Updated brackets, results and more will be available throughout the day at www.go-knights.net, the Internet home of Wartburg athletics. A live video webcast of the finals can be accessed at http://www.go-knights.net/video.html, and live audio of the semifinals and finals will be available at http://www.kwar.org.
This year's team title chase includes six teams ranked among the top 11 of the current National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III top 25 (Wartburg - #1; Coe - #2; North Central - #4; Augsburg - #7; UW-Whitewater - #9; and Cornell - #11), Central Missouri State out of NCAA Division II, and second-ranked Iowa Central Community College of Fort Dodge and fifth-ranked North Iowa Area Community College of Mason City from the National Junior College Athletic Association.
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: The tourney is named in memory of Dr. Richard Walker, long-time Wartburg wrestling coach. Walker compiled a 180-93-4 dual record in 22 years as head coach, including a school-record 43-dual win streak. He was a three-time Iowa Conference Coach of the Year and coached four conference championship teams… Wartburg is the 13-time defending team champions. Augustana College of Rock Island, Ill., was the last team, other than the Knights, to be first in the point standings when they won the 1994 tournament.
KNIGHTS NOTES: Senior 157-pounder Aaron Wernimont of Pocahontas, the nation's top-ranked individual at his weight class, brings a 52-match win streak into the tournament. He's just three wins shy of 100 for his career…Senior 165-pounder Justin Hanson of Dakota City is the reigning Iowa Conference Male Athlete of the Week. He rolled up four wins en route to his weight class title at Simpson last weekend including knocking off Burkle, the defending national champion, in the championship…Hanson's effort also moved him to number one at his weight class on the current NWCA individual rankings. Head coach Jim Miller's team also has junior Mark Kist of Eagle Grove ranked 10th at 125, junior Matt Kelly of Dubuque ranked second at 133, senior Zach McKray of Iowa City ranked second at 141, Wernimont first at 157, senior Grant Jenkins of Manchester eighth at 174, freshman Byron Tate of Clinton ninth at 197, and sophomore John Helgerson of West Union sixth at heavyweight…The Orange and Black opened their dual season last week with strong results, toppling No. 19-ranked Loras 44-0 at Dubuque. It was the 123rd consecutive dual win for the program against conference competition.
DESERT DUALS: Wartburg hosts the event Sunday, Dec. 21, inside the ballrooms of the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel. Complete information on the tournament is available at http://www.go-knights.net/wrestling/dduals/index.html.
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