved five or more at the national tournament and continues a string since 1988 that the Orange and Black have gained at least one All-American…Wartburg has had at least one individual in a national championship match for four straight seasons and reeled off four straight years of having two or more individual national champs…Complete information on the national tournament, included updated brackets and team standings, is available at
NCAA Division III Championships Coverage
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