Action begins at 10 a.m Central Standard Time. A complete tournament schedule and list of participating schools is now available while complete results, updated at the end of each round, will be available through the official Desert Duals web site at http://www.go-knights.net/wrestling/dduals/index.html.
The Knights, with a No. 2 ranking in tow, are the highest listed team in the tournament in the Dec. 11 National Wrestling Coaches Association/Brute-Adidas Division III top 25. Luther (No. 5), Elmhurst College of Illinois (No. 7), Johnson and Wales University of Rhode Island (No. 15), Coe (No. 21), Augustana College of Rock Island, Ill. (No. 24), and Dubuque (No. 28) round out the ranked schools in the field.
The tournament field is even more impressive with a glance at the NWCA/Brute-Adidas Dec. 11 individual weight rankings. There is at least one ranked wrestler at each weight from participating schools at the Desert Duals and four each at 125, 133 and 149.
Knights rewind, notes - Wartburg crowned six individual champions Dec. 10 en route to its 11th consecutive Dick Walker Invitational title. Head coach Jim Miller's squad easily out-distanced runner-up Loras 161.5 to 114 for the top spot.
The Knights were led by Outstanding Wrestler awardee Dustin Hinschberger and junior heavyweight Blake Gillis of Spencer, each of whom won their third consecutive individual Dick Walker championship. Hinschberger racked up a major decision, a decision, a fall and a technical fall en route to his title, while Gillis claimed a fall, technical fall and match disqualification before sharing the heavyweight crown with junior teammate Brian Borchers of Holstein.
Freshman 133-pounder Zach McKray of Iowa City, sophomore 149-pounder Jacob Naig of Emmetsburg, freshman 184-pounder Romeo Djoumessi of Waverly, junior 197-pounders T.J. Miller of Cedar Falls and Ryan Phillips of Burlington also added individual titles for the Knights.
Wartburg has had plenty of success in the Desert Duals. The Knights finished 4-0 in 2004, losing only eight individual matches during the day, and concluded the inaugural tournament in 2003 with a 4-0 record as well, dropping just four individual matches in the process.
The Knights, including making a one step jump to No. 2 in the recent NWCA/Brute-Adidas Division III poll, released Monday, Dec. 12, had seven individuals listed in their respective weights. Hinschberger, a two-time defending national champion, and Gillis, a two-time defending national runner-up, were No. 1 at 141 and heavyweight, respectively. McKray made his debut at 133 with a No. 6 ranking, Naig was No. 2 at 149, senior Dustin Bliven of Columbus Junction was No. 7 at 157, senior Akeem Carter of Waterloo, also a two-time defending national champion, was No. 4 at 184, and Miller debuted at 197 with a No. 4 ranking.
The complete poll is available at http://www.intermatwrestle.com/college/rankings/d3ranks0506.aspx.
Next up – Wartburg heads east for a dual with Delaware Valley College of Doylestown, Penn., Jan. 6 and the North-South Duals, hosted by Ursinus College of Collegeville, Pa., Jan. 7.
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